Family enjoying cake

Café Culture: Discover local hotspots.

If you need a place to stop and work out what to do in Tunbridge Wells or meet some friends, a café is just what you need.

Alfresco or not, café culture is alive and kicking up its heels here with more than 60 cafés in Tunbridge Wells to choose from.

All of the attractions have cafés attached or just next door to stop those tummies from rumbling so you can relax into the fabulous views. The village tearooms work hard to keep the standards high.

Coffee shops in Tunbridge Wells.

Coffee houses have sprung up for those not keen on the English cuppa although the wide variety of teas will surprise you.

There is a very large number of coffee outlets in Tunbridge Wells from Australian to Portuguese. Why not have a café crawl with friends and create your own top ten chart! It would be impossible to include them all here as they are so good.

Most tea rooms, cafés and coffee shops serve both tea and coffee.

Note that most cafes close by 4 and 5 pm and some close on Mondays.   

Let us know your favourite stop-off and let’s share the love of café life in Tunbridge Wells. 

Top dessert cafés in Tunbridge Wells.

  • Juliet’s is a long-standing favourite – a large, vintage themed café – just visit to find out what this means – you will enjoy the cake!
  • Ruby’s of London – a plant based patisserie offering a lovingly made range of sweet and savoury products. Enjoy breakfast and lunch with coffee, loose teas, freshly pressed juices.
  • The Cake Shed in The Pantiles – great wedges of cake and hot chocolate or refreshing juice, what could be better?
  • Creams – the large chain – from ice cream to waffles and cookie dough with ALL the toppings… there is something for every sweet tooth.
  • The Wendy House in Cranbrook is known for yummy cake and for being in a restful location. The pastel décor will appeal to those who like the gentle fifties look.
  • Sweet Fifteen on the Pantiles serve gelato (very popular in the summer months!) as well as cakes and fresh crepes.
Ruby from Ruby's of London - with cake!

Top cafés for a light lunch.

Family-owned cafés selling big homemade sandwiches, cake slices the size of doorstoppers and velvety soups are round every corner ready to take your order.

There are plenty of healthy options such as vegan, diabetic friendly and gluten free food, you don’t have to search hard and always ask.

  • Rusbridge Bakery (Southborough) is a family owned enterprise that makes take-away sandwiches, tea and coffee too. Good place to go to stock up for a picnic lunch.
  • The Little Bull (Brenchley), is a charming cafe and bar housed in a historic building, offers aromatic coffee, homemade cakes, and fresh local fare, making it a cosy haven for foodies and friends. It also has a lovely terrace to enjoy on a sunny day surrounding by the green ivy growing up the building.
  • The Bicycle Bakery (Royal Tunbridge Wells, Camden Road) provides freshly baked goods and has appeared on Radio Kent’s Small Business Saturday Walkabout with our local MP.  It has seating in their larger and recently refurbished venue.
  • St Kilda (formerly The Black Dog) – Aussie style food and coffee is not far from the Bicycle Bakery so you’ll have to make a decision there…(or try both!)
  • Weeks Bakery & Tea Room is in Goudhurst on the incline. Sip outside, sample a sausage roll and watch the world go by – if it can get up the hill! If you get a chance, ascend the church tower and see just how far the view goes.
  • Casa de Claudia (Royal Tunbridge Wells)– the one the locals don’t want you to know about is just off the High Street in Royal Tunbridge Wells. Picture a cobbled lane in the south of Portugal and this is close to what you will get. Famed for a friendly welcome and delectable paninis, visit here for a family secret!
  • Basil’s is at the other end of Royal Tunbridge Wells, Oh, so worth it!  This tiny café is in Fiveways near the Millennium clock and supplies mouth-watering cakes and other homemade goodies. All the food is made fresh daily in their kitchen in Royal Tunbridge Wells.
  • The department store Fenwick’s, in Royal Victoria Place, do some surprisingly delicious light lunches. There are various cafés around the centre well-placed to help restore the weary shoppers.
Full english breakfast

Top Cafés for a full English breakfast.

Start the day off with a famous English breakfast in any one of the early riser cafes or lie in and enjoy a leisurely brunch.

Many venues offer all day breakfast, so you don’t miss out on this popular tradition, now often made with local delicacies and organic ingredients.

  • With a 5* rating on Tripadvisor, Sanjay’s in the St John’s area of Royal Tunbridge Wells is a hidden gem and one the local’s favourite. It is known for their made to order piping hot full English.
  • Eggs Eleven on the Pantiles was recently voted one of the top brunch spots in Kent!
  • Waterside Café at Hawkhurst is on the Hawkhurst is on the Hawkhurst Fishing Lake out in the High Weald countryside. Savour your menu choice whilst overlooking the pretty green lake on the decking outdoors in the country sunshine surrounded by trees or an atmospheric mist.
  • Knoxbridge Café is out near Sissinghurst and Frittenden. Only open in the mornings, away from the tourist trail this is primarily a truck stop. Great fry-ups and cups of tea all round, the original ‘greasy spoon’!
  • Pleasant Café is an unassuming place next door to the station on Mount Pleasant in the middle of the town of Royal Tunbridge Wells (next to the train station). They serve nice straightforward food, no fuss, no frills.

For more details about brunches, from classic fry-ups to some of the top vegetarian and vegan options and bottomless brunches, read our best brunch in Tunbridge Wells article.

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