Dottie’s True Blue Cafe

Great place to grab a tasty breakfast and sit on the dog friendly patio! We stopped by early on a Sunday morning and were pretty much the only ones there… hope it picks up because this place was really quite good. Good, quiet location, good service and good food.

Really liked this place! Very quaint and cozy inside. Our server was awesome and made recommendations which was greatly appreciated. They have a large menu and everything looks delicious.
I ordered the pulled pork scramble and my girlfriend had the black bean cakes. My dish was very tasty! The pork was sweet and with a little hot sauce it was over. Let the «sport eating» commence. My friend did not care for the cakes, but I thought they were pretty decent. I personally enjoy meat too much for a veggie dish though. ;)
They have pictures of the evolution of Dottie’s which is cute. They have $ 7 mimosas which was tempting along with the cinnamon roll French toast. Well, I guess it looks like I know what I want when I return.
Great breakfast spot, not too packed, no wait, perfect!

Undiscovered gem. Just a block off the main drag. Super friendly wait person. Good food! Big menu. Quick service. Unique, comfortable atmosphere. Large black & white photos of classic old movie stars. Audrey, Marilyn…

I hate writing bad reviews so I’m gonna touch on the positive before I touch on the negative.
The positives:
The restaurant is lovely, and nicely decorated. We sat on the patio and it was also very pleasant out there too. The cinnamon roll that my best friend got was delicious; soft, yeasty and just the right amount of frosting too; very well made. The peach mimosas were fabulous, although at $ 7 each I thought they were too pricey. The staff is gracious and accommodating, although perhaps not extremely attentive.
The negatives:
Since we had others joining us we were coming in three stages and the waiter knew that, but after our last diner arrived we sat there for several minutes waiting for our waiter to show back up and take our orders, but he had vanished so we finally had to flag down a busboy and ask for our waiter to return.
I ordered the pulled pork scramble for about $ 11 and it was sweet. SWEET! What the what??! I picked at it trying to find a delicious, salty forkful of meaty pulled pork that *didn’t* taste like it’d been slow roasted in pancake syrup and I couldn’t find one edible bite. I’m sorry, but sweet pork scrambled with eggs and cheese actually is a dismal combination.
The unsalted, rosemary roasted breakfast potatoes that came with my pork and scrambled eggs somehow managed to lack any zip or zing too. I ate one bite of the potatoes and gave up. This was also served with two flour tortillas which were soft and warm, but otherwise nondescript.
There was nothing of note on my whole plate and the pork and eggs was practically inedible in my opinion. I sent my food back with about 4 bites taken out of it and sadly, the waiter didn’t even think to question why I was basically sending a full plate of food back to the kitchen
Coffee is $ 2.25 and about as nondescript as coffee can be. I mean seriously, it tasted like .50 a cup coffee, except it wasn’t, it was $ 2.25. Oh well…
So in retrospect, I paid about $ 26 for a breakfast that consisted of about 5 bites of food from my own plate, a cup of coffee, a mimosa and a bite of my friend’s cinnamon roll.
Yep, I won’t be back.

Delicious breakfast (black bean cakes, sunny side up eggs, potatoes so good with herbs, no ketchup needed) and really delicious cornbread-​fresh baked, total yummy… patio delightful…(nice view, spacious)…service great (friendly, chilled out, gives you time to look over menu and decide)…all in all, very lovely place, thoroughly enjoyed, forgot where i was, enjoyed the sunny day and the patio is even dog friendly. My pupster and I will definitely go back.
I went back a couple days later early and had the lamb sausage with eggs (always sunny side up for me) and the dill rosemary bread. The bread is oustanding, I really loved it. The sausage is a little gamey tasting for me… but I loved the fluffly dollups of goat cheese that was on there, it was so GOOD. And 2 thick pieces of that delightful dill toast. Its really delicous food there. I brought my little doggie and there was another doggie there too and a group of cyclists. Its a very pleasant atmosphere out on the patio and shady too, I like Dottie’s alot.

Menu seemed underwhelming. Took my 8 year old daughter to breakfast Saturday morning before work. We are both light eaters, the easiest thing w could order was two eggs over easy with a side of bacon and sausage, my coffee age her chocolate milk. Waited 30 minutes and paid $ 33???
Nothing on the menu enticed me to return again. But it’s walking distance to work. Hope their lunch is better

I don’t go out to breakfast much. One, the lines. I got better things to do with my life than wait an hour for a meal. Two, I may not be the world’s best chef, but I can cook an egg or two, fry some bacon, make pancakes and waffles. But when you’re on vacation, staying at a hotel, you don’t want to eat the continental breakfast every day. We’d walked by Dottie’s the day before eating here and it looked like you could get right in, maybe because it’s off the main drag through town. So we came back, and got right in. Yay!
It’s got kind of a nice diner feel inside, which is how I like my breakfast restaurants. The waitress was friendly. Restaurant’s a little on the small side, but nobody had to wait more than a few minutes while we were there. Bathrooms are in another building, which is a little odd, but whatevs.
Food was friggin good, and just different enough to set itself apart. I had the Southwestern, which, get the Southwestern. It is a ton of food, and de-​friggin-​licious. You got your andouille sausage, all your normal veggies, on top of perfect eggs, served with what tasted like homemade tortillas (at least not store bought) to scoop it up with. Add hot sauce, it’s good. Tanya had black bean cakes and eggs, which were also great. The cakes were so tasty and the texture so enticing.
We had a really great southwestern breakfast that I could not have made at home, and we didn’t have to wait. Doesn’t get much better than that. Though, does anyone know what the racket is with orange juice at breakfast places? Everywhere I’ve ever been charges an arm and a leg for half a cup of OJ. Oh well.

Saturday brunch at Dottie’s was easy-​peasy and suuuuper delicious. No waiting required! Just walk up and grab a table on their outdoor patio, or indoors if you prefer. I’ve seen Scottsdale go NUTS for brunch, and Dottie’s is on the tame kitten side of things in this regard. Service was very friendly. Always a plus. And the food… Oh, the food…
Look, I don’t even LIKE pancakes (96% true), but for some reason when I saw Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes with real maple syrup on the menu, I had to get them. THEY WERE SO FREAKING GOOD!!! I ate more than my fair share (which would have been half since we were sharing plates, but I did go a little overboard). The Black Bean Cakes were also fantastic. Came with grilled potatoes, sour cream, and salsa, and GRILLED CHILI-​CHEDDAR CORN BREAD! (I think I like corn, guys. In the shape of breads and cakes.) Order it with their jalapeño jelly. You will be so happy you did.

I have been wanting to try Dottie’s since it opened, but I am hardly ever in old town for breakfast. Thankfully, my boyfriend and I decided to check out the arts festival this weekend, so we stopped at Dottie’s on the way.
I had the basic two eggs, bacon, potatoes, and I subbed the toast for the Jalapeño Grilled Cornbread. It’s $ 1 extra, but it is so worth it! The cornbread is tasty with just the right amount of spice, and it’s sturdy so it doesn’t fall apart when you try to pick it up like some cornbreads. Make sure you get the pepper jelly that comes with it. It’s so good I was practically eating the jelly by itself. I usually don’t like red potatoes, but these ones were well seasoned and not dry.
My boyfriend had the pancakes and sausage patties, which were both really good. The pancakes had a slight hint of sweetness to them, and even though he only got two, they were huge.
The only things I wasn’t too fond of were the bacon and coffee. The bacon was a little too chewy, and the coffee was pretty bland.
Next time I’m in Old Town for breakfast, I will definitely be back!

Just the facts:
— Great options for healthier eating
— Unique non-​meat sandwich options at lunch (portabello, grilled zucchini, black bean, etc.)
— decent coffee
— cute atmosphere and fun S&P shakers at the table
— kind of pricey
— I want to go back to try breakfast

Searched for something new on Unilocal and my friends — you did not let me down. This amazing little space has friendly helpful service, and a plethora of delectable choices for breakfast. We tried a trio of the scrambles — smoked salmon… whiskey sausage… and prosciutto with all the mixins. Momma had a beautiful pancake that had a large hint of cinnamon and ginger. Easy location to venture out onto 5^th Avenue and help to stimulate our economy. OH, and the scone was a wonderful snack a bit later on. I will definitely visit you again Dottie’s!!!

Finally a great Scottsdale breakfast eatery. I have tried the other places, and never got the hype on the other spots. Dottie’s is the real deal. Unlike many other spots, where one item is the star, and other things are passable to downright lame, Dottie’s nails it all. Every aspect on your plate is the most important one, and they really pay attention to details.
My friend and I grabbed breakfast there, and it was delicious. The server, Choloe, was funny, efficient, and friendly. Our coffee and juices were filled and she was everywhere at once, without being obtrusive. I really enjoyed my breakfast, which was a ton of high quality food, and a good price. I will be back for more, and look forward to lunch there as well. Dottie’s is True Blue in my book for sure!

Having been one of those «Crazies» who waited in line at the Original Dottie’s in San Francisco, how refreshing to be able to walk in, sit down and have a piping hot (steaming) cup of coffee almost immediately? Very!
That being said, it has taken me several visits, alone and with friends, to decide if this version of Dottie’s deserves Four or Five Stars. Well, Four Stars is my Rating. Why?
The Daily Muffin Special — EXTRAORDINARY!
The Pancakes — Anything served with real Maple Syrup will win!
The Pulled Pork Omelet — Marvelous!
The Lamb Sausage Omelet — Unique and great.
The Cornbread — I want the recipe!
The French Toast — In spite of the Maple Syrup, just okay
Black Bean Cakes — NOT as good as I remember the originals
The Southwestern — Disappointing for the price
The Patio is wonderful and the service equally wonderful.
Why NOT five Stars? I believe when they get their «legs under them» Dottie’s will be a «go to» for breakfast in Scottsdale. Right now it is just darn good!

We had the place to ourselves this Saturday morning which is a shame given the fact that this is one of the better breakfast spots. The Open Road is a splendid breakfast for two. Maybe they ought to fly a few people in from SF to create some better buzz.

8÷25÷12
Met a friend here for my first breakfast at Dottie’s. I knew he was excited to try this location, since he’d been to the flagship in SF. He told me to bring my appetite and warned that he was going to over-​order, but I think we did breakfast just right!
It was a beautiful morning, with most of OTS’s inhabitants seeming to still be in bed– I quite enjoyed the open spaces and lack of pedestrian traffic as I parked into a lot right outside Dottie’s front doors (we planned to meet at opening time 7:30a). Michael was seated just a few minutes before, and I believe we were Dottie’s first customers. Found the interiors quaint– a diner atmosphere for sure, but cleaner, and definitely more inviting. On my way to the restroom a few minutes later, I found that Dottie’s has a second room, whose space seemed more peaceful, as I don’t recall seeing a kitchen there, with cooks bustling about. I mentioned to Michael about the second room, which surprised him, since the very room we were in was already a lot larger than the one he’d visited in SF.
Coffee was good, for a non-​specialty blend (we were told it was a Shamrock Farms product), and we very much appreciated how our cups were filled constantly! Excellent service by our server, whose name escapes me right now (starts with a «T,» I think), even though I had to remind her about the whipped cream for our Peach cobbler crumble cake.
The fresh-​whipped cream arrived almost immediately, and was it a beauty!
I wholeheartedly recommend others order this pastry should it ever find its way on the daily specials board again!
While Michael ordered the Blueberry cornmeal hotcakes he’s had to skip on his SF visit (they had pumpkin bread French toast on the menu then, hello!), I naturally gravitated to the Cinnamon roll French toast, hold the powdered sugar, with honey-​cured ham and a fresh fruit cup.

Another excellent dish, which I polished off almost immediately– awesome combo of textures when combined with the terrific pure maple syrup (!!) served here. Buddy, I hope you had more than the one piece I remember giving you… (I’m thinking I gave you two!) I must say that I think that the entrée should’ve had a couple more pieces of CR French toast on there. ;) Seriously, though, the photo (thanks to friend for adding them on here) looks like it’s lacking something. Buddy said «the powdered sugar,» but I would’ve liked some mascarpone cream sauce, or a generous drizzle of crème anglais…
I couldn’t try the fresh-​baked Cinnamon roll (powdered sugar icing), but I did enjoy the bites I had of the Blueberry-​white chocolate streusel muffin Mike had also ordered off the specials board. The blueberries were HUGE and the white chocolate combo made for a very tender and moist cake, and the streusel topping added another great textural layer. Mike «doesn’t do leftovers,» and so I was able to go home with some, and I will say that the peach cobbler crumble cake was just as good the next day, while not so much with the muffin… If I were you, I’d share that pastry with two or more companions, for it certainly won’t keep.
We were given a sample of the sausage and biscuits, and while I enjoyed the spice level of the food, I wasn’t too crazy about this dish, but I’m sure it’s because my digestive system can’t handle red and green bell peppers (although I can handle other peppers without problems). However, I will say that the tiny bit of biscuit I had was very, very nice– tender, but not too much so, and flaky. I’d order one or two on future visits, definitely.
Very fun breakfast, and I certainly wouldn’t mind returning again! :D

Coffee: The same nutty blend served at the SF Flagship and refilled even more astutely I particularly appreciated the low acidity, rich body, and availability of all 3 artificial sweeteners plus sugar. At $ 2.25 for a cup that is literally bottomless I could see this being dangerous if I went on a day when I was with my books to read.
Blueberry Cornmeal Hotcakes: At $ 10.95 this is the menu item I would have ordered during my visit to the original had the Chocolate Chip Pumpkin French toast not been a chalkboard special and true to the rumors the hotcakes did not disappoint. Golden and crisp on the exterior with a slight bit of grit to the interior crumb each of the three cakes was packed with bursting blueberries and slightly buttery even without the addition of extra. Served with a side of pure maple syrup (the sort they charge you extra for at Matt’s) if there is a better pancake in the Valley I’d be surprised.
Cinnamon Roll French Toast with a side of Grilled Ham: A $ 12.95 chalkboard special requested without the cream cheese icing my dining buddy this lovely dish featured a house made cinnamon roll cut lengthwise, then sliced vertically, and finally dredged in rich vanilla batter before a trip to the skillet. Golden on the outside, cinnamon sugar caramelized within, and served with a bowl of fresh fruit plus natural maple syrup and grilled Niman Ranch ham I’m pretty sure it would have been better with icing, but it was pretty darn good without while the ham was rich, moist, and suitably smoky without being too saline.
Southwest Biscuits and Gravy: A gift from the kitchen described jokingly by the owner as «something you won’t find in San Francisco» this small sample of one of the chalkboard specials featured a rich and flaky biscuit topped with smooth gravy rife with jalapenos and red peppers plus chorizo. Clearly not a dish terribly concerned with being subtle I really enjoyed the texture of the biscuit and although my modest Midwestern tongue needed copious water to quell the heat I actually enjoyed how the bright acidity of the peppers helped to keep the gravy from being too thick and heavy.
Cinnamon Roll: At $ 3.50 this cinnamon roll would prove to be good, but when compared to the rest of the meal really nothing special. Served warm with the frosting slowly cascading down the sides of the buttery bun it is not that there was anything ‘wrong’ with this dish — it just was not nearly as good as the French toast interpretation even though it was equally amply endowed with butter and cinnamon.
Blueberry White Chocolate Streusel Muffin: One of two daily muffins and perhaps the steal of the morning at $ 2.50 this dense muffin was not only large in size but huge on flavor. Served halved and warmed with a bit of cornmeal interspersed in the otherwise rich and buttery batter the highlight of this muffin was the smoothness of the white chocolate and how it melded with the rich streusel topping to form an ample foil to the sweet and tender berries. One of the better blueberry muffins I’ve had in recent memory it took restraint to not order the chocolate chip coconut variation on the muffin as well.
Peach Cobbler Crumble Cake with Whipped Cream: While I guess I could fault the service here in that they originally forgot the whipped cream I cannot and will not do so because in all reality the addition of house made whipped cream to this $ 5.50 slab of cake was the very definition of gilding the proverbial lily. Beginning with a batter as light as angel food yet unmistakably imbued with plenty of butter and sweetened local peaches what truly made this cake stand out was a tan ripple I can best describe as cinnamon butter cake running from edge to edge and a lightly toasted topping equally rife with the aromatic spice and just enough sugar to caramelize. Bite for bite this was probably my favorite dish of the morning, but showing a bit of restraint given the day of eating yet to come I was glad to let some of it go home with my friend — to call the portion ‘generous’ would be an understatement to say the least.
The Verdict: Bearing in mind my obvious predilection to breakfast sweets over breakfast savories and the fact that I’d been told all the Bay Area’s recipes had been ported over faithfully I had no doubts that walking into Dottie’s Scottsdale that I would like the food; what surprised me most was how much I enjoyed the scene and the service — both equally well carried over from San Francisco. Having said before that Dottie’s is one of the very few breakfasts I’d actually wait an hour in line for and living in a city where it seems everyone is willing to wait hours in line for Matt’s Big Breakfast I personally see Dottie’s True Blue Café as a sort of breakfast ideal — food good enough to wait in line for, but without the line. I’ll definitely be back — and likely at the exclusion of wasting a moment of a Bay Area vacation time or waiting in line at Matt’s ever again.

I have heard lots of good stuff about this place so my expectaions were set high.
The morning we went was beautiful so we sat on the patio. It’s a nice patio with a nice view of the area, but nothing extra special about it.
We really came to eat, and not realx but it was relaxing and service was pretty good too.
The menu seemed small to me, not a lot of options, but what was striking was the prices. This place is Very expencive, even for Scottsdale! a basic 2 egg, bacon, potato, and toast breakfast, inwich was on the small side is 10.50 almost everything eles cost more! and It seemed any little change or modification incured an «up-​charge» 1 dollar for jalepeno jelly… Really!!! thats just the start.
What was exceptional was the Buttermilk dill toast, by far the best toast I ever had! but when asked if they sell the bread to go I found out they do, but it’s $ 12 a loaf. keep it.
The corn bread was just as yummy but they make you pay for the jalepeno jelly, $ 1 for an ounce, YIKES!
Dotties is «good» but for the prices, either the portions need to be improved, or stop nickle and diming for extras. For now I’m eating at other places.
This corner has been lots of things, restaurants seem to come and go here, I wonder who or what will be next, as I dont think this place has staying power.

I’ve been to the one in San Francisco. It came highly recommended by a friend so we happily waited in line for about 30 – 40 minutes. And on a Thursday morning mind you. I was a bit excited to hear that they opened one quite close to where I live as it sure brings back fond memories of SF.
THE PLACE: This Dottie’s location is triple the size of the original. Especially if you include the patio dining. We went on a weekday, and of course there was plenty of seating. For all who live in the valley, we all know how dead Old Town Scottsdale is during the week especially post spring training. Place is new, so it is very clean. We opted to dine in the patio area, but tables were dust free. Only dislike, if someone is smoking, the smoke will find its way to you. There is free WiFi, but I couldn’t figure it out. Thought to ask, but forgot as that was not may main purpose of going there.
THE SERVICE: Hubby and I were allowed to sit anywhere we like, choosing a spot at the patio. We were seated in no time at all and had menus in our hands. Beverages came quickly. The space is big, and so I can see where some spots may get lost in the shuffle and coverage by the service crew. The young man who served us was very friendly, he would check on us every so often, but not as often as I would prefer. It is somewhat of a challenge to flag them if you are outside and the team is in an enclosed area. We needed butter and had to wait until someone walked by to be able to ask for some. At the end of the meal, I ordered for a muffin to go, opting for the Brown Sugar and Cream Cheese one. Between the walk from our table to the walk to the pastry counter our server forgot and ended up packing us a Peach Muffin. No biggie! Maybe some old fashion pad and pen?
THE FOOD: Coffee was good. Food is as I remembered. The servings are big, and so I always prefer to share or take left overs home. If you do share, you would still have room for a pancake which is one I would not skip out on :) What I like:
— Pulled Pork, Roasted Onion And Jack Cheese Scramble with flour tortilla and home fries, slow roasted with our own blend of herbs and spices and chili sauce
— Smoked Whiskey-​Fennel Sausage, Mushroom And Baby Spinach Scramble with grilled chili-​cheddar corn bread & home fried
— Dottie’s Famous Pancakes* whole wheat buttermilk, spiced with ginger and cinnamon. served with pure maple syrup
Okay, the baked items, I have tried twice now and both times, they were not as good as I had thought. It is very so-​so and bland.
TIP: Simply curious? Save yourself the hassle and go on a weekday. Weekends are too crazy. If you must go on a weekend, try an off hour or maybe an hour before they close. That way, you are not infuriated by the time you get your meal. WiFi, ask where you can get before being seated. It quite possibly be limited to one side of the café.
FOR THE RESTAURANT: Might I suggest more servers checking on folks on the patio. Maybe equip the team with pad and pen for orders. Some greens would be welcomed in the patio area to give your customers some privacy and protection from smoke, smog.
Would I come back … quite possibly. This is a new place, I’m hoping it would only get better with more practice.

I’m a huge fan of the original Dottie’s in San Francisco. I always suggest it as a top place to dine when I hear from others traveling to SF. When I first saw a sign for Dottie’s in Scottsdale a couple months ago, I was sure it was just an imitation. Much to my delight, I found out the real-​deal Dottie’s opened a 2^nd location right in old town.
This location is large and well-​laid out, and the patio is a very pleasant place to have breakfast. It seemed so strange to be seated right away instead of waiting outside in the cold for an hour amongst the «charms» of the Tenderloin in SF. What was identical to the SF location was the kind, attentive service and the delicious coffee.
My husband had a hard time choosing from all the meaty dishes on the menu but finally settled on the pulled pork scramble. He liked the way it was spiced with green chiles and didn’t drown it in salsa like I would have. I got the black beans cakes, and they were incredible! Being a vegetarian, I’ve eaten my fair share of black bean burgers. Usually the patties are dense and heavy, but Dottie’s black bean cakes manage to be light as air while maintaining a crisp outer crust. The accompanying corn bread was good, but I didn’t like as much as their awesome buttermilk dill bread. The breakfast potatoes need a little flavor boost.
The one thing that is really missing from the AZ location is their specials board. The dishes on their always sound so good, and it usually gives us vegetarians a few more savory breakfast options.

I was so excited to see that Dottie’s was opening a location here in AZ. The boyfriend and I went to the original in San Francisco and loved it so we had high hopes for this version.
We went on a Saturday morning and got seated right away. We chose to sit outside but there were lots of tables inside as well. It is much bigger than their SF counterpart. The vibe is very different as well. SF was, well, more San Francisco. More eclectic and hectic. The atmosphere here was very laid back and overall the clientele seemed older but it may have just been that day.
We both ordered pancakes. I got mine with fruit and he got the blueberry cornmeal. The servings here are huge. my pancakes were very dense and filling. Not light and fluffy but very flavorful. They had almost a light cinnamon quality. Boyfriend loved his pancakes. So much so he tried to recreate them at home the next day. But the best part of the meal was the bacon. It tasted like it was barbecued if that even makes sense. It had a smoky flavor to it that was very unique and very delicious. It’s not often you get something different with your bacon!
The staff was friendly and the atmosphere was comfortable. I hope they make it in this location — it seems like a lot of businesses have failed in this spot. Go there now to make sure they last!