The chicken tortilla soup that launched a thousand ships. Well, not really but it did engender a generation of tortilla soup goers. My kids and their cousins came to enjoy it as one of their go to dishes. Just the right amount of spice and good crunch from the crispy nachos. A lot of iterations of Cottage have come and gone since we were first introduced to it almost twenty years ago. They still serve passionfruit iced tea that hits with a nice tart and a hint of sweetness from the orange. Their sandwiches are tasty, I had a blackened cod. The slaw was a touch too runny, it absorbed the heat of the sandwich and overwhelmed the poor onion ring. The cod survived the onslaught, though, and was well cooked and seasoned. Avoid the charcuterie. It was a mess that looked like it was sourced from the deli counter at the local grocery store. Service was friendly and prompt. Still a decent reliable spot in Wellesley! read more

The Cottage Wellesley - New American Near Me - Wellesley, Massachusetts

I was looking for a Sunday restaurant for lunch with some family . They have a brunch menu and my weekly tuna melt wasn't available. We ordered the salads and all look fresh and very good ingredients. We were never offered fresh bread as I usually are? My weekday lunches with my tuna melt issue ; always offered fresh hot excellent bread? I ordered the Ceasar salad with chicken . It was a good , not a real great salad , it was fresh and was a decent replacement for my tuna melt. But I wanted more of an authentic Caesar taste with an anchovies or Dijon, worchershire, egg and a normal stronger Caesar salad taste, shaved parmesan taste... like I've had elsewhere . It needs more flavor to the salad . it was ok but was just ok .... Dressing may have been out of bottle Caesar salad dressing. My guests their salad selections both looked well prepared . I missed my hot bread to eat as an accompli-ant to an any salad. It is a great dining environment and consistently good. read more

Food tastes good, but isn't filling for the price. Parking is easy -- but the view into a sea of cars from the big windows is less than breathtaking. Interior is clean, a bland and to me unappealing modern aesethic. Service is atrocious. Sat down (with a reservation), ordered food. Took an hour til something arrived. No contact really after the initial seating and ordering. No water refills, no bread until right before the food dropped. I think they literally forgot us; surprising since we weren't exactly in a far off corner. Forget your money, this place isn't worth your TIME. read more

"Every summer we can rent a cottage In the Isle of Wight, if it's not too dear" (The Beatles) We had a terrific lunch at The Cottage to celebrate my granddaughter's dance recital and Father's Day. The Cottage treated the six of us beautifully. It's located in the Linden Square shopping plaza with plenty of free parking everywhere. The dining room décor is striking, with whites and blacks and gray and silver touches on the walls, artwork, and accessories everywhere. Our server Nayara was stellar, and I have to say the overall service at the Cottage was excellent, from the hostess station to the unsolicited fill ups of water and iced tea. And since I mentioned iced tea, this may have been the first time a glass of it came with an orange slice instead of a lemon. That was an unexpected, nice touch. We started off with a basket of bread that was still warm and was very good. We ordered two children's meals- the mac and cheese and chicken fingers & fries for $12 each. I should point out that one of the primary reasons we had lunch here was because she "loves" their mac and cheese, and she is quite the mac and cheese aficionado. The four adults went with a Black Bean Burger ($17) - with pico, guacamole, cotija cheese, baby arugula, brioche, sriracha aioli, and fries, a Grilled Chicken Sandwich ($17) - with provolone, grilled onion, paprika aioli, arugula, avocado, and fries, a Caprese Sandwich ($17) - with buffalo mozzarella, sun dried tomatoes, greens, pesto, balsamic, foccacia, fries, and added chicken ($5), and the La Jolla Fish Tacos ($19) - with seared cod, bibb lettuce, cabbage, crema, pico de gallo, on corn tortillas. I had the tacos and chose a side salad instead of fries to accompany the two tacos. My lunch was very good- the salad was very generously portioned with plenty of lettuce, red onion, cucumber, grape tomatoes, and croutons. The fish tacos were fantastic; I really enjoyed the cod and the crema/pico sauce. Iced teas and one coffee were $4.50 each and the Kiddie drinks were just $1, And yes, of course they carry Chocolate Milk. We all enjoyed our meals, and my granddaughter was true to her word and finished all of her mac and cheese. The Cottage gets high marks on service, food, ambience and whatever other metrics you can think of. read more

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The food was very expensive, not that fresh. We had chicken salad (bones in it) on a bruised avacado. Also a beet salad with soggy lettuce and a small piece of salmon for 17.00 just for the side of salmon- very plain. Expensive and not worth it read more

A great, if not a little messy, fried chicken sandwich on the early dinner menu. Came by around 4pm on April 4th and had a great meal in a comfortable space. Our waitress was absolutely wonderful and was so great with the kids that were with us. We very much enjoyed our experience read more

The Cottage Wellesley - Fried chicken with bacon sandwich on the early dinner menu - New American Near Me - Wellesley, Massachusetts

Overpriced basic food. Good ambience but the food is not worth the money. The service was also ok. Had to draw the attention of the server multiple times. read more

Just had lunch at the Cottage. Service very slow. Waiter kept disappearing. Ordered the shrimp and Orzo never said it was full of bell peppers, which I am allergic to. Sent it back, ordered Cod sandwich, which arrived undercooked and bland. Waste of $40. Will not be back. read more

I went here with 4 other friends, one of my friends had loved what they had had and wanted to try their brunch selection after hearing good things from other people. One of my friends also knew the manager and he came over to greet us and welcome us. Our food was very delicious and the waiter, Jose did a great job checking to make sure we had everything we needed. The atmosphere was very open and friendly so we felt very comfortable. This was my first visit to this restaurant and I had an enjoyable experience here. I would recommend this place as a good place to enjoy your meal in.I will come again and try something else perhaps the French toast next! read more

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Recently visited The Cottage in Wellesley on a Saturday evening. The reservation process was easy and a 6:30pm reservation was reserved on line and confirmed through the Cottage the day before. We were welcomed at the front desk and quickly seated in a spacious booth with a nice view of the dining area including the bar area. We started with a couple of beverages and the ahi tuna nachos. They were delicious, but more like prepared perfect bites of tortillas with plenty of toppings vs a big ole pile of nachos to kick through. We both liked it better this way. However, be warned that if you are not a fan of hot/spicy in the form of wasabi, you may want to pass. We found them excellent with the added kick! For entrees I had the salmon which was cooked to perfection as a flaky fillet with tasty garnishes including fingerling potatoes. She had the chicken piccata which was also savory with plenty of white chicken breast over linguini. It was equally delicious for lunch the following day, too. Why not 5 stars for this dinner experience? Service. Service was a 3 supported by one of the bartenders who didn't bring a replacement knife when notified one was dirty (thanks to the server who delivered our appetizer for tending to that immediately) and for forgetting a beverage refill at one point. The other reason is that with the chicken piccata we asked about ordering without artichokes. The server said that was not a problem. Then, when examining the bill, I noticed a $1.50 charge tacked on to the $28 piccata. Trust me, it's not the $1.50 price, but it's the ticky-tack up-charges like this that actually saved the restaurant from not wasting an ingredient and without advising about the up-charge during ordering. Next time we will just pick out our own. Friends/colleague said to take that rarely seen fee off the tip. I still tipped 30% as I don't feel penalizing a server for a restaurant's policies is right either. Did I ask to speak to a manager? No, my time is more valuable than the $1.50 is to the restaurant, but when I wrote my yelp review, certainly would mention it. All in all, the cottage is a great dining experience in a well lit, vibrant room with a small, but extensive menu, including the brownie sundae, which was decadent. I recommend giving them a try and enjoying the evening at Cottage. read more

We had an amazing lunch experience at The Cottage yesterday at the Wellesley location! I've been a "Cottage" lover for a while, but have been so sad since it closed in the Chestnut Hill location. However, this location is just as great! The restaurant is clean, classy, and has ample outdoor seating. It was a very nice day so we chose to sit outdoors. The service here is wonderful. All of the waitstaff and hostess were so nice and added to a great dining experience. We started off with some warm bread and butter, which were AMAZING, and ordered two "Watermelon Breeze" spa drinks. They were excellent! Tasted just like biting into a fresh watermelon fruit, though I would've liked them to be a bit sweeter. They also came with a hint of blueberry/blackberry, which was a great addition. For food, I ordered the grilled chicken sandwich which came with a side of fries, and my mom got the chicken salad sandwich and bowl of chicken tortilla soup combo. Everything was so delicious! My grilled chicken was perfectly cooked and the sandwich was assembled well. The cheese and fresh avocado were great addition, and it all paired well with the mixed greens and chipotle sauce. The fries were above average, so crispy on the outside and perfectly soft on the inside. Definitely something to write home about. My mom's chicken salad sandwich was great, with some sweetness added to it because of the raisins. I also had to steal some of her chicken tortilla soup because it was just so good. I really liked the crunchy tortilla strips, and don't even get me started on the melted cheese, GAME CHANGER!!! A must try lunch restaurant in Linden Square! read more

The Cottage Wellesley - Delicious - New American Near Me - Wellesley, Massachusetts

We got take out and the food was fair. My friend got fish & chips. The fish looked decent (not very crisp) but the fries were soggy. The cod sandwich had well cooked fish with too much coleslaw and dressing. Caesar salad was not prepared well with lettuce stems. The harvest salad was pretty good. Maybe the food is better if you eat at the restaurant. read more

Don't those grapefruit slices look delicious? Well pair it with beets, goat cheese, grains and greens and you'll be bowled over, Citrus Beet Bowl. read more

The Cottage Wellesley - Beet & Citrus Bowl - New American Near Me - Wellesley, Massachusetts

Had to wait a few minutes over our reservation time but not too bad. Service was prompt. Noise level moderate. Had their fried eggplant slices as a shared starter and their Chicken Milanese. Generous portions. Melt in your mouth chicken. Would recommend unreservedly. read more

Food was excellent! Lunch was a 1/2 tuna melt and chicken tortilla soup and the vegetable lasagna . Also eggplant fries for an appetizer . Our server was very pleasant . It's very comfortable inside too ! Highly recommend read more

We arrived for an early dinner after touring Wellesley College with our daughter. I had searched for a restaurant nearby to help provide us with context to the surrounding area/neighborhood. We were...underwhelmed. The ambiance was nice. Patrons were business casual as opposed to our college casual wear. But we were early (4:30/5p), so we were seated and ate quickly. It was the food that was not up to par. My biggest concern was the ahi tuna nachos. Pictured: you can see the "browning" lettuce. So unappetizing. We also ordered the chili lime shrimp...rather bland. Our mains were not much improved. If we return to the area, we will select a different establishment. read more

The Cottage Wellesley - New American Near Me - Wellesley, Massachusetts

Wonderful staff, great location with ample parking, excellent food! Great concept for seasonal ingredients. Very pleased with the Gluten free Chicken piccata. Generous portions and great pairing suggestions from the bar staff with each meal. Fun atmosphere along with plenty of space to walk to a booth. Great for lunch with friends or solo! Everyone is friendly. Looking forward to my next meal !! read more

The cottage is truly a staple in Wellesley! They bring consistent high quality food, attentive service, and a good atmosphere. Prices can be on the higher side, but I've never had an issue with it as everything is fresh, local, and made in house. Good food is worth it - and the cottage has it! read more

The Cottage Wellesley - Stuffed Avocado - New American Near Me - Wellesley, Massachusetts

I usually love the Cottage but today's Easter Sunday brunch was dismal. Our server was wonderful but the Ceasar salad was a huge disappointment. $13 for a slender glass of lemonade was absolute robbery. Juices were also $13 each. The Ceasar salad with chicken was $24 which was also too much for what you get. My friend got a Cobb salad with salmon for $36, also pretty expensive but at least it was plentiful. The menu was very limited. Again, I've always loved the Cottage but not today. Not sure if I'll be back. Ambiance was ok, not too noisy for a change! For two people, 2 salads and a dessert - a lemonade and a Diet Coke our bill was $96 plus tip. I guess it's what the market will bear but I've had so much better elsewhere for half the price. read more

The food is extremely average for the price. the place clearly needs a revamp, booths sink down to the floor, wallpaper is peeling, the floor is coming apart in some places, and there's dust everywhere. I ordered the same drink two times they were both ok at best but tasted completely different both times, no consistency. The servers were pleasant and tried their best but when it got busy I noticed the manager did not step in to help at all and I even heard him telling some of the servers (who were working incredibly hard), "you have to be better". Don't go here not worth it. read more

Great service but I ordered Lobster Eggs Benedict and the lobster was very fishy, not fresh, maybe canned. And one of the egg yolks was hard, very little Hollandaise sauce. My friends enjoyed their meals, I tried a slice of French toast and it was very good. read more

The food was delicious. The service was okay. Our server didn't let us know they were out of the halibut. We found out when we tried to order it, I had been looking forward to trying this place and will likely return, but I wasn't blown away. read more

This is one of the best lunches I've had in a while. This place was so good. The ambiance of this place is like walking into a spa. It's so nice and spread out. The service was spectacular and the food was even better. All I got was the Caprese Sandwich with chicken and it was so good. Caprese Sandwich- 9.6/10 Fries- 9.0/10 Service- 9.3/10 Ambiance- 9.5/10 Overall- 9.4/10 AMAZING 100% Recommend read more

The Cottage Wellesley - Grilled Chicken Caprese - New American Near Me - Wellesley, Massachusetts

Visiting family in MA and my cousins took us to the Cottage. Modern upscale eatery near a Starbucks. My cousin and I split the lamb sliders and Brussels sprouts. It was plenty of food for two females. The lamb sliders were nice and juicy but the Brussels sprouts were the highlight. I believe the blood orange vinaigrette gave it a nice zesty flavor. I could eat it over and over again. My son always is satisfied with steak frites. Who doesn't love steak? It was cooked to his liking and he devoured it. Always a good option for a teenage boy. Lastly my other cousin got the fish and chips. He grew up in GB and he is always on a quest for the best in the states. It wasn't his favorite since he thought the batter was too thick and it didn't make it crispy enough. He will keep searching in MA. read more

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Sunday brunch with the family at the Cottage at 9:30 am. Very busy! Service was friendly and efficient but slooowwww. The dining room was lively but you could still have a conversation. Food was good, but I had a few issues. My avocado toast didn't appear to have any actual avocado on it. It was delicious but mostly made of burrata. My nephew's portion (omelette) seemed small and again a lack of guacamole and the scone was bland. Were they running out of avocados? Nice crispy hash browns though. Also, although it made no difference to us, no alcohol served before 11am (or is it 11:30?). read more

I would no longer recommend this restaurant the service I received was terrible and the server was rude and condescending upon their arrival at our table. I have been to this establishment a few times previously and this was the worst experience. read more

great food and fast service--very clean and upscale-!!!-very modern and comfortable--service was very good and considerate

The food is excellent and service is friendly and quick. The only downside is the noise. Lots of happy people but no soft surfaces to absorb the chatter. Prices are high but worth it. read more

Unsafe. I was robbed and the bathroom floor is so slippery it is unsafe. No one answering the phone after police were called.

We ordered food from here for a family dinner with family friends, and it was very bad. I got a Cesar salad, and it was cut so thin that I could nearly stab it with my fork. Also, they put dunks of the lettuce STEM in the salad. Kinda looked like they just through a whole head of lettuce into a food processor and called it a day. My dad got a cod sandwich and says there was so much coleslaw that he couldn't taste the sandwich. However it gets an extra star for the yummy cheese crips they put on the salad. read more

Our food--burger, fries, gnocchi, caramel cheesecake--was competently prepared. Our booth was comfortable. Service was OK but not at all attentive read more

The Cottage Wellesley - Burger with fries, gnocchi - New American Near Me - Wellesley, Massachusetts

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We came here for dinner after I disembarked from the Amtrak at Rte 128. Great open space with many seating options. For a Saturday night and walking at 630, we had no problem scoring a table. It was Halloween weekend. Most of the waitstaff were in costume except for our waitress. The bartender went as an employee of the ice cream shop from stranger things. Several went as patriots fans. We enjoyed our shared appetizer of fried eggplant. The batter was light. The eggplant came straight out of the fryer. So tender and tasty with the aioli. Bread tasted like it was homemade and from oven. I was deciding between Several items which included chicken mildness. I thought our waitress was correcting my pronunciation of mildness when I realized after the third repetition she was recommended the milanese out of my three choices. The chicken was served with an aruga salad that was perfectly dressed. My friend had their harvest salad which looked spectacular on the menu and when served. The menu has many options for all types of diets which helped us since since my friend is vegetarian. Many seafood options for entrees, two 2 chicken dishes and a short rib fettuccine. Several yummy salad options and also a good selection of sandwiches. We did not have room to try any desserts. They have an extensive wine list and we're happy with our Cashmere, Rhone red wine. read more

What happened. I used to love this place. Came here last night with a large party, the service was definitely five star, the calamari was also very, very good and we are very picky about fried calamari, that was it. The rest was downhill. Most dishes were bland and tasteless, desserts were tasteless. Never had cheesecake That was tasteless, fairly quiet for a Friday night, which would do not surprise me, considering how much the food has gone downhill, two stars is generous read more

Great brunch menu! My partner and I had the omelette and the benedict, and they were both great. Definitely large portion sizes, which is great for the pricing. The service was great and the restaurant was super cute. Would recommend, but not incredibly special. read more

Ambiance nice. Love the bar. I love the big windows. Good service. Wish the Caesar salad dressing had some taste. So bland. And I am someone who doesn't like a strong dressing. read more

Excellent lunch with nice decor and amazing (accommodating) staff. I was with 2 that have mobility concerns and they made it easy.

This restaurant is such a great find in Wellesley! The service was fantastic. With great recommendations and polite and fast service. The "Ay Caramba" cocktail has a sort of savory flavor but goes well with a meaty dish. The beef short rib fettuccine is such a well crafted dish. The braised short ribs were very flavorful and the pasta was cooked perfectly al dente. The sauce was so complex and really tied the whole dish together. We split the brownie and they plated each half separately. The portions were generous so no need to worry about not feeling full afterwards. The only thing is I think they could've braised the short ribs longer so they would be more tender. read more

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The place is kid/baby friendly and the food is not awful at least. Staff is welcoming and the service is relatively quick. Just stay away from the seafood and especially the lobster sandwich (total rip off, the worst we've ever had and it costed $42). Overall mediocre, but unfortunately this is what Wellesley has on offer nowadays... read more

I so want to recommend this place, but only with caveats. Location is great, plenty of parking, great decor and friendly staff- but the food is so bland! The menu is great with a variety of seafood, salad, and small plate options but everything is tasteless. I don't even know how it is possible to make fish and chips taste boring. read more

I was going to give this review 3 or 4 stars, thinking the ambiance was pleasant and assuming the food would be exceptional based on the price. The down side was that they don't have outdoor seating and weren't dog friendly (even if pets remained in their carriers). I volunteered to have my brunch in the vehicle while the rest of our party ate indoors. My friend brought out my doggy bag (my meal) and they didn't provide utensils to eat with. Hence reducing it to 3-star. Meal review: Yuck! Worst $16 omelette I've tasted. (Sausage, Gruyère, and Mushrooms). How can one screw up diner food. What a shocker!!! I read the other reviews that stated their meals weren't that great. I assumed it would be bland. On the contrary, the crispy home fries tasted like someone dumped a package of instant ramen noodle flavoring on the potatoes! Way too much spice and salt! I couldn't even enjoy the crispy part. As for the omelette, the mushrooms were over salted, too. Wtf!?! Did the lid of the salt shaker fall into my meal? Minus 1-star there as well. I'm sorry, I tried to find some goodness in this experience, even though my mini pooch and I weren't welcome. Thankfully, the rest of party said their server was attentive to them (despite forgetting my eating utensils and napkins). So that earned them 1-star plus another star for ambiance/decor. read more