Hoopers in Tunbridge Wells

Very nice environment, good coffee prepared by a most charming lady(blonde,of mature years,lovely eyes) We are to return for afternoon tea which seems reasonable at £23 for two. Good offer for Tunbridge Wells where I usually like to spot ladies laden with designer bags spending their husbands' money

No ham 🥴,no onion base...used what tasted like Saturday's leftover broccoli instead..think they poured boiling water over vegetable cube,threw in mashed broccoli and some mashed frozen peas ...thought it was a long time coming and that the waitress looked a little sheepish🙃...

Took our 9 year old godson and his younger sister here for lunch yesterday (Saturday) for their first time here. They really enjoyed the experience and being able to order what they wanted to eat. The food was lovely - the two children didn't eat from a childrens menu but both chose from the regular menu. The staff we encountered were all very friendly and helpful. You order and pay at the counter and the food is brought to the table for you.

Visited on a quiet lunchtime. Ordered a halloumi salad and a quiche. Both were disappointing. The halloumi was over baked and the quiche was only half cooked. We returned the quiche and swapped it for soup which when it arrived was the wrong flavour. Very poor and we won't be returning

Excellent cafe for all from sandwiches to meal . We’ve been going for years and good to see it back as it was. The staff are always polite and our server a tall girl Bekka in particular - recommend a visit 👍🏻

I came here for lunch. Tuna sandwich - took over 30 mins - ridiculous. When it did arrive it was the wrong sandwich . Asked for a refund - that took ages as well. Went back to work with no lunch. Staff were passive aggressive/ borderline rude. Awful. Slow slow slow - overpriced. Daft staff. Don’t bother.

I last visited this restaurant 30+ years ago, and it will be another 30+ before I go again. Our food was expensive, finally after a long wait ,it was cold on arrival & not what was ordered, my steak & onion ciabatta had no onion in and was stuffed full of rocket, I asked for no salad, my friend requested no tomatoes in her sandwich, it arrived with them inside and on her plate, we complained and after another long wait, onions had been added to mine, the tomatoes had been removed from hers, but as she is allergic to them - a new one should have been given. The waitress reminded us of Julie Walters portrayal. There were very few people there, and those that were seemed to be only having drinks. Dreadful experience.

Roasted cauliflower main £10 Was actually half a cauliflower boiled within an inch of its life. Watery tasteless mush! Asked the waitress if they’d made a mistake as the mini stated roasted. After she said she’d check with the chef, she returned to say it wasn’t boiled but roasted. This was a blatant lie, didn’t expect that! So I’m writing my first review in absolute disgust. I don’t like being taken advantage of and ripped off, this made me feel both of these things. There are a number of nice places in Tunbridge Wells and We will stick to those. Waiting staff were friendly and coffee good, She the chef let the place down

Had breakfast with my wife early in the morning excellent service very relaxing atmosphere and excellent food will definitely come again

When in Tunbridge I always visit here for coffee. They do breakfast cakes etc. Staff are friendly and it’s a relaxing place.

Called in for coffees in between shopping. Very busy and had to wait to be served. Good menu and reasonably priced. Decor is very bright and modern and the views over the town are very nice.

Visited yesterday when in Tunbridge Wells for the day and as in the shop thought we would get bite to eat there. Service very slow and when sandwich came was small and was £6.95, accompanied by small handful of leaves. Lots of tables empty. Staff not friendly and disorganised. Disappointing.

We had a good lunch here after walking out of carluccios as service was terrible This place was very clean and staff pleasant. We both had ham eggs and chips witch we very good and well presented We will visit again when next here from Eastbourne

On Wednesday this week I organised one of our regular Talking Bus trips bringing a group of 30 older people from Maidstone to Tunbridge Wells. The aim of the day out is to help reduce loneliness and isolation by all travelling and chatting together, spending a little time and having lunch together in the town we visit and then travel back on the bus again. Not knowing Tunbridge Wells very much myself, Hoopers was recommended to me by a friend as a place to stop for a light lunch. I contacted the restaurant and spoke to Ursula on the Monday and explained what we would be doing. She was so lovely and helpful and my mind was put at ease immediately that we would be well looked after. On Wednesday we arrived, she has already reserved seating all together for us. Ursula and her staff were all so attentive and made us feel really welcome. The food that we all had (everyone something different) was amazing and I would certainly look at a return visit. Due to the distance and time it takes on the bus, we can only really visit Tunbridge Wells during the school holidays or all my lovely oldies get caught up in the school bus runs on our return to Maidstone. However I may well pay a visit myself! I have tagged Hoopers in our Facebook page see West Kent Befriending Service)

We only popped in for a coffee and cake... Delicious! My lemon drizzle cake was light. The cream filling was special! Mmm... I wanted another piece but my wife reminded me that I am trying to lose weight ---- not out it on! The staff were very friendly and helpful. Why the missing star? Well, some of the tables were not cleared for a long time. Will we go back? Yes.

Think as a coffee lover this is perhaps not the place for me. This was Hoopers second chance and I’m afraid to say it hadn’t changed if fact I think it was worse. The place used to be full but sadly it’s very underused.

My friend and I enjoyed lovely sandwiches and welsh rarebit. Restaurant clean and tidy. Very spacious and nice atmosphere.

A great place for breakfast or just a coffee. Good food and good service. A complete range of coffees and cakes.

Killing time.... waiting to go across the road to an appointment... thought I'd grab a quick coffee... Okay, I had a piece of cake too! Food, coffee and service were all good.

I have been here a couple of times. The place is open airy and has a great feel. The staff are lovely and polite. The food is always freshly cooked, beautifully presented and delicious. It’s not gourmet food but the sandwiches ( especially the BLT) are cooked to perfection. The bacon is crisp and juicy. I love eating here. Nothing seems to be too much trouble for them.

Top floor of Hoopers Department Store lies this gem of a restaurant which takes department store dining to another level - cream teas are lush!

Kids food OK but sandwiches are poor in terms of taste and value for money Why use sliced bread and poor quality fillings when great local alternatives are available Please management take a critical look at what you are offering

Cafe is in a prime location - right opposite the train station. I had 30 minutes to kill before my train so thought I’d pop in and grab lunch. I really wish I hadn’t bothered.

We stopped her for breakfast. The restaurant is clean and modern, the staff firendly, the service great and the breakfast was really nice. It wasnt too greasy which makes a big difference to a cooked breakfast. Not bad value either compared to other places we looked in Tunbridge Wells.

My wife and I visited Hoopers whilst visiting Tunbridge Wells and we were quite pleased with our choice of eatery. My wife decided on Shepherd pie and I settled for Ham egg & chips, all very tasty. The service was also very good

Convenient if you have time between trains as Hoopers is just across the road from the station. The cafe is on the top floor. We just had drinks and the service seemed reasonable. Prices were good. Looked to be a good selection of cakes and food.

I like surprises especially at Crimbo time. PoPped in for a scone, sorry stone (sic), and coffee and to my surprise it was actually even worse than the recent tragic reviews of food and service standards.

We shared an afternoon tea today but it was terrible and I'm glad we didn't order 2 at £12.95 , dried up scone, poor finger sandwiches white bread (we asked for brown) miniscule little cakes stale tasting, what a rip- off - laughable really.

Do yourself a favour and go else where...

My husband marks cheese scones on a scale of 1-10 wherever we go. I have to say, he has marked Hoopers scones as a "10". Take it from a scone expert!!!!!

I stopped for lunch following a shopping trip recently. I ordered a cold platter, of hummus, olives and flat-bread, and a cup of tea. The hummus was very good, but I was really disappointed with the tiny amount of flat bread given, it consisted of 3 tiny triangles of bread, that was actually more like a wafer-thin biscuit, as it had been over toasted. Also only 4 olives, which I felt was a bit mean. It's a shame as the hummus was really good.

I had a very nice late breakfast here. made even more pleasant by the atmosphere and lovely shopping.

Lugar agradable, bonita decoración. Yo tenía una mozzarella panini con ensalada y mi familia tuvo tés. Realmente disfrutamos de la comida. Sin duda volveremos.

Este es un agradable restaurante/cafetería dentro de tienda hoopers. Fuimos a almorzar. Tiene un pequeño menú de bocadillos, paninis, patatas y unos 5 platos chaqueta caliente como lasaña, pollo y pescado y patatas fritas, hamburguesa y patatas fritas. Tenían algunos problemas con la cajas que pasa y tenía que venir y tomar nuestro pedido de nuevo a mano. Entonces esperamos en una media hora más o menos para la comida y la gente que había sido servido después nosotros estábamos poniendo su comida antes que nosotros. Preguntamos dónde estaba la nuestra y luego dos de nosotros nos sirven, pero la tercera persona tenía que esperar otros 10 minutos. No genial. La comida estaba bastante bien cuando lo conseguimos nada especial pero agradable. No estoy seguro de si esto fue una de o a la norma, ya que nunca había estado allí antes.

Si te apetece un descanso tranquilo de compras, este es un gran lugar. No me encanta el café, pero los bollos de queso son fantásticas y pueden ser calentadas si te gusta. También hemos disfrutado del desayuno.

He comido en la cafetería en muchas ocasiones hoopers y nunca me ha decepcionado, nuestra última visita para el almuerzo era terrible.

I came here for coffee today, and I could not believe how rude so many customers were to the poor girls behind the counter! The older generation has a lot to say about millennials, but I have never seen a young person be so dismissive and rude to someone serving them, as I witnessed today. The staff deserve a raise for staying smiley and polite if this is what they put up with everyday. My coffee was very nice, and the service was fast and friendly, would visit again.

Will not eat here again, stopped here on the 4th Feb for a quick relaxing lunch, which we did not get. The staff have not one clue what customer service is, my wife and I order soup of the day, which was tomato and basil served with crusty bread, I ordered a coffee as well, long after I finished the coffee our soup arrived, with dirty and claggy cutlery, when we asked for clean spoons, there was no hint of an apology!!!! Then we tried the soup, which was luke warm and very acidic to say the least, the bread was edible unlike the soup but far from crusty. We walked out, no point berating the staff, they had not one clue of what customer service should be. The furniture and home furnishings are great at Hoopers, just stay away from the restaurant. A lot of room for improvement Hoopers!!!!!!!

.Top floor in department store lift available. Spacious restaurant well kept tables cleared instantly . Relax with a coffee and read the national papers. We both ordered from the counter Club sandwiches they were served at our table and were large and well presented. In the past Hoopers cooked the largest scones but as usual they have now gone smaller. Economics not always the correct decision but still very nice

Its difficult to find a peaceful place in Tunbridge Wells away from the extremely loud ladies that lunch. Great service, excellent food, freshly cooked, tea was hot. A nice break in between shopping. No screaming under fives belonging to the over forty somethings of TW. Overall a pleasant experience.

Friendly staff, nice environment and good coffee. My husband enjoys the cakes (sadly I am dairy intolerant and so I just look!)

I love the soups and salads here! The staff are very professional and the ambience is relaxed and quiet. It is great for meeting friends and family and the quality never wavers.

We had breakfast here after being told that there were tables available at the hotel we stayed in and we are very pleased we came here. Had a slight problem finding the restaurant, signs weren't too clear but the service was excellent, the staff were cheerful, polite and efficient. Breakfast was cooked to order and came out on warm plates (pet hate is hot food on cold plates) it was well presented and absolutely delicious. Restaurant was clean, and the staff quickly cleared tables and wiped down with appropriate sanitisers. All in all a very good experience and would definitely eat here again.

We ate here for lunch on a Saturday, it's a very clean restaurant, with lots of space, we had sandwiches and cake which were really good, it was quite expensive for lunch but it was very good food.

Zest in Hoopers department store is a gem. The food is lovely the staff are friendly and helpful even when the place is busy. We've had breakfast and lunch there the full breakfast is wonderful & I love the fish and chips. Yes it's a bit more expensive than a greasy spoon cafe but is definitely worth it. The tables are spotless and cleared very quickly, the food is always hot as its served on hot plates.Their selection of cakes is amazing the scones are huge, the cheese ones are really cheesy and the fruit ones packed with fruit. Coffee and walnut cake is my favourite. Well done all at Zest

Came with my four children, I brought some paper and pens and we were there a good couple of hours, such a lovely warm friendly atmosphere. Astonished at how cheap it was for all five of us to eat. Lovely!

Went to Hoopers for lunch today.......Lovely fish & chips and cake afterwards.Staff were very polite and didn't have to wait very long for our lunch.First class service...... I thoroughly recommend this restaurant and will be going back soon.

My daughter and I had lunch here on a Monday recently. We found the choices reasonable with something for everyone (I had creamy mushrooms on toast - very tasty). The staff are all very pleasant and accommodating and tables were being cleared and wiped in a timely fashion. The area is light and airy with soft seating for those who just want a coffee and of course, normal height tables for those wanting something more substantial. The prices were reasonable too with nothing standing out as expensive.

A more upmarket dining experience, inside a cafe/ shop, good choices.Can be a bit prices, lovely setting though

This is a large, typical department store restaurant but for the older clientele an excellent resting place, with cushions thoughtfully scattered on the seats, free newspapers and tables well spaced. The room is above average being airy, warm light and with an agreeable ambiance. There was no music so one could actually hear a companion.The food is varied and tasty and the prices average for lunch today. Diners are not harassed, the service being efficient with agreeable staff who seem to know their work. Recommended.

Located in top floor of Hoppers witin the Royal Victoria place center.It is a self service restaurant/café which is a perfect place to sit, and unwind after the shopping.They offer a large selection of pastries, and cakes, also it is a good place for breakfast.

This store oozes class and if I ever get Mr right with loads of money my silver fox or my young fox with money, I would shop here regularly. Very friendly, very professional think Harrods or Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge or Fenwicks of Bond Street. This place does great fashion Max Mara all the Italian fashions with the price tag. I saw a nice coat but nearly choked at the price of nearly 700 which I would not pay even if I had the money and it really looked nice on me. Jaeger also had a nice coat but again I didn't want to spend the money,This store does everything it reminds me of are you being served and how I remember Department Stores in London and major cities up until they started closing down My mum even has an account card though it's not used. Love this place treated me wit respect like a wealthy madam the service is wonderful there was a Longchamps bag I wanted but I decided no no more debt. It's hard to leave here with nothing but Christmas is coming but I've already treated myself lots so perhaps not. Great sale here at Christmas and the New year and the Christmas display rivals the west end in particular Selfridges and Harrods window display. The restaurant is also good. as is Tunbridge Wells High Street.

The place to go in town for afternoon tea. Plenty of choices of cakes and different teas. The scones were huge and full of fruit.The decor and and surroundings are very relaxed and easy on the eye.

When I am shopping in this lovely department store, I always pop up to the 2nd floor for lunch or afternoon tea at Zest.Firstly the staff cannot do enough to help you, either with recommendations, or encouraging you to try their lovely cakes. The coffee and walnut is particularly good and features far too often on my twitter account, (@bibsarelli if you're interested)! Secondly I am addicted to the rhubarb juice, which the manager finds very agreeable too :)Hooper's is one of those places where nothing is too much trouble for the staff. They understand what exemplary service means and it is consistent across the store and restaurant.Its not hard to see why Hooper's has built up such a loyal client base, but more and more the demographic is changing as younger and eclectic brands are introduced. They mix brilliantly with the established classics and the re-fit has really made a difference to the store environment.Its such a pleasure to see staff of all ages providing a fantastic customer experience. No matter how many times I visit, I always enjoy myself and walk out with more than I planned!

great choice of mens jackets , staff friendly and helpful , a bit on expensive side but products seem like high quality though .

The food is quite good, though it is just a store cafe frequented by the "Ladies of Tunbridge Wells". There is no finesse. It reminds me of the "Are You Being Served" TV canteen. The price is very good and the staff are again out of a TV comedy

Wonderful sandwiches and lunches. Self service ordering but food brought out fresh from the kitchen. Charming staff. I had the smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwich - sounds ok but much better than that. Lovely bread and a good dressed salad. Cakes are wonderful too.

We visited the Zest cafe twice in the one day as we were so pleased at our first visit!It is very much an in-store cafe, but it's a very good one indeed. Excellent cakes, main meals and snacks, lots of different drinks - everything that we tried was of very good quality. Staff all very helpful and pleasant and a nice relaxed atmosphere too. Nice and spacious, which is always a good thing.

The cafè is clean, spacious and nice. Very good service and large room make it relaxing and allow for a stress free lunch break, tables are well distanced which means you can seat with some privacy. Food is nice, a bit pricey but the quality is good.Worth a stop if you are there shopping downtown.

Took the aged parent in here as did not have a lot of time on the clock and it was not and this place is lovely and cool and very relaxing,shame the lift was out of order but the aged P made it up the stairs. We had a coffee which was very nice and a good size glass of milk and a croissant and the most lovely fruit scone I have had in a long time,( I am fussy about my scones). It was well ooked and had a good amount of fruit in it.The staff at pleasent and the surroundings calm.

The restaurant at Hoopers was nicely decorated and set out. It was very quiet when I was there but it was late in the day. The staff were helpful and polite and dealt well with my order. Friends have enjoyed lunch there.

Popped in for a cup of tea and we happened to just enquire what options there were for gluten free... They bent over backwards to ensure that we had plenty of choice. Although not advertised, Zest restaurant in Hoopers offer gluten free sandwiches, soup with gluten free bread roll, selection of cakes, salads, main meal is gluten free too. Very clean restaurant and well priced, really nicely presented food!

The refurbishment in general a few years ago has really improved Hoopers Cafe - the atmosphere is really nice and relaxing and the chairs comfotable. It is also nice to see that there are a large selection of newspapers to browse and that there is a loyalty card which you can gain points on.My only criticism would be that the selection of snacks could be slightly wider and some of these were slightly cheaper. However, I would recommend this cafe, especially due to its close proximity to the main Tunbridge Wells station.

Had lunch here with my wife after shopping. The store itself is great not large but great choice of designer wear and the staff are fantastic ,friendly and courteous ,the best in any store.The food in the restaurant is always fresh with good choice at lunch and coffee very relaxing after a busy morning would definitely visit again.

I wouldn't normally review a restaurant in a store but the sandwich lunch we had on Saturday was superb. Freshly cut bread, lovely plentiful fillings, beautifully presented with an interesting salad and tasty dressing. The restaurant itself is spotlessly clean. How nice to see a dedicated person clearing tables and replenishing cutlery, so there was never the need to sit at a table full of dirty dishes. (unlike some competitors I could mention). Even my hard to please husband was impressed. If you are shopping in Tunbridge Wells this is a great place for lunch or tea and cake. Situated within one of the most customer focused stores I have ever shopped in. Well done all round

Hooper had 20% off days and laid out champagne, canapés, mince pie which was very nice. I am impressed. Good choice of hand bags, designer clothes, not enough of bathroom stuff.

My wife and I dropped in during shopping on the 29th December. The restaurant wasn't extremely busy. Despite a big menu on display , when we ordered we were handed a typewritten sheet with the options for lunch. Of the three 'mains' , only one was still available, so I had to have the 'ham , eggs and chips' . My wife went for 'soup of the day'.What could go wrong ? - simple enough.Wife's soup - it was 'chicken' , she said it was more like tinned spaghetti in a chinese sauce with some lumps of brown meat.My ham and eggs - fried eggs with burnt crispy edges - the fat was obviously too hot , and the top was under done with uncooked egg white around the yolks. Chips were oven/microwave and the ham was cut rather thin.Service was fine but we won't be going there again.

The service is quick and the staff friendly and they give you eye contact!!The scones are the best in Tunbridge Wells full of fruit and large enough to share but I don't.I have been coming here for thirty years and it hasn't changed much except for the decor. Thank you Hoopers.

I really like shopping and eating at Hoopers. It is a wonderful 'feel good' store which has lots of unusual things to keep you interested for hours. The fashion brands are innovative and well selected and the spa in the basement is a lovely friendly place with super therapists who are very professional.

I have been meaning to try the full breakfast at Hoopers - so finally achieved it this week. I have to say it was delicious - the sausages, and bacon were tasty, the egg was perfect and it was all piping hot. I don't know if this was a one off but I will definitely be going back. Having said that - like one of the other reviews it is rather irritating to be told that '' I do the drinks - you have to order food from the other person " ( standing right next to me ). However, I was aware that there were at least 2 new members of staff trying to get the orders correct on the till. Come on Hoopers, make it a bit more snappy and you will have cracked it.

having been to hoopers several times i can honestly say the service behind counters is brilliant well spoken well mannered assistants a rare thing nowadays their knowledge is 1st class. As for the restaurant after the refit service is good great lunches quiet and relaxing environment after shopping try for yourself.

Very disappointed. I arrived and ordered a sandwich and a cup of tea. The restaurant was almost empty at this time. My first contact was a young woman behind the counter who rudely told me that I shouldn't give my order to her but to her colleague who was standing right next to her!I waited and waited, my tea got cold, eventually the same rude (Eastern European I think) waitress I had first encountered came by with a tray with my sandwich. However, when I tried to stop her to say the sandwich was for me (I had been waiting over half an hour by this time), she dismissively told me that it was for another table and she even refused point blank my suggestion to check with her colleague who had served me, (who later confirmed that the sandwich should have been mine).To make matters even worse, the couple at that table had only just arrived and in fact the gentleman was still in the process of taking off his coat! I made a complaint to the manager who did apologise and refunded the cost of the sandwich as I no longer had any appetite due to the long wait and unacceptable rudeness/incompetence of the staff. The only plausible explanation I can think of is that the dozy waitress had not put my order through to the kitchen.Whilst Hoopers restaurant may have had a 'face-lift' - they could certainly do with an upgrade of their waiting staff as well.I have been going to their restaurant for over 20 years and this is the first time I have had cause to complain. Pity. I won't be going back.

Called here for breakfast ,I remember last time we called ,it's not much better than last time, the service is friendly,but as before they should stick to what they know best,and it's not the cafe.

To each their own, it's something I bear in mind when writing any review but I must say for me I was disappointed!! Looked very smart, but as self service, reminded me of those dreadful motorway stop offs. We had to clean our table by using a napkin from taken from adjoining table, my latte was the standard not the large as ordered and the cost of nearly £20.00 for 4 coffee's with 2 buns and 2 scones is somewhat excessive. I have to say you are spoilt for choice in Royal Tunbridge Wells so we have no one else to blame but ourselves, so next time feel sure we can do better.

Despite the poor reviews we thought we would try out Hoopers for lunch. The service and food was surprisingly good. We both had fish (cod) and chips, very tasty and enjoyable, with two coffee's it came to £25. We were also impressed with the cleanliness, as once the tables were vacated they were immediately cleared, sprayed and wiped down ready for the next customer. I think we will go back as it is a good place for lunch.

The food was average though very over priced. As seen in another review, there were no labels or signage- even to warn customers of the hot plates!! The surroundings were poor- stained ceiling tiles and chipped wooden seats. For what it is, a small store cafe, it's acceptable. They shouldn't push that it's anything special though.

Pleasant surroundings with nicely displayed food. My friend and I took what we both believed from their appearance to be vegetable tarts. They looked identical but unfortunately mine contained salmon, to which I am allergic. Luckily my reaction to just one small piece touching my mouth was only pins and needles on my face and neck, my friend's tart was indeed vegetable so we swapped plates and continued with our catch up. My 'marks' would've been higher had there been labels against the displayed food.

Called for breakfast during a shopping trip. Had the full English ,not bad for a store cafe,but the coffee was like water ,had to return it ,it was also cold. We like Hoopers but I think they should stick with what they know best!!!!

I visited this restaurant within the Hoopers store, Tunbridge Wells, for the first time on Thursday. What a nice surprise for a Department Store restaurant. Nicely decorated in a contemporary manor. The staff were very nice when with did attend the customer. When the food came out it had a really modern look about it.