The Soup Witch

I was intrigued by Sault Ste. Marie's The Soup Witch and how the café quickly became a popular stop for locals and tourists alike. So I met up with owners, Mana and Katrina on a snowy winter day at their café.

Mana has been working in kitchens for over twenty-five years.

"I took culinary arts training at Sault College along with a graphic arts course and I have always wanted to open my own business," she said. "I was most interested in a casual cafe/diner style eatery, rather than fine dining.” Mana and Katrina have been friends for over twenty years and talked about opening a business together.

With Katrina’s business and community development degrees and a lot of experience in the food industry, they seized on an opportunity during the pandemic. “We both lost our jobs and were looking around for something to do. This space became available for lease, along with the equipment and we decided to go for it.”

The Soup Witch opened in June 2020. It started as a café but has evolved into a grab-and-go, with freezer meals. Customers have the option of dine-in or take-out. About 75% of their business is take-out.

To say that Mana is enthusiastic about her menu is an understatement. She is passionate! She talked about some of the menu items with playful witch-themed names and a few of their customer favourites.

Here are some of the top menu items at Soup Witch.

Rudy Reuben OR MORGANA

Smoked meat, grainy mustard, chipotle aioli, Monterey Jack cheese & sauerkraut SLAW on HOME bakehouse & café’s grilled cheddar dill sourdough. Swap the smoked meat for turkey & make it a morgana!

The Coven

A take on the classic club with roasted TURKEY, crispy bacon, seasoned tomato slices, pea shoots, Monterey Jack cheese & honey garlic dijonnaise on HOME bakehouse & café’s panini’d rosemary garlic sourdough.

Salem Dog

A jumbo all-beef hotdog grilled & served on a bun topped with bacon, cheddar cheese, dill pickles & yellow mustard.

Seitanic Dog

A jumbo veggie hotdog grilled & served on a bun topped with BBQ braised seitan & pickled red onions.

Chick a Boom

Chickpea salad with diced red onion, celery, cucumber, fiesta seasoning, Greens & garlic aioli served in a whole wheat wrap.

Soups are made daily with a meat and a vegetarian option. Each month, The Soup Witch makes 60 to 70 different kinds of soups, ensuring a large variety of options every day of the week.

All sandwiches, including grilled cheese and hotdogs, are made to order with a gluten-free option for no extra charge. They make seasonal sandwiches like in the Spring Bog Witch, Summer Banshee, and Fall/Winter I’m Melting.

Salads and side biscuits can also be added. If you’re looking for a delicious drink, cappuccino is offered, plain or flavoured and a wide variety of teas too. “We like to have fun with our menu. We do a lot of research to get inspiration.”

“Our customers come from the immediate area of residents and those from the ski hills, trails, and parks. We have a big following by those travelling along the Trans-Canada Highway searching for places to eat, the café is not far off Great Northern Road.” 

The Soup Witch enjoys getting involved in the community from the “Fill Our Freezer” benefiting the Soup Kitchen Community Centre to the Bon Soo Winter Carnival’s Bon Soop event with proceeds to the Zonta Club of Sault Ste. Marie and Area.

Many of the ingredients for the menu come from Algoma farms and suppliers, like Lock City Dairies, HOME bakehouse & Cafe, The Plant Farm, St. Joseph Island Coffee Roasters and Agawa Fishery

The Soup Witch products are sold at Neal’s Country Farm & Market in Sault Ste. Marie’s west end and The Pit Stop in Echo Bay, Ontario, east of the Sault.

Future business plans include renovating a small building behind and outside of the main building. This will enable a much-needed larger prep and production area. The Soup Witch employs six people, four full-time and two part-time. All women, Mana proudly mentioned.

In case you’re wondering: “No, we are not actually witches or Wican,” says Mana, “We do respect all beliefs and like to think we are a positive and welcoming place for everyone.” I would add, a wonderful addition to the Sault’s and Algoma’s fantastic food scene!

The Soup Witch - Eat-in or Take-out

Co-Owners: Mana Goodfellow and Katrina Holkko 
215 Fourth Line West, Sault Ste. Marie, ON 
Open 7 days/week 10 am – 4 pm 
PH: 705 759-Soup (7687) 
Email: thesoupwitchcafe@gmail.com  
Web: thesoupwitch.com 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheSoupWitchCafe 
Instagram: @thesoupwitchcafe

Order direct with a delivery charge or through Skip the Dishes

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