Cottage Cafe

Everyone has a slightly different take on what’s charming and what’s…not. For me, the Cottage Café didn’t make the cut. I don’t mind paper menus, paper napkins stacked on the tables, or even eating my sandwich out of a basket, but I don’t care for plastic tablecloth covers, posters stuck to the wall with packing tape, or flamingo menageries.
So the ambiance wasn’t for me, what about the food? My confidence shaken by the décor, and the staff trying to force me to eat a bite of dessert before I even sat down, I went with a classic and ordered the BLT. It was quite good. Thick cuts of bacon done crispy, fresh lettuce and tomatoes, and lightly toasted bread.
I wasn’t hungry for dessert, but seeing as they pride themselves on it and I do love a good fruit pie I decided to ask about something to go on my way out. Talk about guilding the lily! The six options were all stuffed with cream and topped with some glossy, spun sugar frosting or glaze. I was forced to take a bite before I was allowed to pay and it was definitely a choice among evils. You really can have too much of a good thing, especially when it’s sugar. It would have been nice to see one or two toned down options, but clearly that is not what they are about.
You may enjoy stopping here for lunch if you value pretty good sandwiches, overwrought desserts, pushy salesmanship, and flamingos, but the next time I’m in Middletown I think I’ll try the Plump Peacock.

The Benedictine sandwich with bacon was amazing! The Benedictine was creamy and full of that wonderful cool cucumber flavor. The bacon was a perfectly crisp complement! I highly recommend it!

This is very unfortunate, and I hate to leave a 1 star review, but I did not have a good experience here at all. My husband and I came for lunch, and we were really excited to try the Cottage Café because of all the great reviews! First impression: ‘this restaurant isn’t the cleanest restaurant I’ve ever been in, but that’s okay, the food is supposed to be great!’ We were seated, told someone would be with us in a minute… And we waited… And waited… And waited… 45 minutes and nobody came over. I kept making eye contact with one of the waitresses and still, nothing. Several employees were arguing with each other in the back room, and were acting very put-​out with what they were doing. We ended up leaving because we were too hungry and tired of waiting. Maybe we just came on a bad day, and I should try it again, but with so many other great restaurants nearby, I’m not likely to choose to return.

Desserts are amazing and the staff is friendly. Soup, salad or sandwiches, they are all great! Cottage Café is our go to spot for lunch. It helps that we are right across the street but I would drive 50 miles for their chicken salad! Friendly and welcoming staff too.

The best cake you will ever eat. Come in for lunch and sample a few. The ebony and ivory is so good for any occasion– butter crème and chocolate ganache-​seriously.

I do recommend them.
Food:
You’ll swear you are back at your grandmom’s. Fantastic food.
But save room for Dessert!!! That’s the hall mark for this spot of heaven.
Facility:
Down home and clean.
Staff:
Warm and caring service.
Manager
The manager: Great lady.
Overall: 5 stars out of 5
Good food at a reasonable price.
It’s refreshing to find a eatery with a profound and noble mission

The place is really nice and the food is delicious we had the chicken salad sandwich and the egg salad sandwich and they were great, fresh bread nice flavors. Thay have desserts to that looked very good but we didn’t try them, but definitely going to next time.. The staff was really nice and welcoming„ all with a smile.. (:
Hope to come back soon..

What a great find! Delicious food.
Friendly staff. Highly recommend for a tasty lunch and dessert you can’t pass up!

good chicken salad. some what busy at lunch time. but a good break from the normal lunch.

How in the WORLD have I not seen nor heard about this ridiculously charming place?
I don’t frequent the Middletown area too much, as it’s far away from where I live in the Southend. I did have some work training out here this morning, so I got on trusty Unilocal to find me a place to eat lunch.
Cottage Café. Sounds promising.
Let me say — this place is perfect. It is so welcoming. It is in a house, but you walk in through the back door. I walk in, and the sweetest lady to ever live gets a spoonful of their home made cheesecake, hoists it my direction and says with the most lovely smile on her face, «Would you like to try?» And naturally, I did — and naturally, it was unbelievably delicious.
The front counter is very busy. People appear to have ordered baked goods and plate lunches in advance and are getting them to go. I tell the lady that I’ve never been here, and she says, «Oh that’s OK. We’ll help you out!»
She walks me into the dining area and tells me to sit anywhere I like. I notice that the place isn’t in the greatest shape. Some areas of the floors are sunk in. The bathroom has some ceiling coming down. And honestly, it adds to the charm. There’s a difference between dilapidated and charmingly old. This is the latter.
I sit on the porch (enclosed), and the server takes my order. I get the lunch special — half sandwich, chips, and a cup of soup.
Now this is worth noting — the food was good. It wasn’t over the top good. But it was exactly what you’d expect and hope. Really, what sends this place over the top is the charm and wonderful service.
Oh, and I had to get a piece of that cheesecake. Heaven on earth.
Get down here fast. You won’t regret it.

Anywhere you get a bite of cake as you walk in automatically gets 4 stars to begin! I got deviled eggs to start, meatloaf w/​steak sauce (that is a first for me, but I will never eat meatloaf again without it), and potato salad. Everything was tremendous. Service was great and the price was right. I’ll be back.

This place is cozy and yummy. You walk in and see the counter filled with colorful cakes and pies. So many! They offer you a sample of cake. You choose which is most appealing to you and the give you a heaping forkful of cake! I got an orange sherbet sample and fell in love. Better than sherbet ice cream. I ended up purchasing an entire slice. The place is old time-​ish and flamingos are everywhere. My coworker got a chef salad that could feel a small village. They have a pretty standard menu, sandwiches, salads, homemade soups. Their prices are unbeatable. A large number of their employees life with some sort of disability. The owner came out and you could hear the pride in her voice as she conversed with us about her business. Their specialty is definitely desserts. Upon leaving, there was half of a pie left on the counter. That’s it.

The chicken salad on rye was really good. The tomato soup was good but a little bitter. My friend had the egg salad sandwich and she said it was good. The desert samples i tried were spectacular. I will take some home.

First time in, and the ladies could not have been more delightful. I was offered a taste of their delicious banana crème pie when I arrived. It was delicious. I had the «Country Club» marinated chicken sandwich, which was fabulous. My dining companion had the chicken salad and soup special (which includes a drink!) and he was pleased as well. But best of all was the ladies gave me a slice of cheesecake on the way out, since it was my first visit!
I will definitely be going back to this wonderful gem!

Took the wife and son here for lunch. The food was decent, service was decent and I like my sample of cake (earning the three stars.) We didn’t experience anything that really begged us to return. If you are in the area, I’d stop by but I wouldn’t go out of my way for it.

A great small, local restaurant in downtown Middletown!
When arriving, park in the lot behind the house and enter through the back door, which is actually the entrance to the restaurant. Upon entering, you will likely be met with smiling ladies offering you free tastes of their amazing desserts. Do not pass this offer up! Even though your mother told you to not eat dessert before your meal, you’ve gotta accept the free samples. Seriously.
Proceed into one of the dining areas. There are two larger rooms, a small hallway, and a porch, all with tables. My family and I sat in what was once the living room, complete with fireplace. It was fun to think of the families that used to spend their time in this room so many years ago.
As mentioned by some other reviewers, if fancy is what you’re looking for, this ain’t it. The home is… rustic…and well-​loved. Tables and tableware are basic and utilitarian. The service is pleasant but not overly fawning (read: genuine). The cooking is basic, straightforward, middle American fare. And it happens to taste fantastic.
I started with the deviled eggs for $ 1.25. Well, deviled *egg*, technically. However, it was truly delicious, with tiny bits of bacon to give it a salty, smoky flair. Excellent.
Since I was there for lunch, I ordered a sandwich. I got their Christmas Club, which is a pile of cold, crisp veggies stacked on three pieces of bread (a la Big Mac style). Shmeared on the lightly toasted bread was a healthy (though I use that term loosely) amount of Benedictine (invented right here in Louisville). I’ve made Benedictine at home before, but the Cottage Café’s is MUCH better! The veggies were fresh and delicious. I was afraid the sandwich would be boring, but in fact it was full of flavor with a very satisfying crunch.
The most amazing facet of this restaurant, though, is their otherworldly desserts. My family and I tried the strawberry roll cake, mandarin orange cake, and coconut cream pie. They were all perfect, and the portions were HUGE. You could come here just for a dessert and coffee and be completely satisfied.
Upon leaving, barely able to walk, we were offered yet another free dessert sample!
They make just about everything in house, including their sandwich spreads, salad dressings, and of course the desserts.
Seriously, if you’re near old downtown Middletown at mealtime, you must check this place out. You’ll enjoy great Kentucky home cooking, in a great Kentucky home.

Awesome food! I love the moms and pops feel. I used to live here and even now when I visit my family there are the same people working. The atmosphere is eclectic and the pies are so yummy.
I recommend the tomato dill soup (with or without the bread bowl) and the egg sandwich. I get those every time I go there!

If you’re looking for fancy or gourmet this isn’t the spot for you. Yes, this quaint little gem is in an old Middletown home, and yes as was pointed out by others this home is worn from what I like to imagine was years of love and laughs within its walls. Cottage Café recaptures that down home hospitality. We were greeted the second we walked in the door and were made welcome until the moment we left. If the atmosphere puts you off, as some have suggested, look no further than the health department «A» grade on the window, and enjoy yourself! The food is a perfect, tasty, affordable lunch fare. If you’re looking for fancy this isn’t for you. If you’re looking to leave full and satisfied — check them out! If you’d like to have your mind blown try their desserts! Portions are generous, ask for a free taste or split with a friend. Cottage Café overall is a great find!

I was born and raised in Louisville and never knew this hidden gem existed. I moved away and came back in town for a visit and just happened upon it one afternoon.
It’s a quaint place with southern charm. It felt like walking into someone’s home for a home cooked meal. And the best part is, the food was great. I had a grilled chicken breast sandwich with a honey mustard sauce. The chicken was marinated, moist and flavorful. And the service was quick and friendly.
Unfortunately I was trying to watch my weight so I didn’t order what may be their best feature, desserts. They make unbelievably decadent homemade cakes and pies. And the best part is they will let you taste a piece of their desserts, which I did and I was very impressed. I’m looking forward to going back and plan to exercise more to make room for dessert next time.

Simplicity refined. This place resonates with kindness, and is run with heart.
I’ve been slow to review this place, although I eat lunch there almost once a week. My grandmother is 90 now and revealing her favorite place feels like treachery. Part of me likes that it feels like a family secret, too. We are greeted at the door and almost everyone who works there stops by to talk to us, as well as other regular patrons. They are infinitely patient with us, and with their employees.
The restaurant is in a historic cottage and so the amenities are not up to date, although it is wheelchair accessible. There is absolutely no pretension, and most photographs in evidence are of family. The space is light and feminine, and well-​loved to the point of being shabby.
Honestly, the meals are similar to what your grandmother might have served after a morning spent together. Think benedictine or grilled cheese. Fairly basic, inexpensive meals that are consistently good. Sandwiches served with ridged potato chips and a pickle, or fruit if you prefer. Good salads. Chicken salad is one of their specialties and available by the pound. (All salads and sandwich spreads are actually available that way.) The egg salad has a dash of dill and is quite tasty. The homemade soups are irresistible in cold weather. There are vegetarian options. I’ve been there dozens of times and have never had any problem or complaint with my meal.
They are known for their desserts, although I rarely eat them as they are absolutely hedonistic. The desserts never fail to remind me that baking is an art, rooted in patience, trial and error, with an eye for appearances. I never leave Cottage Café without being offered a bite — no patron does, and if you are shy and don’t pick what you want, they will hand over a plastic fork with a taste from the rotation. Today it was a bite of a fresh cream roll (like a huge jelly roll) made with enormous fresh blackberries from their garden. Divine.
Some restaurants are money making ventures, while others remind you that cooking is an active form of self expression AND love. Cottage Café is definitely in the second category, those desserts are proof, which is why it rates 5 stars.
***You can also buy desserts and dessert trays.