Lewes guidebook
Lewes restaurants and cafes
Here are a few of our favourite places to eat and drink in Lewes
Bill's Lewes Restaurant
56 Cliffe High StWonderful bread, cakes and pastries to take away, as well as a lovely café (breakfasts, lunches, snacks) with sunny garden
43 locals recommend
Flint Owl Bakery
209 High StWonderful bread, cakes and pastries to take away, as well as a lovely café (breakfasts, lunches, snacks) with sunny garden
Wine bar selling a wide selection of delicious wines either to take away or to enjoy on site with cheeses or charcuterie
7 locals recommend
Symposium
32 Lansdown PlWine bar selling a wide selection of delicious wines either to take away or to enjoy on site with cheeses or charcuterie
Lovely restaurant and wine bar for an intimate lunch or dinner. Worth calling ahead to book a table as it's quite a small place.
Limetree Kitchen
14 Station StLovely restaurant and wine bar for an intimate lunch or dinner. Worth calling ahead to book a table as it's quite a small place.
The Depot arthouse cinema next to the station has a nice café / restaurant - a good place to eat and hang out whether or not you're seeing a film.
53 locals recommend
Depot
Pinwell RoadThe Depot arthouse cinema next to the station has a nice café / restaurant - a good place to eat and hang out whether or not you're seeing a film.
Enjoy the best coffee in Lewes at this lovely little coffee shop just round the corner from the station.
9 locals recommend
Ground Coffee House
18 Lansdown PlEnjoy the best coffee in Lewes at this lovely little coffee shop just round the corner from the station.
Tucked away in the Needlemakers, this friendly cafe cafe produces a daily menu of fresh, locally sourced food & drink. Great for lunch, or just tea and cake while you take a break from browsing the craft shops in the Old Needlemakers factory.
Backyard Cafe
14 West StTucked away in the Needlemakers, this friendly cafe cafe produces a daily menu of fresh, locally sourced food & drink. Great for lunch, or just tea and cake while you take a break from browsing the craft shops in the Old Needlemakers factory.
Gorgeous little independent veggie burger and specialty coffee shop. Delicious veggie burgers and naturally sweet gluten-free cakes that are all hand-made in the café using fresh ingredients that are locally sourced wherever possible.
Choose from a selection of mouth-watering toppings, locally baked brioche buns or vegan and gluten-free buns. Also thai dumpling sides, hand-made by Pestle & Mortar, Lewes.
6 locals recommend
Bun + Bean
8 Mount PleasantGorgeous little independent veggie burger and specialty coffee shop. Delicious veggie burgers and naturally sweet gluten-free cakes that are all hand-made in the café using fresh ingredients that are locally sourced wherever possible.
Choose from a selection of mouth-watering toppings, locally baked brioche buns or vegan and gluten-free buns. Also thai dumpling sides, hand-made by Pestle & Mortar, Lewes.
Tucked away at the bottom of town this lovely café/ bistro is set within the courtyard of the once Old Coaching Inn, now Pastorale Antiques. The courtyard Cafe has the biggest garden seating area in Lewes. There's also a large seating area down in the cosy wine cellar.
10 locals recommend
Café du Jardin
15 Malling StTucked away at the bottom of town this lovely café/ bistro is set within the courtyard of the once Old Coaching Inn, now Pastorale Antiques. The courtyard Cafe has the biggest garden seating area in Lewes. There's also a large seating area down in the cosy wine cellar.
Lewes shops
A few of our favourite shops in and around Lewes
Wonderful little shop up on the High Street selling, simple, timeless items for your home (you might recognise a few things of theirs around our house!). Items are produced and designed within the UK, often in collaboration with local craftspeople, with materials and designs carefully sourced to ensure they last well and wear even better. It's not cheap, but anything you buy should last many years (except their sublime chocolate...).
Freight HHG
196 High StWonderful little shop up on the High Street selling, simple, timeless items for your home (you might recognise a few things of theirs around our house!). Items are produced and designed within the UK, often in collaboration with local craftspeople, with materials and designs carefully sourced to ensure they last well and wear even better. It's not cheap, but anything you buy should last many years (except their sublime chocolate...).
Fantastic emporium for health foods and healthy living. Worth a trip to Brighton if you want to stock up!
55 locals recommend
Infinity Foods
25 North RdFantastic emporium for health foods and healthy living. Worth a trip to Brighton if you want to stock up!
To find something to read during your stay (including books from Sussex / local authors) head to Waterstones for a browse and a coffee.
Waterstones
220-221 High StTo find something to read during your stay (including books from Sussex / local authors) head to Waterstones for a browse and a coffee.
A wonderful collection of antiques, vintage crockery, candles, sheepskins and all sorts of other treasures you'll wish you could fit in your suitcase!
No1 Lewes
1 Cliffe High StA wonderful collection of antiques, vintage crockery, candles, sheepskins and all sorts of other treasures you'll wish you could fit in your suitcase!
A warren of little independent shops is tucked away in the old needlemakers' factory. Great for crafts and gifts (plus a good café).
17 locals recommend
The Needlemakers
A warren of little independent shops is tucked away in the old needlemakers' factory. Great for crafts and gifts (plus a good café).
Activities
Just up the hill from our house, Soulfit runs a great range of yoga classes and personal training sessions, as well as treatments. They offer unlimited classes over 14 days for just GBP20 - your own yoga retreat in the heart of Lewes! Also a nice little cafe on site.
Soulfit
47 Western RdJust up the hill from our house, Soulfit runs a great range of yoga classes and personal training sessions, as well as treatments. They offer unlimited classes over 14 days for just GBP20 - your own yoga retreat in the heart of Lewes! Also a nice little cafe on site.
The Depot (next to Lewes station) is a wonderful arthouse cinema - also with café / winebar / restaurant.
53 locals recommend
Depot
Pinwell RoadThe Depot (next to Lewes station) is a wonderful arthouse cinema - also with café / winebar / restaurant.
Food scene
For locally sourced produce visit the Farmers' market - in the Market Tower on Friday mornings (we think this is the best one) or Cliffe High Street on Saturdays.
7 locals recommend
Lewes Farmers' Market
Court RoadFor locally sourced produce visit the Farmers' market - in the Market Tower on Friday mornings (we think this is the best one) or Cliffe High Street on Saturdays.
This local farm shop is a treasure trove of locally produced food and drink - including a massive array of Sussex beers and ciders. Kids will enjoy the farm animals and activities.
54 locals recommend
Middle Farm
This local farm shop is a treasure trove of locally produced food and drink - including a massive array of Sussex beers and ciders. Kids will enjoy the farm animals and activities.
Harveys Brewery produces a great range of beers, ales and lagers - all stocked in this shop alongside a good range of other drinks.
21 locals recommend
Harvey's Brewery
4 Cliffe High StHarveys Brewery produces a great range of beers, ales and lagers - all stocked in this shop alongside a good range of other drinks.
This is a sweet little shopping 'mall' next to the Cliffe Bridge over the river. Local butchers, fishmongers etc as well as gifts, cafes etc.
9 locals recommend
The Lamb
10 Fisher StThis is a sweet little shopping 'mall' next to the Cliffe Bridge over the river. Local butchers, fishmongers etc as well as gifts, cafes etc.
If you're venturing into Brighton and fancy a special meal try Silo. It's a unique restaurant where the production of waste has been eliminated by choosing to trade directly with farmers, using re-usable delivery vessels and choosing local ingredients that themselves generated no waste.
67 locals recommend
Silo Brighton
39 Upper Gardner StIf you're venturing into Brighton and fancy a special meal try Silo. It's a unique restaurant where the production of waste has been eliminated by choosing to trade directly with farmers, using re-usable delivery vessels and choosing local ingredients that themselves generated no waste.
Sightseeing
This is a must for any beer lover! See the home of the famous Harveys Sussex brews next to the river.
21 locals recommend
Harvey's Brewery
4 Cliffe High StThis is a must for any beer lover! See the home of the famous Harveys Sussex brews next to the river.