If you think scones are always dry, predictable, or simply something to eat alongside a cup of tea, Levity Breakfast House is ready to change your mind.
At this welcoming Norman breakfast spot, scones are hand-scooped, baked fresh every day, and offered in a rotating variety of flavors. One morning might feature the savory Three Cheese Garlic Chive scone used as the base for Levity’s Scones and Gravy, while another visit could introduce you to a creative flavor you never expected to find in a pastry case.
No two visits to Levity are the same.
Behind it all are brothers Jon and Mark Hunnell, who set out to create the kind of breakfast spot they'd want to visit themselves.
Finding a Home in Norman
Before opening Levity, Jon's career had taken him through nonprofit work, ministry and management roles with Apple, including several years spent living in Washington, D.C.
Owning a restaurant, though, was something entirely new.
Aside from helping with a coffee shop connected to a mall cookie store in the '90s, Jon had never spent much time working in restaurants. When he began considering a breakfast house in Norman, he did what came naturally: he started asking questions.
He spent time talking with local business owners, asking what worked, what didn't, and what they'd do differently if they had the chance to start over. Instead of guarding trade secrets, they shared what they'd learned and encouraged him along the way.
Around Norman, it's not unusual for businesses to borrow ingredients, equipment, or supplies from one another when something goes sideways. Levity has been on both ends of those favors.
"When you can celebrate a competitor's wins and see them as our wins, business becomes fun," Jon said.
For the Hunnell brothers, that's part of what makes Norman special. A thriving local restaurant scene doesn't just benefit individual businesses. It gives people more reasons to get out, explore, and experience the city.
Growing Without Losing the Cozy Feel
The dining room started with about 45 seats. It didn't take long before every one of them was full. Within weeks, Jon found himself watching potential guests walk away when the restaurant reached capacity.
Rather than rushing into a major expansion, the brothers grew carefully. Improvements were paid for with profits from Levity's first year, allowing them to welcome more guests while preserving the character that had made the restaurant feel special from the beginning.
A big part of that is the historic home on Peters Avenue. While the house was reimagined to become a restaurant, it still feels like a home, with separate dining rooms, cozy corners, and little details that invite people to settle in and stay awhile.
Jon has always thought breakfast feels different than any other meal. It's where families catch up, friends linger over coffee, and weekend plans get made. That's the atmosphere he and Mark hoped to create.
The main room even has a VHS corner, complete with an old television and shelves of classic movies.
Before long, regulars knew the staff by name, conversations carried between tables, and the house started feeling less like a restaurant and more like part of the neighborhood.
The Story Behind Levity’s Scones
Long before Levity opened, Jon's scones began as a way to do something thoughtful for his employees at Apple.
While managing a hardworking team, he wanted to bring them a treat that felt a little more special than the usual box of cookies. He remembered the scones made by his wife's aunt, which were noticeably softer and less dry than most versions he'd tried.
When Jon asked for the recipe, he learned it had originally been printed on a margarine container from the '50s.
He started experimenting, swapping margarine for butter, adding buttermilk and changing the preparation method. Instead of cutting cold butter into the dough, he melted it and hand-scooped each scone. The result was the softer, richer scone that's still one of Levity's signatures today.
Once the recipe felt right, the fun really started.
Jon brought new flavors to work and let his employees vote on their favorites. The winner got to choose what he'd make next, turning recipe testing into a friendly tradition. Many of Levity's earliest flavors came from those Apple employees.
"The scone was just an avenue," Jon said. "It gave us a reason to gather."
Today, the pastry case changes often, so you might find a Three Cheese Garlic Chive scone one morning and something like Butterscotch Bacon Maple or Cherry White Chocolate the next. Some flavors stick around, others make only a brief appearance, but that's part of what keeps people coming back.
If it's your first visit, don't overthink it. Order a scone. Better yet, grab an extra for later.
A Team Effort, From the Kitchen to the Table
Spend a few minutes talking with Jon, and one thing becomes pretty clear: he's far more interested in talking about the people around him than taking any credit himself.
Mark came up with the name "Levity," inspired by the idea of bringing a little lightness into someone's day. Chef Luke Fry has helped shape the menu, and the rest of the team keeps breakfast service humming every morning.
No one sticks to just one job. On a busy morning, someone might be running food one minute and helping in the kitchen the next. Tips are shared across the team because, to Jon, everyone helps create the experience guests remember.
"I will take kind and inexperienced a hundred times over skilled and mean," he said.
Jon still remembers how freely Norman business owners shared their time and advice when he was figuring things out, and he's happy to return the favor. If someone wants to open a restaurant, he'll answer questions, share what he's learned, and cheer them on.
"When you can celebrate a competitor's wins and see them as our wins," he said, "business becomes fun."
Ready to give Levity a try? Pull up a chair on Peters Avenue and settle in.
