Bay Tree in Mid Sussex

We had just visited a local garden, they have a cafe but only serve cake, which we did not want, so we decided to stop off in Haywards Heath and find a cafe for a light lunch. We both had a cheese scone, which were enormous compared to the ones we have had elsewhere, and a pot of tea. The staff were very polite and helpful, all the tables inside were full, so we sat outside, which was not a problem as although November it was not a cold day. We will be using the Bay Tree next time we are in Haywards Heath.

I honestly couldn't believe it when I was charged 40p extra to have my coffee decaffeinated. They're already more expensive than the likes of Costa etc. Never has this happened to me before today. The coffee was not even very nice. Medeocre at best. Won't return.

40p extra for decaff on an already expensive coffee. Not good coffee either, distinctly below average. The young man behind the till was embarrassed but it's not his policy. I will never go back.

Just coffee early in the morning.

Really nice spot to see and come to for both coffees and lunches and other stuff at opening hours of the day. Good inside and outside seating as can be popular for times of day and at busy times, lots to choose from and lots can be made up too..

Food at reasonable prices very friendly staff would highly recommend this venue. Still probably the best chocolate cake in Sussex 😋

Had an decaf iced coffee the other day and the staff were super lovely and so helpful. And my order was done very quickly. The thing that’ll stop me from returning is the fact that I got charged extra for decaf. I was actually really shocked. I’m currently breastfeeding and so I limit my caffeine intake. This is the first place I’ve been to that actually charges extra for decaf. Hopefully it’s the last!

This is a great place for a light lunch, panini or toasties or just tea or coffee.

Great expresso (and a double expresso is 4 shots!). The cakes looked wonderful but the diet said 'no' 😔

One of my all time favourite cafes. Lovely staff, brilliant food and drinks. Always friendly. Not dog friendly inside, but you can take your dog in to order and then go outside or the marquee to sit.

Great selection of Toasted sandwiches and lovely fresh cakes. Will certainly be returning staff were extremely polite as well. I am in the hospitality business so I appreciate good quality of food and service. Well done.

Great service, great food relaxed atmosphere

Lovely self service town centre cafe selling hot and cold drinks, a variety of sandwiches, cakes and snacks. Based in The Orchards shopping precinct this cafe has inside seating, toilet facilities and a large outside area with tables and chairs, part of which is under cover so a useful venue when weather is unreliable.

Been coming here with friends for a long time now and a good and successful time can be had here too, lots of things to have and see here and a good set up of serving and stuff to have while in the area. Lots of indoor and outdoor seating available. Very popular in town, love coming back.

Great coffee, had bacon bap with gluten free bread, very nice, lovely staff 😀

Enjoyed everything here, and such a friendly staff. Very pleasant.

I work from home but had to give lifts to my partner and elderly inlaw who can't drive. When they were doing their businesses, I stayed in and had lunch (with hot drink) I had to take my work with me while waiting for them so was on my laptop. 45 min into my stay, who looked like the owner approached to me saying "I am not running an office space, this is lunch time so unless you purchase more and have a drink on your table please vacate this spot" he was apologetic afterwards saying that "people are complaining when they come for a spot and see you not having anything and not able to find a spot" but it was too late. I understand they are a small business but I should have been mentioned this when I asked for WIFI password with my laptop, rather than being humiliated half way into my stay. If you are in Haywards heath and have to stay 1-2 hours while working on a computer, avoid this cafe and go to Nero or Costa.

Nice little independent coffee bar in the Orchards. Good cake, decent service and the marquee is a good addition gor space

Have been here so many times . Coffee , toasties , cake etc . Staff always helpful . Excellent service . Never disappointed in what you choose . Lovely place to meet up with friends or pick up Takeout coffee

Lovely tea and delicious rich coffee and walnut cake. I sat inside on this visit but wished I had made use of the gazebo as there was an amazingly loud early in retirement age woman on the table by the window conducting a video call to a friend as if she was at home! Shame some people have no filter and respect for where they are and who is around them! I love this cafê tho and will be back!

Awesome local coffee shop with loads of covered outdoor seating and a great array of snacks, sandwiches and drinks.

Very friendly and a fab place to just chill out for coffee

Ordered a cheese and ham toasties. When it came, I did a double take as it was so small and thin, accompanied by a serviette with no side salad or dressing. It contained the thinnest piece of ham & cheese I had ever seen!!! Really not good at all for the price. They could at least use thicker better bread to make it more substantial.

A quiet little cafe for a coffee, food is a little expensive

Excellent cafe very good service. We will return

Buzzing central coffee shop. Good selection of cakes.

Good milkshakes, range of teas, bacon baps, and lovely cakes for Saturday brunch. Indoor and outdoor seating available. Good service but can get very busy at peak times.

Lovely little cafe stopped for cafe and coffee whilst on a shopping trip. Polite staff clean and tidy

It's a nice place to come and see and have food and drink options available for breakfast and other times of day, have been coming here with friends for a long while now and hopefully will be back soon to have more stuff at various times of the year.

I have always been helped by staff as I'm disabled. I use a mobility scooter and never made to feel a nuisance, staff and other people are always ready too move chairs to make access easier. Thank you Bay Tree I have supported you since you opened. Heather Braybon.

Lovely independent coffee shop. Only flaw is they always run out of soup!

Lovely food and coffe. Excellent service.

Много хубаво място за отдих и чаша кафе и разтоварване.

Hot soup directly placed Infront in a 2 year old (waitress of last weekend) and Passing hot drinks overheads (seen twice previously) is a big NO. Waitress of last weekend served food to clients outside and walked straight back inside, Another waitress did the same. Neither looked around to pickup the pile to dishes accumulated on a specific table. Most clients ( including me) cleared their own tables and piled the dirty dishes there. It so happened that other clients came to sit there. They had alto wait awhile for someone to clear up. The people serving a lovely. They just need some training on how to serve food, clearing tables and cleaning tables quickly. Importantly they really need to understand hot food can burn and is a liability. Food is on the pricy side however enjoyable.

Love the Nutmeg Tree. Great food and service. Staff couldn't be more helpful. ❤️

Brie and bacon toastie was delicious and the coffee washed it down well

Beautiful food, lovely cup of tea but the coffee wasn't great unfortunately.

The Bay Tree is a great place to meet friends all year round. They have outside dining as well as in. Cakes are fab, sandwiches, and paninis are also good. Pay to park nearby.

A warm and wrlcoming shelter from the cold with extra seating in an enclosed tent outside.

Very busy, so quality speaks for itself. I thought it was a little pricey but hey this is haywards heath....cakes are lovely. Outside area to people watch.... 1 minute from marks and spencer....... 2022 ....still the same has a large "tent" up for sitting outside, great in the summer!

Fantastic coffee shop, excellent staff and the best coffee around!

Nice place to visit for a reasonably priced coffee and cake, always busy so can be hard to find a table however this is a sign of how good it is!

Very friendly and efficient service. Good place for a break from shopping in Orchards shopping centre

Great little place, just right for a cuppa after afternoon's shopping!

First place we go to, for great cake, time and hot drinks.

Was very busy and particularly popular with senior citizens. Counter service only, though food was being delivered to tables. It's quite a utilitarian café but with witty wall pictures. We only had teas and coffees so can't comment on the food.

Good place for a coffe and cake in Haywards heath

Fabulous find for coffee and gluten free . Cakes fabulous. Staff really lovely. Certainly will return when that way again.

Great selection of delicious cakes, teas and coffees, lunches. Dog friendly with seating in a spacious marquee in addition to inside and a further outdoor area with wall heaters.

Have lunch in The Bay Tree often as it’s a lovely independent family business. A good mixture of rolls, toasties, and paninis…personally love the New Yorker, and kids fav is Chicken, Bacon & Cheese and love a bacon roll. Fresh soups always a fav in winter, tomato winning for our family. Lots of lovely cakes to too - mint tiffin hubby’s fav and carrot cake my youngest….used as the best to judge other cafe against and still winning. Full coffee, tea, cold drinks and milkshakes available. All plus a friendly service with a smile makes it very popular and our favourite and means we keep returning.

Coffee and cake, plenty of seats in and out

Accidents happen but when a waitress drops a tray of glass it shatters round a disabled child check first on the child.. Nothing he okay yh he was I checked him all over but ur rudeness disgusted me.

Visited for coffee and cake, we decided to sit outside, coffee collection point was a small area which because it was busy became rather congested, other than that the coffee was nice and they had a lovely selection of cakes to choose from.

Always enjoy our coffee their. Skinny latte with a caramel shot is sooo delicious

Very clean nice food at a good price worth a visit

Good and dietary friendly but expensive

It's very nice and lots of outdoor seating but I wish the gazebo didn't take up the whole outside area as I used to like sitting in the sun. Cakes are delicious though!

Friendly, warm welcome ,lovely cakes , will be going again

Lovely coffee, great atmosphere and the cakes looked amazing.

Coffee very good service good place clean tidy well managed.

Great spot for afternoon coffee and cake.. friendly, helpful staff

Food, drink and service are always good. Easy access for wheel chair users. Plenty of seating in and outside under cover. The Toilet is well fitted out for all users both able and restricted including a baby changing area as well. Highly recommended.

They have some really friendly and highly skilled baristas. Definitely recommend the tropical fruit crush.

Food and Coffee are excellent as are the staff. I would recommend without a hesitation.

Beautiful shop, and lovely stsff

The interior of the Bay Tree needs modernising as I always support it & meet my friends there frequently!👌🌷

lovely place staff are amazing so to is the food and cake

Great home made cakes and sandwiches with lots of different drinks for everyone

Always a lovely place to stop for lunch.

Lovely setting with indoor and outdoor tables. Lovely latte and cakes.

The coffee shop has friendly staff who ensure tables are wiped between customers. The drinking chocolate and shortbread never cease to please and there is a good choice of cakes as well as toasted sandwiches.

Lovely place, quick service, friendly staff

Lovely cakes, coffee and tea. Sandwiches are good too

Friendly atmosphere, good coffee and cakes. Seated outside with our young puppy..

Plenty of outside seating as there was a large marquis with tables and chairs seated in top of fake grass in the courtyard as well as seating inside shop

Good service, great location, excellent value

Just called in for coffee, a pleasant experience. Indoor seating and outdoor seating in a tent type structure. It was quite busy while we were there.

Love the toasted sandwiches and paninis here

This is one of the quick stop places, it is similar to many others, the food and cakes are fine but the last time we were there one of us asked for a bacon roll and got one with heated up ham rather than bacon (well I suppose they both come from a pig) Good and friendly service and conveniently located.

This cafe is very nice and staff pleasant, seating inside and outside.

Excellent lunch with plenty of choice.

Love this little gem, lots of seating, helpful staff, amazing cakes, ideal location,

Customers coming to this cafe must tidy up after themselves and the cafe must provide extra bins as well as takeaway cups and boxes. They need a recycling bin out in place to encourage customers t9 not leave any mess behind and respect the environment. The use of napkins given with every food item needs t9 be scrapped as it is far too wasteful. Service and food are ok with food being the better of the two as the staff constantly ask you if you want your receipts hitch is yet again another total waste of paper. More environmental awareness is needed and if everyone cleared up after themselves then less staff would be needed. On a redeeming note their fruit scone is excellent!

Good produce outside seating Friendly staff

First time I have been to The Bay Tree and I will definitely be back. Lovely food, excellent coffee and extremely busy and lovely staff, who still had time to talk and help less abled people carry their food and coffee.

Pleasant service, large choice of good quality cakes. Coffee good. Pleasantly asked to scan the NHS QR code. Just wish other people would stay at least a metre away

I ordered a takeaway chocolate 'milkshake' for my son as a special treat. It seemed to be about 95% crushed ice with some kind of chocolate flavouring. Was there even any milk in it? A bit of a rip off for £3.50. Won't be visiting again. Definitely not a milkshake.

Good for the lunch break whilst out shopping

Cafe in the square. Took my old mum for a cappuccino and a cheese sandwich. Friendly staff. Clean and tidy and cheap . Lovely cakes better than Costa all day long

It's a nice location, in the middle of the Orchards to be able to stop and have a nice drink and perhaps treat yourself to a piece of cake. The staff are friendly and when we visited there was plenty of outside seating available, which we preferred.

Great local cafe inside the Orchards shopping centre. A good selection of homemade cakes and sandwiches. Usually busy during the day with lots of tables outside most of which are under cover. Hopefully it will be fully open soon.

Staff were lovely, coffee could be better.

Always a joy to have time here. Yummy cakes, and Gluten Free choices too. Great coffee!. Thank you.

Coffee was ok, but the coffe and walnut cake was yummy.

Lovely place for a coffee and they do a smashing bacon sandwich.

Lovely toasted sandwiches . Very nice fresh cake . Sat out in the sun. Service excellent . Covid safe . Tables cleaned between customers .. sanitizer available

I've always had such friendly service here, and the staff go above and beyond to make sure you have a lovely experience! Excellent hot chocolates and toasties.

The place is way too loud, to the point our visit wasn't enjoyable anymore. Customer service is average. Food was okay. I wouldn't rush to go back.

Nice little tea / Coffee shop in Haywards heath. Nice range of cakes and sandwiches, coffee is good too. Staff friendly and seems popular with the locals.

Usually love the place but today they had no gluten free options and the server was not friendly.