The Cottage Café on Calhoun Street in Historic Old Town Bluffton, South Carolina.
Old World Charm. Southern Hospitality. Award-Winning Cuisine.

The Cottage was first built back in 1868 by J.J. Carson —  known for his bravery in saving the life of General Stonewall Jackson during the Civil War battle of Chancellorsville. Carson also organized the First Baptist Church of Bluffton, and services were held at the cottage until the church building was completed. 

Since Leslie opened The Cottage in 2009, she has transformed one of Bluffton’s most historic cottages into one of the Lowcountry’s most popular, and highly regarded, restaurants known as The Cottage Cafe, Bakery & Tea Room. She is also the Queen Bee at the popular Bluffton juice bar and emporium, The Juice Hive and is also the creator/owner/”chief roaster” at May River Coffee Roasters. In late 2022, she purchased The Pasta Shoppe in Bluffton and recently changed the name to The Bluffton Pasta Shoppe, carrying fine Italian foods, wines, and gifts.

Leslie has won many local and national awards for her cuisine since founding The Cottage Café, including numerous “Good Food Awards” (a highly regarded national food competition.) She has been named a winner in the national USA TODAY 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards – where The Cottage was honored as one of the top 5 Shrimp & Grits dishes in the entire state of South Carolina for its Bacon Pimento Shrimp & Grits and has won multiple honors in the Artisan Flave Awards.

Leslie’s commitment to bettering the Greater Bluffton area through her culinary endeavors is evident through her quarterly fundraisers for local charities, including events raising money for Paws Rehome, Search + Rescue through a “Bring Your Dog to Brunch” event, and restaurant fundraisers for the Palmetto Animal League.

 

In 2024, Governor McMaster named Leslie as one of three South Carolina Chef Ambassadors. This is the 10th year of the program, which was created in 2014 to highlight South Carolina as a destination for great food. Chef Ambassadors represent the state through food festivals and other promotional opportunities, sharing South Carolina’s culinary traditions, agricultural heritage and undiscovered places with the world.

“The Chef Ambassador program celebrates two important sectors of our booming economy — agribusiness and tourism,” McMaster said in the release. “Our state’s outstanding culinary talent contributes to the rich cultural heritage and quality of life that makes South Carolina unique and attractive to all.”

South Carolina Chef Ambassadors support the state’s farmers by using Certified South Carolina produce, meats, dairy, seafood and other farm-fresh foods in their own ways.

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Today, the award winning Cottage serves fresh, scrumptious fare for breakfast, brunch, lunch and afternoon tea.  The pastries, breads, pies, and cakes -especially their award-winning wedding cakes — are renowned. We feature specialty teas and house-roasted by our own Bluffton-based micro-roastery May River Coffee Roasters, as well as a full bar. The Cottage Café is ideal for indoor or outdoor dining, as well as small parties and events. 
 
Over the past decade, the Cottage Café has been the recipient of numerous local and national culinary awards – including being named one of South Carolina’s “10 Best” Shrimp & Grits in the national USA TODAY 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards, and numerous Good Food Awards — a prestigious national honor given by the Good Food Foundation  to foods that represent the highest standards of quality, sustainability and social responsibility.   The Cottage Café’s national award-winning Shrimp & Grits was also honored with the “People’s Choice Award” for Best Shrimp Recipe at the 2017 Beaufort Shrimp Festival. 

 

 

List Of Our Awards

2022 Good Food Awards
Winner: Korean Pickled Elephant Garlic (category: Pickles)
Winner: Watermelon Rind Chutney (category: Pantry)

2021 Sun Select Today Awards:
Winner: Best Shrimp and Grits

2021 Best of Bluffton Awards:
Finalist: Best Bakery, Best Brunch, and Best Dessert

2021 Good Food Awards:
Winning Products: House-made Cherry Bomb Jam, Green
Tea Watermelon Rind Pickles

2020 Hilton Head Monthly Reader’s Choice Awards:
Best Lunch, Dessert Menu, and Brunch

2020 South Magazine: Greatest Travel Spots
“Eat” Category for the Lowcountry

2020 Best of Bluffton Awards
Best Desserts and Best Shrimp and Grits

2020 Best of Bluffton Awards
Finalist: Best Bakery, Brunch, and Southern Food

2020 Good Food Foundation
Winning Products: Pickled West Indian Gherkin, Black Garlic “All Hail”
Caesar

2020 Millenials in Bluffton
Hotspot of the Week

2019 Hilton Head Monthly Reader’s Choice Awards
Winner: Best Lunch,
Dessert, and Bakery

2019 International Flavor Awards: Artisan Flave
Third Place: Cottage
Caesar Dressing

2019 Best of Bluffton Awards
Winner: Brunch,
Shrimp & Grits

2019 Best of Bluffton Awards
Finalist: Lunch,
Dessert

2019 Sun Today Select Awards
Winner: Shrimp
& Grits

2019 Sun Today Select Awards
Finalist: All-Around
Restaurant, Breakfast, Dessert

2019 USA Today 10Best Reader’s Choice Awards
Fourth Place: Best
Shrimp & Grits in South Carolina

2019 Island Packet
Top Romantic Spots in
Bluffton

2018 Good Food Foundation
Winning Products:
Shisho Leaf Kimchi, Lowcountry Kimchi

2018 Sun Today Select Awards
Brunch, Breakfast,
Best Outdoors

2018 Best of Bluffton
Winner: All-around
restaurant, Dessert

2018 Best of Bluffton
Finalist: Brunch,
Breakfast, Outdoor Dining

2017 Beaufort Shrimp Festival
Winner: Best Shrimp
Recipe (shrimp salad)

2016 Hilton Head Monthly Reader’s Choice Awards
Winner: Brunch,
Desserts

2015 Sun Today Reader’s Choice Awards
Best Sunday Brunch

2015 Sun Today Reader’s Choice Awards
Best Signature Omelet

2015 Hilton Head Monthly Reader’s Choice Awards
BEST OUTDOOR DINING

2015 Hilton Head Monthly Reader’s Choice Awards
BEST CAKES & PASTRIES

2014 Sun Today Reader’s Choice Awards
BEST SUNDAY BRUNCH

2014 Sun Today Reader’s Choice Awards
BEST SIGNATURE OMELET

2014 Hilton Head Monthly Reader’s Choice Awards!
BEST OUTDOOR DINING

2014 Hilton Head Monthly Reader’s Choice Awards
BEST DESSERT

2013 Hilton Head Monthly Reader’s Choice Awards
BEST CAKES AND PASTRIES

2013 Bluffton Today, Best of Bluffton Awards
Best Pet-Friendly Restaurant

2013 Bluffton Today, Best of Bluffton Awards
BEST BOILED PEANUT

2013 Peanut Festival
Runner Up: Best Lunch

2012 Hilton Head Monthly, Reader’s Choice Awards
TOP TEN RECIPES 2012

2012 Pistachio Cake, Bluffton Today
BEST SUNDAY BRUNCH

2012 Bluffton Today, Best of Bluffton (BOB) Awards
Best Pet-Friendly Restaurant, Best Quick Lunch

2011 Bluffton Today, Best of Bluffton (BOB) Awards
Best Lunch, Best
Pet-Friendly Restaurant, Best Dessert

2011 Hilton Head Monthly, Reader’s Choice Awards
Best Lunch, Best
Brunch

2010 Hilton Head Monthly, Reader’s Choice Awards
Favorite New Restaurant

 

Come experience the history, cozy ambiance and award-winning cuisine, of Bluffton’s famous Cottage … and enjoy scrumptious food in a truly special Southern setting!