Dickens Tea Cottage Eastbourne in Eastbourne

It’s cozy, warm, welcoming and full of characters. We had Sunday lunch in there. Delicious food, homemade, beautifully cooked. Run by a lovely family. They were friendly and very efficient. We thoroughly recommend this little gem.

A lovely traditional tea shop , with lots of character. We had lovely homemade scones 😋. The staff were very attentive & welcoming . We look forward to coming again.

Wow wanted a cafe or restaurant that did a good Sunday roast tried a big hotel on the seafront they didn't start until 12.30 no good for me I was starving bumped into a fella got chatting and he recommended Dickens Tea Cottage so went in sat down a nice chap who served me a big fella who was well organised look like he had a lot of experience went for Pork it came with crackling finished with peaches and cream 🍑 fantastic meal and service 👌

Had a lovely roast lunch here today. Choice of roast was lamb or chicken and my friend and I had lamb. Plenty of meat. Good roast potatoes and veg. I recommend banana pavlova for dessert. Fascinating decor and friendly service.

I highly recommend this place. It is the perfect place to go if you are visiting Eastbourne. It is very cute and quaint, with lovely food and service. The people who run it are very sweet. Please give it a try, you won't be disappointed.

I went there for a light lunch with my daughter who lives overseas and was missing English home cooking. We both enjoyed the atmosphere and the tasty meal. I want to go back for an afternoon tea.

Really lovely tea rooms. Food was excellent in both quality and portions. Staff were lovely. Clean and tidy. Will recommend and will be returning. Thank you

A wonderful Tea room excellent friendly service . The food is amazing lots of choice, and delicious. A proper English tea room. Have been several times never disappointed .

As Americans traveling abroad, we wanted traditional afternoon tea and couldn’t have asked for a more wonderful experience! This is a special place and worthy of a visit. Absolutely delicious!

Fantastic food, atmosphere and service! The best cream tea we have enjoyed in the UK! Highly recommended!

Abbiamo pranzato in questo tipico locale molto british.Il cibo fresco e ben cucinato, Torneremo presto

What a delightful place with lovely staff who are proud of what they do and appreciate feedback. The toilet was absolutely spotless, so unusual when you eat out these days. The rest of the place, despite being full of Knick knacks, was also so very clean. Our cream tea was generous and the best I have ever had. I want to go again soon so will be driving from Worthing just to have a fabulous afternoon tea.

Lovely quaint tea shop.friendly.full of memorabilia of dickens and period..very clean but little dark.lovely cup of tea in china cups.unfo we didnt eat there but a good varied menu.would visit again.

This is an outstanding tea room with excellent food and excellent service in a unique setting. Nothing is too much trouble and it is an absolute gem.

We arrange for our mum/nan (Audrey) and friend to attend Wednesday 3rd August to celebrate her 80th birthday. As she was on holiday in Eastbourne for her special celebration and with us being from sheffield, we wanted to mark the occasion with more than just afternoon tea. My mum contacted Maria and asked if she would be able to source a balloon to put on the table. Maria went out of her way to get this for us and only charged us the cost of the balloon, which we thought was lovely considering she had gone out of her way for us. She is also so trustworthy, ensuring to send us the receipt for the balloon & we didn’t even ask for this. I have since spoken with my nan, who said she had the most lovely time and the food was lovely and she really enjoyed her afternoon with her friend. If you are looking for somewhere to go in Eastbourne, although I have not visited myself, I couldn’t recommend this place and lovely lady enough. It is obvious she is so committed to what she does and really does want people to have the best experience. Thankyou for contributing towards a very special birthday for our nan, we appreciate very much.

A unique gem. We were a little cautious about going, but saw home made tea cakes on a website and decided it must be worth a try. It felt so relaxed and homely. The Dickens memorabilia is remarkable. The owner has huge knowledge of Dickens...

First visit. Absolutely delightful cafe/restaurant with the most charming proprietors you could hope to meet. Superb, homemade, toasted tea cakes and a pot of tea. Spotlessly clean washing facilities. We'll be back.

A really lovely tea room in Eastbourne with a good and varied menu. We popped in here for lunch the other day, and despite being busy, the staff were very friendly and welcoming. The food was delicious and very good value.

N’hésitez pas à vous arrêter pour un thé ou pour une salade. Les plats sont sains et faits maison. Accueil...

wunderbares Cafe mit Geschichte : der hausgemachte frische u noch warme Scone, serviert mit aufgeschlagener Butter & Marmelade war traumhaft!...

Lovely old style eatery with lots of character with Charles Dickens pictures everywhere. Friendly service but the food took a long time to arrive. Food was nice, so I would recommend if you are not in a rush.

Just had a lovely lunch at the Dickens Tea Cottage. The food was delicious, the restaurant was cosy and full of Dickens memorabilia, and the owners and staff were so friendly and welcoming. This is how good restaurants should be! Can't praise it too highly....

I called in for a pot of tea and a scone. The decor is interesting with lots of Dickens related memorabilia on the walls and ceiling. The service was prompt. The scone was fresh and tasty. Recommended.

Went to the Dickens Tea Cottage for lunch today (Saturday) and it was delicious! Our first visit for a while but it felt perfectly Covid safe, everyone was wearing masks and hand sanitizer available on entry. Lunch was fantastic as usual, but I'm reluctant to...

Had a lovely Christmas lunch here, huge portions piping hot food in a lovely Christmas decorated cosy atmosphere. Nothing too much trouble. A must visit if you are in Eastbourne and the breakfast is fab as well. So nice to see it re-open after such...

Made a concerted effort to visit this much talked about hotspot of Eastbourne, the best tearoom around. NOT OPEN. Looks like all fittings are piled in the middle of the downstairs room? Rubbishy hand written note in the window which looks early covid. Not sure...

My brother and i had just left Camilla's Bookshop and saw the Dickens sign. As a lone traveller I had always wanted to visit but never had the guts. However we decided to go in and found an Aladdins cave to Dickens with quaint tables...

Came across this lovely place and had an afternoon tea. Very cosy and friendly, fab decoration too. Lovely fresh scones with jam and cream yummy

I took my 91 year-old Grandmother here for lunch, it was a good choice. We had a Welsh Rarebit and a slice of homemade cake. Both were delicious. Lovely service by the owner, the tea house seems popular with the older locals. A warm, comfortable...

Out shopping and decided to go for a spot of tea... can't beat the food... lovely staff... lovely surroundings... a hidden little gem... highly reccomended for something different...

The atmosphere and friendly staff are what this place has going for it. The food and coffee were so completely basic, unfortunately. I wouldn't recommend what I had (eggs, toast, coffee); maybe other things are better. Just had no flavor.

Qué hermoso salón de té, tropezó con esta pequeña joya, servida por dos damas en una urdimbre de los años 50 sin faltarle el respeto a las damas. Tuvimos un excelente servicio con una sonrisa, la elección de un buen menú, tuvimos una excelente comida, porque queríamos compartir un dulce porque sonaban bien, incluso nos pusieron natillas extra una vez más.

Un locale piccolo e grazioso in una zona un po' defilata. Merita doppiamente una visita non solo per il cream tea con i ottimi scones caldi fatti in casa, marmellata e clotted cream, ma anche per l'atmosfera dickensiana. Il locale, con un bel caminetto è completamente arredato e tappezzato di oggetti, quadri e stampe piccole e grandi che ricordano Dickens e i suoi personaggi. Un atmosfera d'epoca molto genuina. Un piccolo museo. Vengono serviti anche pasti leggeri e ottimi sandwich. Il proprietario è molto discreto e gentile. Un luogo dal sapore e dai sapori molto inglesi. Merita

The chips are the best I have tried. Excellent, food with puddings that bring back memories of childhood for those of us over 60.

Lovely olde worlde tea cottage in a quiet area but near the centre of Eastbourne. Great home cooking and always a warm welcome at this family run café. Home made Simnel cake and hot cross buns over Easter and roasts on Sundays.

Atmospheric, quaint place which is probably better visited during the week or on Saturday rather than on Sunday. Friendly family service in a unique setting.

Rare visit to Eastbourne to see my aunty she took me here. Quaint and quiet, I had the all day breakfast with perfect fried bread (still soft), aunty had the fish and chips, both just as pictured above. Then I saw the desert menu and was treated to a delicious treacle sponge with generous amount of custard. All dishes had been warmed through keeping the food hot which is always a very good sign that the chef cares.. The lady who served us was lovely.

Went for lunch on a Thursday in October, arriving around 1pm and when we walked in it was very busy with only 3 tables left to sit at.

The interior of the cafe is super quirky, cluttered with collections antique objects that present an Olde English vibe. My husband and I always like to pop in for our afternoon tea fix whenever we are in Eastbourne visiting his parents.

It's a quirky place - you might imagine it's a cosy tea cottage with a rustic floral design, but you would be wrong. It's very historically minded - from the dark carpets and furniture to the walls which are covered in frames, plates, woodblock prints and memorabilia about Dickens and his characters. He did visit Eastbourne often after all.

Really really good lamb outstanding. Service 100%. Always get an outstanding welcome. Pop in for a coffee just the same excellent welcome. Super coffee. Cant really add more. Congratulations on very high service levels.

A small "Olde Worldy" tea room full of knick knacks and customers.

Very friendly welcome, no rush to choose from traditional menu. Food well cooked and presented at a very good price. Very busy at lunchtime, booking suggested..

My partner and I found this most quaint and charming “olde worlde” tea room / restaurant quite by chance whilst meandering round the Little Chelsea area of Eastbourne during a recent short break there.

Was in South Street on business and almost didn't notice this amazing place tucked at the end of the street. Went in for an afternoon cup of tea, just before closing, but the lovely ladies didn't mind that we weren't spending a lot, or that it took us until after closing to finish our tea. So 5+ star service.

As you walk through the door, you see all the decoration and memorabilia on the walls.

Una piccola tea house che è un gioiellino nel cuore di Eastbourne: gestita da uno staff gentile e disponibile che sembra uscito da un libro di Dickens, pareti coperte di libri, stampe su Dickens, i suoi libri ed i suoi personaggi, la tea house offre cibo fatto in casa, semplice ma ottimo. Tradizionali torte buonissime ed ottimi te’.

Met with others for a lunch and had a great meal

It is lovely to see a traditional family run Tea Room still going strong in Eastbourne. Spotless, full of memorabilia, delightful family who provide very good freshly prepared food. Well done, will visit you again soon

A smashing little place. The staff are so attentive and friendly. Nothing is ever too much trouble. The menu is simple but the food is always well cooked and delicious. The cooked breakfasts and Sunday roasts being particularly good. Traditional English food served in a homely atmosphere.

Do me a favour, when you come to Eastbourne please do not miss this place!

I had noticed this tea rooms the day before when I was browsing South St and I found a new shop next door to this tea rooms that sells cotton t shirts with designs by local artists and I'd ordered 2 (only £12 each!), so as I came to collect them the next day we decided to try an afternoon tea in here! We were so glad we did - it's fabulous.

I had checked this tearoom out on line and liked what I read.

We stopped in here for Lunch yesterday and its was very nicely served, as was the Teas. Excellent value for money

What a fantastic place this is! Excellent atmosphere with Dickens memorabilia all round. As well as the atmosphere, the food is delicious. We stopped off for lunch and I had a lovely omelette with a proper salad with all the trimmings. Very good value for money and tea shop like no other in the vicinity. Would certainly return!

We were looking for somewhere to lunch and came across this small restaurant. Full of Dickens memorabilia, it was a tad cluttered and a bit airless, but the food and service were good. Nothing was too much trouble.

Lovely little original tea place located near the town hall and in Eastbourne's well-kept 'Little Chelsea' area.

Worth a visit, but be aware it is cash only. The establishment is quaint with lots of books and ornaments, and when full is quite cramped. Good menu selections made fresh to order. Very attentive service.

This tea room is a cottage which has been cleverly transformed into a nine table cafe. Memorabilia abounds and the service is good. We only had tea but others were having small meals and cakes. Not easy to find but worth finding.

The Dickens appears at first sight to be rather cosy and twee. Do not be put off. The current owners have been here for some 12 years and have only changed things where an improvement can be effected. It is a veritable museum of all things "Dickens" and true to our expectations the food is freshly cooked, the cakes are home made and the service is personal. This is highly recommended, I am even happy to miss my espresso and accept a filter coffee for the freshly cooked food and service.

It really is all in the name. Full of Dickens' memorabilia and a step back in time. Quintessentially English. Very cosy place to stop and have lunch or have a coffee and cake. Full of old fashioned atmosphere. Very friendly service. It lends itself to adults, as space is limited. It may not suit young families but its calm and quiet atmosphere suits us. We have just moved into the are and have already been three times.

I and my daughter visited Dickens Tea Cottage when we stayed in Eastbourne last

My daughter and I came to this lovely tearoom after reading the excellent reviews. We opted for the classical cream tea which was excellent, the scones were fresh and home-made, the tea brewed to perfection. What made Dickens tea cottage rather special was the ambiance, the place is tiny, just a few tables but it is like stepping into a different world: full of Dickensian memorabilia, old furniture, teapots big and small, old crockery, this is a quiet and cosy place obviously very well know to the locals. This is not the place you bump into on the high street and yet it is only minutes away from the central station. It is certainly worth a visit at lunchtime for a soup or a snack or for afternoon tea like we did. We will certainly return when we are back in the area.

Homemade vegetable soup very nice thick and tasty. Very reasonable price and came without roll which was pleasing as I am on a diet

Popped in as I had a day off... Once again lovely food... All home cooked... Lovely tea room... Locals love it and the staff are great...

This Tea Cottage is really small when viewed from outside. It is in the charming area of Eastbourne known as little Chelsea. It's cosy inside with plenty of references to Charles Dickens on the walls (who else would you expect, given the name of the place). Anyway the staff are friendly and the food is good. You can have breakfast or just call in for lunch, with a nice pot of tea. Just a word about the area. Little Chelsea has antique shops. A wonderful "collectables" shop run by the lovely Francois. (open Tues and Sat only but worth a look) And the brilliant Camilla's old book shop. I only mention all this because if you want to browse around after your breakfast or lunch at Dickens Tea Cottage, you have an idea from me what's in the vicinity. Have some nice food under Mr Dickens' watchful eye.

We had a lovely breakfast at the tea cottage. Very pleasant waitress and the food was fresh,hot and good. I would definitely go again.

Took my 5 year old daughter and elderly mother for lunch as my daughter was ill and we were waiting to collect her meds. The lady couldnt have been lovelier to her... and made us feel very welcome.

Found this tea room while walking around out of the tourist areas (although maybe Little Chelsea is touristic?!) so we decided to stop.

Love this little tea room... Been here a few times before but this time I was on my own... Owner said/staff make you feel very welcome... Food is always amazing and freshly home made... You just beat the salad and puddings... Will def be back for more...

This restaurant is almost opposite the Town Hall,so right in the middle of town. It is run by charming ladies who do all they can to make your visit enjoyable. The food is always excellent and the tea shop is full of quirky memorabilia.

This place is great for a toasted sandwich. It's not cheap but well worth the money as its served with a side of delicious homemade coleslaw. It's always full old dears who are obviously its main client base. My only complaint is they stop serving food at 3pm - a bit early for those out shopping looking for a late lunch/snack.

The wife and I have a game where we visit establishments for a cream tea and she gives marks out of ten for every aspect of the place..all i can say about this one is that is the only one ever that she gave ten out if ten for absolutly everything..and she is a very fussy lady! the only trouble is that now we have found perfection in cream teas nowhere else will ever do!

Simply the best tea room in Eastbourne... Been there a couple of times before... Staff very friendly and welcoming... Very frclean and individual place to eat... Perfect home cooked meals... Puddings to die for... Make you feel at home..

Wonderful tea rooms with Dickensian flavour located in the beautiful Chelsea area of Eastbourne. Perfect for cream tea or a light lunch with your favourite aunt or your mum.

Dickens Tea Cottage is an exceptionally friendly, family run tearoom serving excellent freshly made home cooked food. Wednesday is the high point when they cook 2 choices of roast and a good selection of desserts in addition to their delicious normal menu. So welcoming and highly recommended.

Home cooked lunches and Sussex afternoon teas available at the Dickens Tea Cottage. Special roast lunches on Wednesday which are excellent value. Usually a choice between two roasts. Normal menu is available too. Always friendly service here.

First visit was last year, welsh rarebit and a pot of tea, it was freshly made and delicious. Bone china cup and saucer and pot of tea with plenty of tea bags and a side pot of boiling water. Got at least 3 cups of tea out of it and could easily have got a fourth. Visited again recently for a cream tea. Gorgeous. Two huge home made scones (still warm) huge portion of jam and cream and pot of tea. Went again yesterday to try breakfast and it was delicious. Proper home cooked food, friendly staff, cosy atmosphere. Yes furniture and decor a bit dated but brought back happy memories of my nans house. Have heard roast dinners are very good so that will be our next visit. Highly recommend this sweet little place.

Very Olde Worlde jam packed with Dickensian Memorabilia, surprisingly diverse clientele, couples of all ages, have seen young foreign students, "suits", possibly from the proximity of the Town Hall, Good quick service by happy smiley ladies. Slightly tatty round the edges, BUT this adds to the charm, who would want prefect! Have been for just drinks and cake, but the Welsh Rabbit is to die for.

Called for breakfast recently, quality ingredients and home made cakes. Great value , great quality, great staff. Recommended.

Having recently started a course in Eastbourne I found this restaurant close by and what a find it is. An atmospheric little gem - an "Olde Worlde" tearoom close to the centre of town.

After one week in Eastourne studiying English, my classmates and me went to Dickens to try the traditional Afternoon tea! The place is really homely and the owners extremly friendly!! It seems that you are in your own living room! Tea and scones excellent!

Fantastic little tea room located in South Street. Extremely good value for money and warm, friendly staff. You really can't go wrong here, highly recommended.

Popped in here on the way back to our car after having been walking along the seafront as it looked like a quirky interesting place. The inside was rather quaint and full of interesting clutter. Had a most enjoyable cream tea with 2 decent sized scones and proper bone china cups. Can't ask for much more!

First time i have been to this tea room since the 1980's and it is still the same (thankfully) If you are in Eastbourne and want a old Tea room experience with good food and fantastic service then find this place, If you are a fan of Charles Dickens then travel here.

Dickens home cooked food is just great! This is such a delightful and friendly little place to go. You need to be patient though, since all their food is made to order but it is well worth the wait! I can strongly recommend their cheese flan served with salad or chips or, better still, what Janet the owner calls half and half, (half chips, half salad!). Yummy! As for their cakes! Melt in the mouth! I had one of Janet's mince pies at Christmas and it was THE BEST mince pie Ever! Reasonably priced, great atmosphere and WELL WORTH a visit! :)

This is an incredible tea cottage...lovely old-fashionned, Maria and her parents are simply friendly and warm. All the food is freshly home made, tasty and copious. The cottage is a little bit small and often full during the lunch time, so come early !!!! But when you're lucky enough to get a table, you feel in paradise !!! Scones are amazing and lukewarm-served, salads are fresh, and choosing a big part of home-made cake becomes really difficult....Everything is perfect in this out -of-time place...The best tea cottage I have ever been....only one thought in my mind : When will I come back there the next time ????? Honnestly, go there, wait a little bit for a table, order everything you want...and close your eyes...you are in Heaven !!!! You won't be disappointed, it's impossible....

What a charming little tea room right in the heart of Eastbourne. Have been there a couple of times and never been disappointed. This time a group of us had tea cakes and scones and a couple of us were allowed to go off menu to order food that was suitable for gluten free and other dietary needs. No problem at all. Will definitely return with great expectations of another delicious experience.

If you want a quality cooked breakfast in Eastbourne, then Dickens Tea Cottage is the place to go. The service is simply outstanding and the food is superb. If you are visiting lunch times, then it would be advisable to book as it gets very busy and it is not the biggest of places.

I go to dickens tea room quite often the food is amazing the staff are the most friendly I would recommend this to people

I love bringing my overseas visitors here - it's like stepping back in time, and they are always impressed / disbelieving that establishments like this still exist in the UK. Tea is an institution and The Dickens does it right.

Want shopping to Eastbourne with a friend and popped in here for lunch. It was very busy - usually a good sign - and we were asked if we would be happy to share the table with other customers.

Had lunch here a couple of times recently. The food is all home cooked and freshly prepared. Great omelettes and magnificent cheese and onion flan. You are served proper chips which do not appear to be out of the freezer.

The Dickens Tea Cottage has to be one of the best places to visit in Eastbourne. Their cook breakfast and cheese and onion flan are fantastic, freshly cooked and every tasty. The family owned tea cottage have a huge collection of Charles Dickens memorabilia covering every wall and shelve. A lovely friendly welcoming place to visit. Highly recommended.