Destination Tea Reviews/South Carolina

Destination Tea: The Cottage

Posted on / 0 Comment

Where:  Bluffton, South Carolina
Style:  Southern cottage
Tea Selection:  100+ loose leaf teas
Teatimes:  Monday to Wednesday, 2 pm
Reservations:  48-hour notice
Contact:  843-757-0508
Cost:  $28 Royal Tea; $24 Full Cottage Tea; $18 Light Afternoon Tea; $14 Cream Tea; $13 Children’s Tea
Destination Tea Tips:  The Cottage is surrounded by local art galleries and high-end boutiques, so you may want to leave time to shop. A full lunch menu is also available.

Prices and teatimes are subject to change. Please see our South Carolina afternoon tea directory for the latest details.

outside The Cottage in Bluffton, SC

Destination Tea Notes: Taking afternoon tea in a Victorian era establishment always makes us sentimental, such as when we visited The Cottage, imagining the many generations who may have also enjoyed teatimes in this 1868 home. Owner Leslie Rohland opened her cafe, bakery and tearoom in 2009, and while afternoon tea days and times have changed over the years, the affordable price-point remains. A quick peak at the tea menu lets us know a true tea lover is involved in this business, which offers an astounding number of loose leaf teas, and has waiting teapots already snuggled in their cosies to make sure your brews stay warm at the table. Our server Angelica was the perfect hostess, making sure we had everything we needed, but largely leaving us to enjoy each other’s company.

inside the The Cottage in Bluffton, SC
Afternoon tea is served in the front tearoom at left.
tearoom in The Cottage in Bluffton, SC
Tall windows welcome in the afternoon sun, and pretty tablecloths decorate the tea table in the tearoom, which seats about 20 guests.
afternoon tea in the tearoom inside The Cottage in Bluffton, SC
Part of the fun is viewing the teapot and teacup collection bordering the room.

Tea Selection

tea selection at afternoon tea at The Cottage in Bluffton, SC
The Cottage’s wall of tea also shelves teapots already tucked into a rainbow of cosies.
choose your tea at afternoon tea inside The Cottage in Bluffton, SC
Each guest is invited to choose a tea from this extensive menu with flavor descriptions.
Rose Congou tea was our favorite at The Cottage in Bluffton, SC
We strategized wisely and were happy with our choices: Gunpowder Green, Rose Congou Emperor (the table favorite), Pomegranate Lemon Black, Mighty Pear Black and Nandi Safari White.
pouring tea at The Cottage in Bluffton, SC
We enjoyed the different tea cosy patterns, deciding not to remove the infuser baskets in our teapots because pouring out the first cup sunk the water level below the tea leaves, to prevent oversteeping.

Scones & Spreads, Savories and Sweets

afternoon tea at The Cottage in Bluffton, SC
Very affordable afternoon tea menus, from cream tea to royal tea.
first-timer at afternoon tea in The Cottage, Bluffton, SC
This first-timer loved the experience, and is ready for her next afternoon tea!
finger sandwiches at afternoon teas at The Cottage in Bluffton, SC
Three finger sandwiches were tasty, if haphazardly cut – Pimiento Cheese, Tomato Mozzarella with Cream Cheese and Basil, and Ham and Cheese.
Scones at afternoon tea at The Cottage in Bluffton, SC
We thought cornmeal may have been in the mix for the fresh-baked scones. Jam, lemon curd and whipped cream were provided for spreads.
tiered trays at afternoon tea at The Cottage in Bluffton, SC
Chocolate fudge brownies and an assortment of quartered cookies made up the dessert course.
afternoon tea at The Cottage in Bluffton, SC
Happy group at afternoon tea
front porch at The Cottage in Bluffton, SC
Lunch guests enjoyed the front porch.

Destination Tea’s Afternoon Tea Rating

Destination Tea's Afternoon Tea Rating of The Cottage in Bluffton, SC
Post Views: 149

You May Like

, , , , ,
DestinationTea
Tea Voyageuse, discovering the world of afternoon tea, based in Atlanta, Georgia.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

We love comments! Destination Tea's comment policy shares a guiding principle with afternoon tea etiquette: please be gracious. We welcome honest comments that are not rude or scathing.