The Cottage Cafe, Bakery & Tea Room

There are many awards hanging on the wall and for good reason. This place served some delicious eats. The staff are great and we were only in town for a few days and we went here twice! The perfect breakfast/brunch place in town. And it seems like they have no shortage of covers everyday.

Seating is tight but the food was fabulous!

Delicious food but putting a very smart ass/passive aggressive young woman up front as a hostess is a mistake. I was there Wednesday for lunch and left because she was rude.

My family and I had such a lovely experience at The Cottage Cafe while on vacation! Our server was wonderful, and the food was delicious. They also have a separate tea menu (which you might need to ask for) with a wide variety of options—from English favorites to unique blends and more obscure varieties. Between sharing with my mother and sister and going back to the cafe a second time, I was able to try 5 different teas and they were all delightful! Definitely take a peak at the pastries too—everything we ordered was divine. My favorites were the flourless chocolate cake and the sweet milk oolong, but I think it would be hard to go wrong with the pastries, and there’s a tea for everyone on the menu! I’d highly recommend a visit to the cottage cafe for a fun little tea party experience!

This is hands down one of the best restaurants in Bluffton. It’s a must when we have people visiting. Kim, Katie, and the whole staff are delightful.

We made a reservation for afternoon tea, a summer tradition for the girls in our family. The experience was not the lovely ladies tea we envisioned. It seems that afternoon tea here is on the decline, and if the business can't do it justice, perhaps they ought not serve it at all. The floral table cloth was pretty. The music was highly inappropriate. The tea selections were abundant, but the server wasn't knowledgeable about the varieties. The sandwiches and sweets were delicious and plentiful. The fruit was okay, but the scones were dense/dry. The server did not give the traditional description of the selections, some of which we couldn't identify, and explained that it was only her third tea service. Although the room was decorated with beautiful tea cups and teapots, we had to drink from clunky white stoneware cups and saucers. There were French doors to close off the room, but they were left open and other patrons were seated close by. Each person received her own tea pot with a diffuser insert, which was nice. But we weren't told there was a diffuser until some of the tea had steeped too long. We explained that our 10- and 6-year-old granddaughters are experienced tea participants, but the server kept offering things like cups of lemonade with lids and alternate food selections for them, diminishing their participation in our special afternoon.
Finally, we were rushed at the end because the cottage was closing. The server seemed anxious to clear our table and bring to-go boxes too soon, interrupting our lingering conversation. (Our tea began at 2 pm and we weren't informed that they close at 3). For the price of three full Tea for Two services, we shouldn't have been rushed. Paying and dividing the cost 4 ways was unnecessarily difficult and awkward.

Delicious perfect mid day meal. We all got salads, drinks and desert.

Great place for a date!!! Cute and charming downtown Bluffton!!! Don’t forget to use Bluffton Pressure Washing 😎

Delicious drinks and breakfasts

This little cafe oozes with old town charm and whimsy. The atmosphere is bright and laid-back, and the staff are friendly and attentive. The airy porch, adorned with funky and unique mobiles, was a perfect venue for our lunch. This cafe has the best Shrimps and Grits in South Carolina: the cheese grits are light as air, flavoured with rich smoky bacon, onions, mushrooms, scallions and just enough zip to amp up the fun, and the plump and fresh shrimps are perfectly prepared. This dish was accompanied with a lovely crisp green salad and delicious corn bread, making the whole meal a true delight to enjoy. The Cottage Cafe is a real gem!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Very quaint but a little pricey.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Cuban Sandwich, Monte Cristo

Love The Cottage Cafe’s menu of fresh selections, and I especially love the atmosphere - sitting outside and enjoying a great meal is one of the best ways to spend time with friends and family!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Wonderful place, food was incredible and service was outstanding. Favorite place to have brunch when in town!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Best shrimp and grits I’ve ever had

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Our server Alex was spectacular - a local that knew a lot about food and other good stuff to do in the area
Met the chef owner too - very nice - phenomenal menu and bakery too - can't wait for the coffee bar !

Parking: Plenty of street parking nearby

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Shrimp and Grits, Cottage Corned Beef Hash, Gumbo