The Cottage is a yummy place to stop by for lunch while in Encinitas! If it's a sunny day, choose the patio to enjoy your meal. We chose the crab cake melt (great choice!) with fried, and the octopus salad (meh) Worth trying, if you're looking for a lunch spot. read more

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This place was super cute on the inside. Really good flavors, loved the scones on the side of the breakfast instead of toast, so fun and love the jam that comes with it. The service was great, the air conditioning was lovely a great break in the summer months for those of us who don't have air conditioning. Would definitely recommend and go again, the only downside iis it's a little pricey but the ambiance makes up for that. read more

My husband and I went here for breakfast the other day. Food was okay, but don't be surprised if when your bill comes, there are discrepancies on your bill that are different than menu prices. Two of our items didn't reflect the menu prices. I politely pointed this out to the waitress who at first acted like she didn't understand English very well. Then she proceeded to tell me I was wrong. I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt and said, "well maybe some old menus were mixed in w/the new?" (That happened at another restaurant we were at, and the other restaurants waitress was polite and fixed it). I wasn't in the mood to argue w/her, so she just got a low tip for not handling things properly. Maybe she could pass this off, or it would slip through the cracks unnoticed on some items, but the menu said my breakfast was $19.50, and I remember thinking, wow, that's almost $20. (a lot for breakfast). So imagine my surprise when the bill came and it was $20.50! The same thing happened w/the juice. I almost didn't order it b/c the menu said $10. which I thought was high for juice, but I went ahead and splurged. Unfortunately, when my bill came she charged $11. for the juice. It would've been easy for her to adjust the 2 out of 4 items , and maybe keep a customer, but personality and social skills weren't her forte. For the prices The Cottage charges, they need to get help that is more with it and friendly. Also, the waitress's accent and verbiage made her difficult to understand and didn't help that she was unfriendly and came across as argumentative. The host was easier to understand but left us standing there forever while he fiddled around on the cash register, etc., even though he wasn't waiting on anyone. I finally had to ask him if they had a host, or should I seat myself. Turned out he did both jobs. But he didn't seem to know basic etiquette. He should be trained to make eye contact, and say, "I'll be with you in a moment," or "I will find someone to seat you momentarily." It wasn't overly busy, and there was no line even though it was a weekend. He wasn't very observant b/c a man came up at the last minute and the host was confused and about ready to help the man. I had to say that my husband and I had already been waiting awhile. He was still much better than our waitress though. But in general the staff wasn't very professional, and it was not a fun relaxing vibe like you'd expect w/a name like, 'The Cottage.' read more

We were so excited to come here because we love The Cottage in La Jolla. Unfortunately, we were sorely disappointed. Ordered eggs Benedict. EVERYTHING was cold. The English muffin required a steak knife to cut. I had to ask one of the staff for a steak knife for my English muffin. The house potatoes were cold and lacking flavor. Saw the barista do a sniff test on the milk. Staff was nice. I don't think we'll be back anytime soon. Hopefully because it's new and they are still learning. Disappointed because I really want a regular breakfast place. I'll be heading back to Breakfast Republic. read more

The Cottage - Crab and Prosciutto Benedict (hot sauce) - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

The location was convenient with easy parking. I like that they have outdoor seating, but it was chilly when we went and opted for inside. Only one other couple was there, and the waitress sat us at the smallest table in the place, which wasn't appreciated so we asked for another table. The waitress didn't seem to like the request, but let us move. The food was more expensive than most every other restaurant, but was good quality. I had the Joes Scramble, vegetables and scrambled eggs. It was mostly spinach, so not much flavor, but not terrible. The scone it came with was much harder than it should have been. I would have preferred the option to order toast. My wife had GF pancakes which she said was real good, hard to find good GF dishes. The six dollar coffee ruined it for me. If I ever went back, I'd never order the coffee again. Six bucks sucks! Now that I think about it, I doubt that I would go back, charging that much for coffee made me pretty mad. read more

I was obsessed with the Cottage in La Jolla, almost every weekend, was a brunch there. Recently I went to the new location in Del Mar and enjoyed it even more. Same good quality food, great service and love the ambience and design. And great location, Del Mar piazza right across from the ocean read more

Food was average at best. Everything was overpriced. A regular coffee for $5.25, corn syrup not maple syrup, bad eggs benedict, the signature French toast was old brioche. Very disappointed! read more

This was an unexpected surprise. Very good food, service is amazing & they brew their own coffee. My favorite dish is their Monterey Scramble, their Buttermilk Pancakes very good & their pastries are super delicious and not too sweet which pairs perfectly with their freshly brewed coffee. read more

The baked brie appetizer was underwhelming -- the description clearly says that the baked brie is topped with tomato, spinach and mushrooms, so I thought the main highlight would be the baked brie. However, there was only a small sliver of baked brie on top that was too small to last all 10 slices of the crostini (toasted mild sourdough) -- realistically the brie could only top 3-5 slices, when divided strategically enough. In reality the baked brie dish had a ton of mushrooms underneath, which I wasn't a fan of. The tomatoes were great and the sauce was too, which were the saving grace to last the rest of the toasted bread slices. Bottom line is that I felt betrayed by the "baked brie" title because the dish really doesn't focus on the brie. read more

The Cottage - Baked brie with tomato, spinach, mushroom, and toasted bread - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

Really cute place. It was cold so we wanted to sit inside but had a table near a side door. I swear we mentioned it half dozen times that we were cold and I kept getting up to close the door only to have the same people just prop it open again. Everyone around us also had jackets on inside. Not pleasant. Was excited about watermelon mimosas but they were cloyingly sweet. The bubbles were sweet (not dry) so the whole thing was just too much. My friend ordered the cinnamon roll pancakes and loved them. Another had the mushroom frittata which she said was ok. I ordered the split Benedict - pork belly and antojitos. I also specifically asked for super-well done potatoes. I got the food and the potatoes were cold. Not room temp...cold. I let the runner know that and they took my entire plate. And we had no flatware when the food arrived. So I had to say to the person bringing us forks that I hoped they weren't going to let those eggs get cold while they re- did the potatoes....and they went back and brought the eggs back out, which were already getting cold. The pork belly was tasty but tough and overcooked. The antojitos was delicious - would get that again, if I were ever to come back, which I probably won't. The potatoes showed up. Warmer, but still not cooked as I'd asked. Also zero seasoning. Nobody ever came by to refill our water. I finally got up and grabbed the pitcher and refilled them myself. Mind you, place was not busy. The service was awful - although the managers were very nice. The food just ok IMO. For the price, there are so many better places in the area. I'd hoped for more after reading these reviews. read more

Spent the past weekend with my sister and bro-in-law helping them pack up for the move to North Carolina. Sunday, we had lunch at their fav spot and wow we were impressed! Seated on the patio on the perfect sunday afternoon to people watch and was soon greeted by Stacey who took our drink orders. The menu had something for everyone! I ordered the tuna melt and was impressed on how fresh everything was! Perfect bread to tuna and veggie's. Stacy was excellent by stopping by our table to top off our drinks and water and was very friendly to us!! She made us feel very welcome. Note: the table wait staff was on point by timely clearing and removing dishes like a well-trained team!! This will be our new fav spot for breakfast going forward! read more

We normally frequent the La Jolla location and Del Mar location which we absolutely have enjoyed. Though the food is consistent across, the service at this location has been abysmal. The staff chooses to ignore you even with half the restaurant being completely empty. Once and not again to this location, unfortunately. read more

A cute restaurant with good breakfast and lunch food. The staff are all very nice, attentive, and helpful! Each person will spend around $20-$30 so if you have 4 or more people in your group it'll definitely be over 100 dollars. The food and drinks were good but I did notice two of the people I was with said the wished their food had more flavor, and mine was a tiny bit bland also (still good though). Parking was difficult to find on a Sunday afternoon (1PM). I had to park farther and walk. read more

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We came here during the week for a late breakfast. They were not that busy but people were there. They offer both indoor and outdoor seating. The patio area is covered. It is cute looking inside. If you are sitting inside beware where you sit, we were under the air conditioning piping and it was dripping on our table, we moved seats. Our waiter didn't seem thrilled to be there, he never smiled or asked us how our feed was. He was not very attentive. I ordered coffee, and he finally brought it over but we didn't have any place settings for us, so I didn't have a spoon to stir my coffee. I finally went up front and asked for a spoon and the guy behind the counter told me to go back to my table and someone would bring me a spoon. About 5 minutes later I finally got a spoon. The offering on the menu looked great a nice variety. My daughter ordered the homemade cinnamon roll, and she did not care for it. It was not a normal cinnamon roll, it was maybe made out of puff pastry it was crispy. She didn't eat it. I ordered the Mexicali Benedict, and the corn cake was hard and it food came out cold. read more

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Great food, great service. Will likely return next time I'm in town. Love trying chilaquiles when they're available. Theirs has a little kick to them. read more

I'm coming back to give another review of this place because honestly after months of coming in almost every weekend, I can say their quality service and food has persisted. I have tried more than half of their food menu and you honestly can't go wrong with ordering here. Everything is just so delicious!! I am addicted to their pancakes and their coffee. Stacey, Trevor and Heather are all wonderful staff that make you feel as if you are friends and family when you come in. It's hard now a days to find a place that has both great food and service but this place certainly has both. If you look at my other reviews you will see that I can be equally honest if I dislike a place but the Cottage is one my absolute favorite SD places! The owner should be very proud of the business they are running. read more

What a wonderful place to enjoy breakfast and lunch. Very happy they expanded up into my neighborhood. Nice ambience. Very clean and wonderful food. I'll be back for more. read more

The Cottage - Mural - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

We came here on Saturday for a late brunch and we were very underwhelmed. I ordered the smoked salmon smashed toast and my friend ordered the fish tacos. My toast came unassembled so I had to make it, which was not a big deal but it wasn't what I was expecting. They gave me a bowl of guacamole for the toast instead of just avocado. My friend said her fish tacos were okay, they didn't real have much substance to them. We tried to order some cocktails and they said they didn't have their liquor license. Their menu had alcoholic options so I just don't understand why they would make a menu with options they didn't have. We also ordered the coffee cake and it was pretty dry. The best part of our experience was our service. Our waiter was great, he gave us suggestions and was very attentive. The food was not terrible but I wouldn't say it was anywhere near great. read more

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Food is good but pricey. But the women's restroom is an absolute mess, dirty rusty faucet s and multiple rusty soap dispensers along with several old dried flowers. Service just ok read more

Went to one of the newest editions to the New Encinitas scene for the first time this past weekend. In general, I was favorably impressed with The Cottage's third cafe (the original being in La Jolla and a second in San Diego near Marston Hills). The space is pleasant, slightly reminiscent of someone's very nice kitchen and family room: it is bright and airy, with a few knick-knacks behind the bar to give it a homey feel. The menu offers both breakfast and lunch items and our party ordered a combination. The prices are somewhat higher than a less ritzy cafe, but pretty much in line with the other eateries in the area. Compared with Breakfast Republic a few blocks away (probably its closest competitor conceptually), it is actually a bit less expensive. That said, the ingredients seemed to have been of good quality and the dishes conscientiously prepared. My wife ordered the frito misto plate (which is billed as an appetizer, but was large enough for a meal); my daughter the avocado toast; and I ordered the fruit plate. All came out relatively quickly and the portions were extremely generous. I was particularly impressed with my choice: the boysenberries and raspberries were actually ripe and sweet. The lightly fried calamari, shrimp and zucchini in my wife's dish were quite tender and the accompanying dipping sauce a flavorful accompaniment. The avocado toast was well done. Their were several small, niggling things. The espresso drinks were pretty unimpressive (despite what looks to be an impressive espresso machine). The toast was cut very thin. Lastly, although friendly and helpful, the service was a bit uncoordinated. I think that should smooth out once the place is really up and running. Taken as a whole, we were all pretty pleased with our meals and service at The Cottage, certainly enough to merit a return. Or two. Or more. read more

Chicken sandwich was amazing! The waitress was so nice she even brought a pup cup out to us for my dog. Would recommend!

Called multiple times to check if they take reservations, and each time, the manager hung up the phone without providing any response. I've walked in here several times and was looking to make a res for my family. How difficult is it to provide a yes/no response? Lack of professionalism. read more

Everything that we order was delicious, I had the Lemon ricotta pancakes. Service was great, the place is clean. It's a hidden gem

Service was not good food was expensive and not very tastey. The ambiance and decor was modern and nice, thats about it.

Was here for lunch the other day... so disappointed. My egg whites were served in a plate of GREASE and had a blue piece of something scrambled in them Made for a VERY unappetizing meal. The waiter offensively comped our coffee because the EGGS had a blue something in them. WTH??? Comp the eggs Mr waiter ‍ read more

The Cottage - Scrambled egg whites in a plate of GREASE and whatever this blue thing was in my eggs. - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

Disappointing experience all around especially since I was expecting similar quality as the La Jolla location. On the positive side, the front greeters are friendly, the place is clean, and generally a nice atmosphere. The things that need work -- my coffee was Luke warm at best but I never saw my waitress until I was ready for a box. They got my mom's and my order mixed up, and the woman who delivered it seemed annoyed rather than apologetic that I mentioned it. My omelette was sloppily made. Sigh. I expect better on a Sunday morning when I'm look to have a nice breakfast with my mom. read more

They have such amazing food my fav is avocado with chickpeas and tuna and quinoa but many other favorites to I give it 10 yummy food

Very good spot. Didn't feel heavy after. The bread was so crispy and airy. They've amazing hot sauces they bring to the table w your food wo asking. Great service, highly recommend. Pooch friendly! Lot of good dogos read more

The Cottage - Morning Glory Sandwich - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

The club sandwich was sooo good and our waitress Mikayla was so sweet and gave us great suggestions Will be back

I am so happy they expanded another Cottage restaurant to north county! This place is delicious! They also allow dogs to eat inside. The lunch shrimp and lime bowl is filling, healthy and delicious. Also, they offer a varsity of juices, I would recommend the watermelon juice, $8 for a solid cup! I can't wait to come back and try more breakfast options. read more

I ordered the battered fish tacos. That were ok, not the best I've had. Lacked flavor. My friend had the hash and said it needed more seasoning. Next time we go, we will try the breakfast menu. Fingers crossed. read more

They have something for everyone and it's in my neighborhood. The are healthier options and then you have the breakfast go to's that are all very good. The patio is comfortable and covered and allows dogs. Service is always charming and attentive. read more

I stopped by between appointments - amazing breakfast! So tasty and the service was good. I would recommend!

Incredibly high priced for mediocre food and service. It wasn't bad, but portions were small and lacking. The ambiance was decent for the location. It was a one-and-done for me. I would not recommend this place to my family and friends. read more

First time here this morning. Still looking for the standard, great eggs Benedict that I make at home using best ingredients and perfect hollandaise. This is not the place. Couldn't taste any flavor in the hollandaise - I'm sure it's not home made and if it is, they aren't using the correct ingredients. Couldn't even taste the ham/Canadian bacon in it! It was too thin. The English muffin was thick and tough. I was so disappointed. They may have other items on the menu that might be worth eating. I'm not going back to try them especially since they think their Benedict is special. And it's too bad, I live in walking distance to this place. If anyone knows where I can get a great eggs Benedict, please let me know. By the way, my coffee got cold. No one came by to refill. Not a good experience. read more

I'm hoping they get more organized with their service because this place has so much potential. Our table had about 3 different waitresses/hostesses help us, forgot our side of toast, brought out food that wasn't fully plated or ready, forgot children's juices. Didn't check up on us throughout our stay. Very disorganized. The food is amazing but it's hard to get the food when things are forgotten or just not cared for. Gave a 2 year old a toy with the warning 3 years and up. I would love to try it out again maybe months/years from now. The table next to us got up and left because no one checked on them. read more

1st time here, tried Lunch & sat at the counter, ordered a Latte & Avocado Salad 1/2 side stuffed with Tuna salad & other 1/2 stuffed with garbanzo. Everything was Excellent: Food, Service & Ambiance. Latte was piping hot. Salad ingredients were fresh and delicious. Very friendly staff. Large seating area inside & at Counter plus outside seating as well on a large fenced in front patio area. I will definitely be back to try Breakfast. read more

Excellent service, pleasant atmosphere, nice people, food was very good. So glad they came to Encinitas. Our server, Stacy, was on it! Very attentive and nice. Support staff was prompt with cleaning off our dishes without needing to be asked. Loved the lemon ginger mint tea. read more

The Cottage - Didn't think to take a photo of the food! Great tea and coffee. Brought water and carafe of coffee to the table. Nice! - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

Really wanted to love The Cottage's new locale in Encinitas having been a huge fan of the Laguna Beach location during my OC residency. Overall I was impressed by a few things: - Although the location is in a busy area right off a main Ralph's parking lot it felt secluded enough and cozy enough that the environment was enjoyable. I liked the decor and the setting. Thumbs up. - The portions were awesome. All too often restaurants are not only raising prices for inflation and healthcare but also cutting back on servings. This was not the case which I appreciate, especially for breakfast. My wife and I both felt the food was good but had flaws. I got the chilaquiles which were waaaay too salty. Enjoyed the homemade red sauce and the quality but I had to mark down for the salt level. I didn't send it back (see service next) but it was borderline. My wife ordered the roasted veggie croquet -- it was a yummy general recipe but overall underwhelming. When we asked each other, "Would you come back"? the answer for both of us was "Maybe, but not for this dish". So that was one star removed. I realize that taste is in the eye of the beholder (or the tongue I suppose) and so maybe it was the day, the dishes ordered, etc. The second star was much more prominent. The wait staff was lethargic. What do I mean by that? Low energy, not friendly, slow to respond and generally blasé. We literally were not greeted - and in the morning at breakfast a simple, "Good morning, how are you?" would have been nice. Instead the gentleman walked up and said, monotone, dully, with absolutely zero interest in being there, "Are you ready to order?" Wow! Nope. Not ready. And with that greeting I may never be ready. I thought maybe he was just having an off day but he was equally terse and unfriendly when we got coffee, got food, finished and paid. Again, could just be a bad day but still loses another star. Finally, pricing. I actually didn't mind paying $20 for each dish. I get that running a restaurant is expensive and prices have changed in the past 3 years. But $7.50 for fancy coffee? $5 for a cup of drip? Come on. That's more than Lofty Coffee which is already known as being ridiculously priced. It also took 10 minutes to get to the table and was maybe 8 ounces. Overall experience: underwhelmed but wishing for more. We REALLY wanted to like it. This is walking distance from our house. I'd train the staff, greet your customers, offer some specials of the day (if there were any, BTW, our waiter didn't tell us) and make coffee $3-4. But what do I know? I'm just a patron, not a business owner. read more

THE WORST SERVICE. I was here with two friends on Monday, February 20 @ 1:00-3:00. I can't even begin to describe how awful the waitstaff is. Over twenty minutes to get someone to help us (and that's on the conservative side). I will not be going back. There are so many more places to go to for lunch. @management feel free to reach out for further feedback. I would be happy to share my full experience. P.S. the bill was a joke. read more