Old School
Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen
Ready for some Southern hospitality and good eats, y’all? Then head on over to a 100-year-old cottage in Bradenton’s Village of the Arts, where you’ll find Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen.
Cottonmouth has managed to grow even though it opened its doors during the height of the pandemic in September 2020—cause for celebration amid the plethora of stories about restaurants closing in the past 18 months.
Aside from the food (more on that in a minute), another interesting thing about Cottonmouth is that it’s operated by Dave Shiplett, the Bradenton native chef who also owns nearby Birdrock Taco Shop. Birdrock, which recently celebrated its sixth year, is a Mexican and surfer-style casual restaurant in the Village of the Arts and features tacos, burritos, and California- style cool.
Shiplett once lived out in California and uses his influences from there in Birdrock dishes. Similarly, Cottonmouth reflects his Southern roots, which include family members from Florida and West Virginia.
Shiplett’s home and his two Village of the Arts restaurants are all within a half-mile of each other. He uses his scooter to easily zoom around. “I love jumping back and forth between the two,” he says.
And the food?
Among the choices you can expect when you visit Cottonmouth are fried chicken, collard greens, and oh-so-yummy biscuits. The collard greens, the menu declares, are served with boiled peanuts, pork belly, hominy, and love. Another favorite, according to Shiplett, is the meatloaf burger, seared in a cast-iron pan and served with tater tots and truffle oil. Of course, in a nod to our own area, you’ve got Gulf shrimp and cheese grits.
To top off your meal, how about fried apple pie with butterscotch and strawberry whipped cream or cast-iron skillet cinnamon sticky bun bread pudding with pecans and salt caramel?
For the vegetarians among us, there are a few salad choices as well as a vegan white truffle “pasta” made with spaghetti squash, red pepper hummus, falafel, and extra-virgin olive oil.
“It’s my own spin on Southern foods,” Shiplett says.
The restaurant includes a gallery that is switched out every four months, a nice tie-in with its artistic-focused location in the Village. Shiplett has been surprised by the amount of art sales made through the displays.
To top off your visit to Cottonmouth, there’s live music on the weekends, and by November Shiplett hopes to expand the live music options to every night. Cottonmouth is a sponsor of the Bradenton Blues Festival, which will take place in early December at LECOM Park, just about two blocks away from his restaurants.
Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen: 1114 12th St W, Bradenton; 941-243-3735; cottonmouthsoul.com
