The Cottage Grocery is a really nice little gourmet market/café in the River Oaks area. It's hard…read moreto put into one category because it's part grocery store, part coffee shop, part bakery, and part grab-and-go lunch and prepared-meal spot. I believe it used to be called Tres Market.
The store itself is beautiful and very well styled. It has that polished River Oaks feel that reminds me a little of places like Tiny Boxwoods and Tiny's Milk & Cookies. There's some indoor and outdoor seating, a coffee bar, plenty of baked goods and treats, and a refrigerated section full of prepared meals that you can take home and heat up. They also have cakes, pies, cookies, cheeses, specialty snacks, chips, and quite a few products you don't normally see at a regular grocery store.
We picked up one of their chicken pot pies to make at home. It was fine, but probably not something I'd get again. It had snap peas and celery in it, which weren't my favorite additions to a chicken pot pie, and there wasn't a bottom crust. It was also noticeably more expensive than something similar from H-E-B, Central Market, or Whole Foods, although this is definitely more of a specialty, high-end market.
We've also tried some of the drinks. The vanilla latte was good, while the matcha latte was just okay.
The staff was very friendly, and there's a small parking lot attached, which makes stopping in pretty easy. Overall, I think The Cottage Grocery is especially good if you want to grab a nice box of cookies or dessert to bring to someone's house, pick up an easy dinner to heat at home, or just stop in for a coffee and a treat. It's definitely on the expensive side, but the store is beautiful, the selection is interesting, and it feels like a neighborhood staple.