Cotton's Kitchen

I ordered catering from this soul food restaurant for our Thanksgiving event, and it was phenomenal! The food was fresh, flavorful, and tasted like it was cooked with real love. Our guests couldn’t stop talking about the mac and cheese, greens, turkey, and desserts—everything was seasoned perfectly and served hot. Customer service was just as impressive. The team was organized, communicated well, and made pickup incredibly smooth. They truly helped make our holiday gathering memorable and stress-free. If you’re looking for authentic, delicious soul food and top-notch service, this is the place! Highly recommend for any event or family meal.

The customer service was great I came about 5 minutes before closing and the staff was still welcoming and polite. I ordered the smothered turkey leg, cabbage, mac and cheese, cornbread, and a Love Punch. Unfortunately, the food didn’t meet my expectations. The turkey leg had little to no meat, mostly mush and bones. The mac and cheese tasted like something store bought (more like Publix than homemade), and the cabbage was perfectly soft but not enough seasoning. The cornbread was extremely dry and crumbly. Everything could’ve used more seasoning. I was under the impression that Southern soul food is supposed to touch your soul, but this meal didn’t. Honestly, I’ve had better soul food in New York. I’ll give the benefit of the doubt since I did arrive right before closing, so maybe the food was old, but the flavors still fell flat. The gravy on the smothered turkey leg tasted mostly like oil, and the Love Punch was basically Kool Aid. Overall, great service but disappointing food, the price does not meet the quality of food. I was unfortunately still left hungry after this meal since I had little to no meat. If the person who made my plat realized they had no meat i should’ve been given at least an extra piece of chicken.

The best fried chicken I’ve had in Florida! Even the white meat was dripping with juices and the breading was light as a feather but crispy and seasoned just right. Fried okra seasoned and fried perfectly - if you think okra is grassy and slimy try it here and you will change your opinion! I don’t know how they get their green beans to have that much flavor but still stay bright green and not mushy but they’ve got a fantastic secret there. Smothered pork chops melt in your mouth and yes you will lick the plate. Potato salad better than any picnic you’ve been to, collards with legs and soul in the pot. It’s a place where everyone seems to know everyone but even as a newcomer we were treated like regulars. I’m sad I don’t live closer because I’d be here all the time but when I need good soul food I know where to go!

The fried chicken was fantastic. I could smell when it came out and was ready to hit the table I also had french fries and fried okra. And often french fries are disappointing , but these were light and had some type of seasoning on it that was delicious. The service was very friendly. And the music was excellent. My understanding is that they’re going to have bingo. I believe it’s on the first Friday of every month with a buffet. I will certainly be back

Husband and I love to go there! We've never had a bad dish. I don't know the lady's name that's obviously the owner or manager, but she's always very nice and appreciates her customers. We went today and had fried chicken, like we always get, and it's always delicious. I'll say this so she knows who's leaving this review....that's some strong sweet tea! I just wish we could visit more often.

AMAZING!! I ordered the smothered pork chop and fried chicken lunch specials to go. It was incredible. Friendly atmosphere, clean, quiet and just a great family restaurant. Highly recommend 👌 👍

My husband and I have been twice to have their fried chicken. It was so good. Crispy and steamy hot. The fried okra, green beans and Mac and cheese were equally delicious. It is a small place, but very clean and friendly.

Excellent service and delicious food! Hubby had a cheeseburger and fries & I had fried chicken with Mac & cheese and potato salad. Everything was Excellent! Chicken was fresh and crispy and I tried a bite of the burger. When we are back in town, we'll be back! HIDDEN GEM!

Excellent soul food. Chops and rice smothered in gravy and choice of different sides like Lima, Great Northerns, and field peas. Something pretty special. Only complaint is the limited time open per week.

The best fried chicken I've had in Florida! Even the white meat was dripping with juices and the breading was light as a feather but crispy and seasoned just right. Fried okra seasoned and fried perfectly - if you think okra is grassy and slimy try it here and you will change your opinion! I don't know how they get their green beans to have that much flavor but still stay bright green and not mushy but they've got a fantastic secret there. Smothered pork chops melt in your mouth and yes you will lick the plate. Potato salad better than any picnic you've been to, collards with legs and soul in the pot. It's a place where everyone seems to know everyone but even as a newcomer we were treated like regulars. I'm sad I don't live closer because I'd be here all the time but when I need good soul food I know where to go!

Sunday dinner is back and you can get it Thursday through Sunday. Cotton's Kitchen offers meals, sides and desserts that are made from scratch and taste home-made. On the Sunday afternoon I visited they were offering ox tail and served many soul food favorites. They had so many good options I honestly wanted to try it all. I settled on the baked chicken lunch. BBQ chicken was a daily special and they allowed me to get half baked and half BBQ. The chicken was moist and the seasoning was tasty. I really like that the daily specials have two sizes, lunch and dinner, to fit your appetite. For sides I chose the fried okra. These crisp bites had just the right amount of seasoning so they were not all texture. Okra was the star of my plate. I also got the mac n' cheese. It was a tough decision because I also wanted to try the cabbage, green beans or northern beans sides. I would go back for the okra alone. My meal came with a slice of home made cornbread. They had two of my favorite desserts. Banana pudding and peach cobbler so I tried both. The banana pudding with the Nilla wafers and pieces of banana was perfect without any fake banana flavor. The peach cobbler was the best I have had in a long time. My cobbler was not too sweet and just full of peaches. There was no skimping on the fruit and the ratio of peaches to cake was 3 to 2. Cotton's Kitchen decor reminds me of a diner but the clean white, black and red dining room is anything but old. The staff is very friendly and helpful. You order at a counter and they bring your food to the table. The staff was really attentive and checked back frequently to see if I needed anything. They offer daily specials, sides and featured items. I noticed quite a few customers ordering family sized meals to go. They had a lot of regular customers they had a relationship with and overall the vibe was vibing. There is a small parking lot and on street parking as well. The restaurant is about 2 blocks from Leesburg's Venetian Park which might be a good way to walk off the calories. I went to a show at Melon Patch Players less than a half mile away. I can't wait to try the smothered pork chops or just a plate full of sides.

A True Gem for Soul & Comfort Food Lovers If you're craving delicious soul food and classic comfort dishes done right, this is the spot. Every bite feels like a warm hug -- from perfectly seasoned meats to sides that taste just like home. The food is consistently excellent, full of flavor, and clearly made with love. The owner Athea, is not only present but genuinely attentive, making sure guests feel welcome and well taken care of. The service overall is exceptional -- friendly, fast, and personal. It's rare to find a place with such a strong sense of community and hospitality. The vibe is down-home and local in the best way -- relaxed, cozy, and full of heart. Whether you're a regular or a first-time visitor, you'll feel like part of the family.

Food was cook to order and tasted great, O really enjoyed the Love Juice. I look forward to visiting again real soon.

Amazing southern style kitchen!!! Unique to the local area. Owner run restaurant. Service was great

It's our second time to ENJOY their food is AWESOME the smothered pork chops are great the greens are so full of flavor and the gravy definitely make the mashed potatoes and chops mouth watering. Got a side of Beans that I could have made a meal out of with the cornbread

Great southern/soul food restaurant. Owner is a pleasure to talk with as she prepares your plate. This is an overlooked GEM in Leesburg! Friend Chicken is special! Large choice of delicious sides! And don't forget to get the incredible dessert (if you have room, if not get it to go) David H. The Villages, FL

Terrible food. Burger was tasteless and grisly. Two chicken thighs were ridiculously tiny and not crispy at all. French fries were flavorless and I'm pretty sure frozen. The tiny edge of a piece of cornbread I was able to eat was really good but unfortunately the rest was burnt black. The table was greasy.

A craving for fried chicken brought us to Cottons. The food was great! My husband went in to order and pick it up and he said the person who helped him with the order was the owner and she told him all about the menu and even though he had ordered mentioned other things to try. We ended up with way too much food but wow was it all great! The fried chicken is juicy and full of flavor but not grease. The baked chicken was really good too and could tell was seasoned perfectly. We really liked all of the food but the greens, fried okra and Mac and cheese really stood out. Hands down best Mac and cheese we have had. Def do not miss trying the food here! And be sure you have the peach cobbler! So good!

Great food, great service. I had the Smothered Pork Chops with Collard Greens and Great Northern Beans and Peach Cobbler for dessert. Amazing meal. Owner came by the table we had a chat about the business. The owner is a wonderful person. You cannot go wrong eating at Cotton's Kitchen.

Great food, the seasoning is awesome! The services is great too. I'll Recommend this place to anyone.

Super soul food. The people are so friendly. The food is great. The corn bread will win over cornbread haters. Like desert. Nice clean and welcoming Mom will be proud you ate your veggies.

Well, how excited was I to find this place! I was on my way home and really wanted a home cooked meal (without cooking it). I do not know many places in the leesburg area that sell soul food, so I was surprised to see this pop up on my yelp search. It's a fairly new, small restaurant. The owner/ cook was very friendly and explained all of their weekly specials to me. I ordered the 3-side dinner, which was about $20 after taxes. This included any of the meats (meat loaf, Turkey wings and gravy, fried wings, etc.); I had the 10-piece wings (very good, but on the small side). My sides were tasty, not too over seasoned, but just right... I would have loved more cheese on my Mac-and-cheese (although us southerners over do it at times); yet, I still really enjoyed my meal. I'm looked forward to trying their cheeseburgers and other menu items (the green beans were delicious, and a great 1-side option for the healthy conscious folks). Thanks to the first person who reviewed this place! It made my night to discover a new local spot.

The atmosphere was great. Chicken and waffles were delicious. Whenever I'm back in town I will definitely return

All I can say is what a hidden gem!!!! Soul food is hard to find and this place def is on point. The building is rather small inside so plan accordingly. The owner is extremely nice and was our server. We ordered the fried pork chops, fried chicken, and kids hotdog meals. We got Mac and cheese, collars, green beans, black eyed peas, potato salad and yellow rice with gravy as sides and everything was amazingly delicious! Please be mindful that they get very busy and since everything is cooked to order it did take about 15-20 food e our food but not was it worth every second of the wait. You need to check this place out.

If you want delicious Southern food then proceed to Cotton's Kitchen. The staff is very friendly and courteous. The fried Chicken is to die for if you love chicken.

Fried chicken is tender, not greasy, lightly breaded and very good. The restaurant is clean and a friendly staff. Give it a try Thursday thru Sunday.

Everything was on point ! Good soul food in town ! We will be going back to get their peach pie!!

Do yourself a favor and stop by Cotton's Kitchen! The food is out of this world GOOD! Soul food at its finest. A small family run business with good southern hospitality customer service. Such a gem. The owner Athia is amazing, so friendly and did I mention her food was amazing? Some things we tried include: Smothered pork chops Fried pork chops Oxtail Meatloaf Neckbones Turkey wings Mac and cheese Collard greens White rice Yellow rice Stewed okras and tomatoes Cabbage Butter pecan cake And the infamous Love Punch I can honestly say that EVERY SINGLE DISH was amazing!!

Finally, great fried chicken! The place is really home southern cooking. Run by some of the nicest people in the restaurant business

Best Fried Chicken ever!!!!! 2 Pieces White or Dark Meat Dinner with 3 Sides = $12.99

Food is good. Lunch servings are very small and not that cheap. Above average sides. Limited lunch offerings compared to dinner.

A great little restaurant. The staff welcomed me warmly when I came in, and were very helpful in helping me decide what to order. I got the fried chicken which was fried made to order, as well as the Mac and cheese and Beans. It came out pretty quickly, and was very good. Definitely recommend giving this place a try!

Great, relaxing place after Church on Sunday if you want to leave the cooking to someone else!

Outstanding locally owned restaurant. I initially met the the owner (Athia) and operator of this business while patronizing another business, I saw her company shirt and asked her if this was the soul food restaurant on Pine Street and she confirmed that she was the owner. I told her that I would be coming by to taste her food. Today was that day and I'm so glad that I did. I ordered the smothered pork chops dinner, which included two sides ( Mac and cheese and candied yams), all of it was delicious. The chops were so tender I could barely get the to my mouth without them falling apart. Another gentleman was there for the first time also and he was extremely happy with his turkey wing dinner, I could tell because he was smacking and making "good food" sounds. The gravy on the pork chops was nicely seasoned, but the only thing I didn't absolutely love was the cornbread, while it was a generous portion it was a little dry, but when I used it to "sop up" the gravy on the chops it was pretty tasty. I'm definitely looking forward to trying the entire menu, I hope to see you there soon.

I looked for 30 minutes for this place. Stopped to ask and even called and still couldn't find them. GPS took me to a block with no restaurants. Menu looks super!

They gave me the wrong order when I got home. I called. The person was very rude and disrespectful. I won't be going back there again. And would not give me my money back

Great food. Wonderful service. I had the pork chop entree with Mac and cheese and sweet potatoes. Absolutely delicious!!!

This place is awesome for some down home cooking. The chicken, greens, beans, okra, and other farm foods are very good.

We made it back as promised but certainly too long between visits. We came specifically for fried chicken dinner and Ms Cotton got raves from all four of us. We made sure to order ALL of the sides and had a great time sharing them. Best collard greens I have ever eaten. And the yams are not to be missed. Ms Cotton is the perfect host making sure we were well provisioned and enjoying ourselves. On her recommendation I drank her specialty drink Love Juice. I must say I really liked it. There is a bit of construction in front of her business right now but we persevered and were rewarded with a great home cooked meal. We ultimately found the back entrance by getting to the intersection of E Dixie Ave and Childs. Follow the blue signs to parking.

Great comfort food. Don't let the building fool you, the food is really good. Very reasonably priced

If you find yourself in Leesburg, Fl and you do not visit this place, you are doing yourself a disservice. The food, service, and people are so amazing! By far the the best food I Have eaten in a restaurant in a long time.

Inside restaurant was a clean and welcoming atmosphere. This business needs to be supported, the food does not disappoint, the baked chicken was very good the wing dinner was extremely delicious the side were very good. Well cooked. I can tell you that you WILL NOT be disappointed. I give this establishment a 5 star rating for food and taste, 5 star for cleanliness and atmosphere. The price cannot be beat. Well worth the drive to Leesburg. Looking forward to trying the oxtail dinner. One word, FABULOUS!

It's a shame this place only has 13 reviews! The food was great and the staff was incredibly friendly, two things that are hard to come by these days!

Amazing food!! The best soul food in lake county. We had the breaded fried pork chops., With green beans, potato salad, Mac & cheese. All were absolutely delicious, perfect in every way. I wouldn't change a thing!! Service was fast and friendly. Restaurant was very clean. This is our go to restaurant!! Their food is so comforting and delicious! I highly recommend!

Absolutely perfect! First time visiting and couldn't ask for anything better. Excellent food and the owner and staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and so happy to help you have the best experience! Prices are reasonable and you can't beat the peach cobbler! Definitely worth a visit. It will become your new favorite restaurant!

Closed - this place is closed due to a water main break. Don't know when it will reopen

My wife and I visited for the 1st time today, "Cotton Kitchen" in Leesburg. This a small restaurant, Big on service, big on well prepared bountiful dishes served hot and expertly seasoned, Not fancy but VERY good. If you want fresh tasty food this is the place to go. Athenia(?)Owner and Jessica server put the icing on the cake with their attention and service skills. A small home style place with a Big heart and even greater food. The Peach Cobbler would make your Mom jealous, the smothered Pork Chops over Rice would truly be the envy of most southern style chefs. One of these days they are going to add Fried Catfish and I'm going to try to buy stock in the place because if they keep doing what they're doing, they will be off the chain with success.

Great little restaurant. Owner very helpful if first time there. Fried food is cooked to order. Check chalkboards for daily specials and what they have for the day.

Wow, are we ever happy to have found this little family restaurant! Small restaurant with BIG flavor! The home cooked, fresh, from scratch food was delicious! The kindness shown by the staff was top notch! First time in, and we felt like regulars by the time we left! My hubby had fried chicken, cabbage, black eye peas and yellow rice. I had meat loaf with brown pork gravy, Mac-n-cheese and yams. Everything was steaming hot when delivered to the table and oh so good to the soul! Oh yeah, don't forget to treat yourself to some homemade desserts and some Love Juice (only found at Cotton's Kitchen)! It may have been our first visit, but it will be our go to from now on! A BIG thanks to the staff for excellent food and a good old helping of Southern Hospitality!

If you're looking for good southern food don't hesitate. Come here for your next meal. The food and service is outstanding. We've been looking for good fried chicken in the area for over 3 years and finally found it. It's not only good but it's amazing.

Food was good, nice staff, and affordable prices. Local owner with a focus on community.

Excellent food, friendly service. Definitely will be back. A hidden gem in Leesburg, Fl

I would like to update my past review. I decided to go back and try again, since mine was the only negative review. I order the pigfeet. Collards, black eyed peas, and potato salad. Boy was everything delicious. I also met the owner and she was very gracious and offered to let me eat on them. I declined and paid for my food. I would highly recommend this soulfood restaurant.

Went with my parents on Friday March 3, 2023. We got to the restaurant really early as I had to get to an event that evening. So when we arrived, were the only customers in the restaurant. Extremely clean, nice friendly looking dining area inside. The nice gentleman let us know what the daily specials were, and what we could choose from in the difference between the lunch and the dinner size portions. Having been raised in the deep south with wonderful Homestyle cooking I can see without exception, everything that we had was simply fantastic. You could easily tell that everything was homemade from scratch with love. Even the pepper sauce on the table was homemade. I had the smothered pork chops, squash, collard greens, and cabbage. Needless to say not, a single thing was left on my plate afterwards, because every bite was delicious. The gentleman behind the counter helping us was fantastic, outgoing, and really friendly and helpful with his suggestions. The sweet tea was perfect. Absolutely without a doubt will be back again.

Food was fresh workers where very kind and checked on us frequently to see how everything was going while eating dinner

Our Friday Ladies' Lunch group had an amazing lunch at this cute little homestyle restaurant. The ladies were so accomodating for our group of 12, moving tables around to give us a banquet style seating. Their smiles and friendly greetings added to our experience. Our group tried Fried chicken, meatloaf, and hamburgers which we agreed were some of the best we've eaten! Southern comfort foods we tasted included side dishes of Mac and cheese, collard greens, cabbage, and the just made potato salad. You could taste the love in every bite. If you want down home Southern cooking we recommend you try this lovely little no frills restaurant.

Athia runs an excellent business and has great customer service. The gentleman that works with her also has very good customer service. The ambience is peaceful and friendly. The food is extremely delicious. I will most definitely be a returning customer and recommend this place.