Moonrakers in Wealden

Ate dinner in here after a long walk from Eastbourne in the day. There was a big party in the main area so we sat in the room with the bar, food was tasty, good portion and reasonably priced. The picture is the steak, ale and mushroom!

We received a very warm welcome - a lovely selection of local Gins. Very friendly staff and delicious food. We'd certainly return.

Took the time to pre book. Every Christmas Eve we spend in Alfriston village. We chose this beautiful little place because we wanted to support the guy. As normal for our pre Christmas drinks 19 people where in attendance. On arrival the owner made clear everything was going to be an issue or problem. After preparing the first round of drinks and audibly moaning about the effort it was taking to make our kids there requested (hot chocolates) I felt maybe I’d made a terrible mistake choosing this place. After our guest went up and ordered drinks he also returned to the table with similar experience. We left 3 hours early feeling very disappointed at what should have been a wonderful evening. We use this pub fairly regularly. But sad to say will not return to this rude man again. Should not be in hospitality industry with that attitude!

Lovely pub in a small village. We went for Sunday lunch, and had the best roast beef for a long time.

Very friendly pub with a mad dog called Tom. Roaring log fire and nice staff We called in for dinner, I had the lasagne which was very tasty and huge and my partner had the pie which was also very good. Great views from the beer garden at the back.

As soon as we arrived, local regulars told us to let our dog off lead & they would help watch him. The pub is olde world with a beautiful garden & gate onto the tye! Drinks ordered & table for dinner sorted, the dog soon made friends & made himself comfy! Went into the tye so the little ones & dog could let off steam. After an hour we checked the menu. Unfortunately the first 2 choices is older ones had, were unavailable. All meals were above average, apart from the steak. This was overpriced, for what appeared to be & tasted like the cheapest frying steak. Because there were 2 separate orders for our table, we didn’t get to eat together but staff, atmosphere, locals more than made up for that. Would definitely return again

Lovely garden overlooking the tye and the church. Good service and friendly landlord and we love the pub dog, Tom, who greets all the visitors.

Went here after work with friends, nice pleasant staff, food was simple but nice. Sat inside but they do have a lovely beer garden.

I wanted to give this 5 because we had such a great time. We arrived before 12 pm and were greeted by Tom, the lovely labrador. The staff we so nice, hardworking and good! Food lovely and really good value. It's a little gem and the new manager seemed like a good chap. Can't wait to go back actually, thank you.

We visited on Friday night & managed to get a table in the small garden overlooking the green. Extremely pretty. Pub grub menu priced fairly. We all enjoyed our meal. We returned on Sunday for lunch. They serve the full menu as well as roasts. Once again everyone enjoyed their meals. Pub inside is an interesting configuration with a tiny bar. Noticed open fires & old wooden beams. Lots of character. What made this pub stand out was the excellent friendly service from the two chaps working there, one of which told me it was his first week - would never have known. Thank you - will put it on the list a places to revisit, maybe in the winter when the fire is lit!

The food here is all ‘home made’ and is so good. We’ve eaten here twice, the first time going for burgers and the second lasagne and a potato and leek pie. All cooked to perfection both times. Friendly service too! Watch out for the bottled Aspall cider though - it’s nearly 7% ABV!

Very friendly atmosphere and a comfortable small venue. It was really good for our visit this time to find that many of the tables were reserved/full. Our visit this last weekend was for the Sunday lunchtime (Father's Day) ~ and it was also good to find that the excelence in this meal here has not diminished over the last year. Really enjoyed our stop at THE TAVERN on the TYE. Possibly in a few weeks time the weather will be good enough to plan to sit out in the wonderful rear terraces, with their view over TYE GREEN and St Andrew's Church.

A nice small friendly oak beamed pub. Fortunately my wife and I don't do the 1 pm lunch thing like most the homo-sapiens do and arrived here at midday which was sensible as it got rather busy and being only small had to turn people away or give them a long waiting time. They were clearly short staffed and had a very busy few days so were out of a few things on the menu. Saying that, it didn't bother my wife and I, as the lady serving us was very polite and honest. The meals we were served were a decent size, presented well, not expensive and tasted fine. After all, you can't go into a pub and expect The Ritz.

I visited the Tavern on the Tye for lunch. This is a cosy oak beamed bar restaurant with an open fire, in the delightful village of Alfriston, The restaurant is small and there is an area at the rear where when the weather is good you can eat outside. The staff are friendly and helpful. The food was delicious, I have no problems recommending this Tavern and I will definitely be revisiting in the future.

Proper old old little pub. Friendly landlord. Great stepped garden with a beautiful wisteria overlooking a green and the 1300's church

Had a lovely afternoon here. Atmosphere is great , staff really friendly. Food was yummy. Good size portions for reasonable prices. Would def recommend and will be returning...

Tavern on the Tye has not been open too long under current management. It's quite small but comfortable. We found the food and service to be outstanding. We were advised that the combination of the arrival of several small groups of diners at the same time and limited cooking staff might result in a bit of a wait but our meals arrived in a timely fashion. The cottage pie was filling and delicious. The staff was attentive and could not have been more welcoming and friendly. They seemed to genuinely appreciate our business. I highly recommend it.

Came on Easter Sunday with my family after finding it on Google. We sat inside but it had one of the nicest pub gardens I've ever seen. From what i can tell it is under new management as of last year so I thought I'd leave a positive review for them. The staff were lovely, as were the food and drinks, only exceeded by the two resident dogs. Perfect for a lunch before/after a walk around Alfriston.

Just visiting Alfriston and found this nice pub with an amazing view in the back garden, perfect.

This pub is a lovely little place with great views from the garden. The inside is cosy with a lovely warm fire. The menu has a good choice of food and drink. I myself recommend the fish and chips. Staff are friendly and well mannered. I will definitely be going back.

Had great expectations of this new idea to what used to be a restaurant. Unfortunately it lacked atmosphere, a cleaner, staff that knew what they were doing and decent prices. The food looked disgusting and the menu small. Such a shame for a little place with a great location- it could be so much more.

Lovely cosy pub, great log fire and reasonably priced drinks. Warm welcome from Chris and his team. Sunday lunch a must best in Alfriston and cheapest by far!

We were lured in by the pretty exterior. Pub consists of two rooms with wooden floors and a wood burner in the bigger room where people were eating. Customers and staff were all so friendly we had a great time! Lots of dogs all shapes and sizes too. We will definitely be back thank you

A spur of the moment decision to get a quick lunch en route.

Sitting in the garden looking across the green to the old church on a warm afternoon is magical. Food is ok. But it's worth it for the atmosphere.

Looking for a place for lunch we saw the tavern from across the green. A small venue with lots of steps. The drinks menu is limited but good quality. The food is excellent and the service friendly and efficient. We had the fish and chips but there lots of other things we could have chosen. We sat outside in glorious sunshine and the view was of old England. The meal was good value for money. Orders are taken at the bar and then served to the table. The toilets are outside and a little difficult to access. If we are ever in the area again this will be our first choice for a meal.

We stopped off here for fish and chips and a pint towards the end of a bicycle tour of the area. The service was first class and our meals were delicious, freshly cooked to perfection. Our view from the rear terrace taking in the tranquil Tye (village green) with its handsome church and quaint thatched buildings, was a delight. We listened to the cheeky sparrows chirping away as we sipped our ales and reflected on how fortunate we were.

We visited the Tavern last weekend, and was pleasantly surprised that they have turned from a restaurant into a Pub. Only a small bar, and a few draught ales on tap. but excellent service, and a superb view when sitting in the beer garden.

Been visiting a few times now and apart from a lovely setting with St Andrews Church opposite , The staff are really friendly and above all , The food is really up to the best standard .Look forward each time to a pint of Quality beer , courtesy of Leffe .

This has only been a pub for a few months having previously been a restaurant.

Visiting relatives in Eastbourne we came to the tavern for lunch. Having never been in Alfriston before this was a very good choice for us. We sat outside in the back with a view looking onto the village green.

The restaurant doesn't have any nice ambience or look remarkable inside, but at the back, there is an open air seating area with very pleasant and enjoyable view of the green and St Andrews Church. And that was what in really enjoyed, while drinking the local IPA and sampling the fried fish bite.

Yesterday morning I took the train from Croydon down to Lewes where I met my friend Mandy. We then drove to this beautiful village and selected this very unusual pub for a late lunch. The staff made us most welcome; the sandwiches were delicious, the drinks sufficiently cold on this exceptionally hot day, and the opportunity to relax, with good conversation, at an outdoor table overlooking the field and church made this a truly memorable occasion. Thank you Ryan for looking after us so well.

Stopped here for lunch break during organised walk. Sat in garden, found some shade, looking onto beautiful green. Amazing church in front, Clergy House to right, Art exhibition in memorial Hall. Pleasant waitress. Menu varied with traditional and up to date choices. Small bites missing like teacakes and cheese scones. Settled for garlic mushrooms with ciabatta and friend had halloumi wedges with chilli jam. Mushrooms tasty. Friend struggled with 5 wedges of halloumi, too much. Went to pay inside. Plain interior, tables and chairs. New bar installed that you nearly bump into before paying. Another member of staff took money, owner sat in garden. Now renamed as Tavern on the Tye so not sure what audience they are looking for.

We visited this afternoon. I had a wonderful cream team and my Husband had a burger stack with chips, served by friendly staff. The surroundings and view were perfect. Sitting in the garden, listening to all the sparrows in the tree above, was delightful. We met the owner, who was very charming and clearly a bird lover (I was the pigeon lady!). Sitting in such lovely surroundings on a hot Summer day was wonderful. We didn't want to leave!

Lordt awoke bleary eyed, foggy headed and is desperate need of the privvie. Last night's roister had been something to behold and it wasn't long before his stomach reminded him that it had almost a full five hours since his last decent meal.

We came across this place on an early evening walk around Alfriston, after arriving at a local campsite late afternoon. We walked onto the green by the local church and the garden of Moonrakers caught our eye. A modest and very pretty terraced garden with a handful of tables leading up to an established pergola. Started chatting with Chris and Scott who were very welcoming. Had a lovely couple of hours chatting about the pub and village and promise to come back for lunch the next day (and even got a sausage for the dog who was very happy) Popped in on the Sunday for lunch as it was gorgeous. We recommend Moonrakers!!!!!!!

My Wife and I, were visiting the National Trusts clergy house when just across the green, we discovered Moonrakers Tea Room, which does cream teas, light meals and also has a small bar.

On a short break to the area we visited Moonrakers, looking for a change from some of the more elaborate meals on offer in the village. The food is excellently cooked and decent value for money.

Homely atmosphere and very friendly. The food was so tasty, and the omelettes are to die for.....light and fluffy. The breakfast/lunch was a fry up...........cooked to perfection. We would definitely go back.

We stayed overnight at Ye Olde Smugglers Inne, as they do not offer full English they recommended Moonrakers, so we headed there Sunday for our breakfast. One full English and one full veggie. We were blessed with sunshine and a perfect spot as you can see from our photo. Chef cooked the eggs to perfection - can’t fault and would go there again, even if our accommodation offered breakfast! Service was fab, considering how busy it was.

We meet our friends regularly for an early pub dinner and when we noticed that this place is open until 9pm we thought we would give it a try for a change. So glad we did! Lovely fire burning, clean tidy environment and a perfectly simple menu with something for everyone! The people running the place could not have been more friendly and helpful. Great range of drinks at the bar. Looking forward to going back for lunch and sitting looking out over the back. Fantastic place. Approx £18 per head for main meal and a couple of drinks.

Moonrakers is a must if you are visiting the village!

Visited Saturday lunch with my son, we were down for a wedding staying nearby. We visited for lunch & had lovely sandwiches & coffee. Nice place with a friendly waitress, lovely fire inside, never tried the cakes but the carrot cake was huge & looked really good.Would recommend.

Stopped here for brunch. Lovely character building which is very pretty including small garden at the back. Very good value...

We visited Moonrakers unplanned for lunch and found it was a hidden gem. The service was fantastic and very friendly. No stuffiness in here. The food was excellent and the atmosphere of such a small friendly location was great, complete with a real fire. Lovely small garden area when the wether is good which overlooks the church. Prices were very reasonable compared with other locations in Alfriston but overall it was the service that made this special. The only thing to mention for those wishing to visit is that the toilets are located outside the main area and you have to go into the garden to access them. Thanks to the lady who served us for finding my wife's necklace, which she has had for 32 years, that had dropped from her neck. Would definitely return if we were back in the area.

Just been taken over and what a difference! Fabulous locally sourced food, great menu that ticks all the boxes, can't...

What a fabulous place this is. Having visited other nearby places in the past, we've visited Moonrakers a few times...

Had a coffee and lasagne. Good value at £7.45 and coffees under £2.50. Lovely garden with brilliant views to the...

Moonrakers is now under new ownership and it shows. The inside is spotless and welcoming, the garden has been tamed...

Han sido por este lugar varias veces a lo largo de las últimas seis semanas, pero puedo decir que no he visto que se ha abierto una vez. Ahora hay un ambiente abandonado sobre el lugar. Mirando hacia atrás: fue hace varios años (medio tarde...

La señorita que nos atendio fue muy brusco y antipático. La tarta y el café era muy normal. Quizás se hubiera tomado el espíritu también le remontará literalmente! Ambiente muy poco. Francamente el lugar fabuloso se pierde en el personal y la administración. No te...

Many years ago Moonrakers was a charming little restaurant with a great menu and friendly staff. How things have changed. Food very average and hugely overpriced. But worst of all was the service. The sour faced waitress couldn't even be bothered to cross the room to take the order. The sooner this place goes out of business, the better. Perhaps then it might be taken over by someone who gives a damn.

We sat in the pretty courtyard style garden to have a light lunch. Sandwiches were ok but pricey considering there wasn't even an accompanying garnish on the side.But what will prevent us from returning was the unsmiling staff who, given we were the only customers there at the time, made no attempt to make us feel welcome.Please dont work in a cafe if you can't at least raise a smile for your customers.We will be trying a different cafe on our next visit to Alfriston and will hope for better value for moneyvand customer service.

food very average and did not reflect the cost, waitress didn't appear to want to be there. I would suggest you look elsewhere.

£5.50 for a sandwich I could have made better myself! Limp bread, cheap ham and a plate that barely allowed room for the sandwich itself. When we politely offered feedback we were told 'you won't get cheaper around here you know'. I looked on the menus of other tea rooms in the village and while the prices were comparable - the food on offer (side salad / crisps with sandwich) was far better. Only its location, backing onto the village green, made it worthwhile. Really very poor and to be avoided.

I was attracted to Moonrakers from the back of the property where the sunny little tea garden has a perfect position overlooking the beautiful village green and church. A perfect spot.But that's where the attraction ended! Once in the garden it was obvious that it was not a business run with any pride or care, just a bit "down at heel" in appearance,little things like the tatty food stained menu, dusty uncomfortable wooden seats, and the patio needed a good sweep.The service wasn't very good and not at all friendly.Before ordering I went inside the cafe itself to see if they had any cakes on display ,as there were none on the printed menu. As I walked in an unhappy looking male assistant asked me what I wanted and then muttered a list of their cakes. I went inside still expecting to see what was on offer, but nothing at all, just a small deserted room unbelievably dull and soulless with no customers and no staff in sight, if I'd walked in there first I think I'd have walked straight out again!Usually I would not stay some where that doesn't serve cappuccino but I was told they could do frothy milk on the side, so I ordered this d-I-y version and hoped for the best, but only because I was with my husband and he doesn't like walking out of places!!The coffee was a nasty bitter flavour and the cake just average.I'm glad we hadn't gone there for lunch, because overall I felt it was a very sad and unloved business run by people who just didn't have the passion for it or even care about it, and how that showed in every aspect of the place! ( After leaving I looked at the front entrance and doubt if it would have attracted me in, had I seen it first,as it was dull and dusty with empty window boxes)Sad because it could be lovely in the right hands.

A short summary of the 'adventurous' experience follows:Pros: -Nice view of St Andrews ChurchCons:- Outrageous prices for substandard food. We paid £5.50 for a processed bread sandwich with what can only be described as value ham. Very disappointed.-Very disinterested waitress.-None of the food arrived together, one of our party was given their meal 15 minutes before everyone else!-My girlfriend had tea spilt on her by a waiter.-Eating and drinking utensils decidedly grimy.An experience that should have been avoided, dear oh dear!

lovely tea room with home made scones, salads and sandwiches with a lovely little outside seating area overlooking the village green

We sat in the gardens overlooking the green and church, a lovely place to sit in the sun.The food is fairly expensive for what it is. Quantity of food is good, quite basic and it appears not home made.Male server was polite friendly and helpful but we observed female member to be quite abrupt to some customers, she did not appear able to smile much!!probably better for afternoon tea rather than a lunch.

The title of my review says it all, really. We spent ages walking around Alfriston trying to find a place with a nice garden view as well as a good tea room and sadly thought Moonrakers had both these things. They did not. The menu is not only incredibly basic (using very cheap ingredients) but also horrendously overpriced - £5.50 for a tuna sandwich I could have made myself at home for a quid. To top it off, the service was unbelievably bad - the waitress was beyond unfriendly, openly hostile and made us all feel like we shouldn't be there, which we wished we weren't anyway. All in all, do not patronise this place - they need to learn how to deliver decent service and food that doesn't cost the earth!

After walking over the South Downs from Wilmington what better way to treat yourself than a cream tea?The rear of Moonraker overlooks the green and church. It is very picturesque.I had a cream tea which included 2 fairly large scones, overflowing pots of strawberry jam and cream and a pot of tea. The cost was £7. In my opinion if they halved the amount of jam and cream (there really was far too much) then maybe they could reduce the price by a couple of pounds. A cream tea should cost around £4.50, again , in my opinion. The staff were attentive, (although one member of staff came out in a ripped plastic apron and wasn't particularly pleasant) not keeping you waiting, a pleasant way to spend an hour. It is also dog friendly.

The lady that served us was absolutely miserable and abrupt I don't think she wanted to be working and we felt a nuisance than a customer. We ordered ham and mustard sandwiches with a couple of soft drinks and wow were we glad we didn't order anything else. The sandwich was just thrown together very disappointing. It's such a shame because it's a quaint little place. We won't be returning again for sure.

I'd like to say we had a really nice lunch but I'd be lying!! The ham & mustard sandwich was the worst I've ever had and it was £6.50. It had really cheap ham, no salad or anything to make it look/taste better. In this day and age it is not good form to serve something as inferior as this. The tea was fine, so as long as you're not eating go and enjoy the lovely view.

I have never been so cross about poor service as I was here. Saturday afternoon, a bit drizzly, thought we could do with some coffee and cake. Ideal location, right on the high street and the back looks over a very pretty green, but that was the best bit. We walked in - a party of 4 adults and 4 children. It was like walking into a spaghetti western bar. Music stops and people just stare. And the people stared. No fault of the waiting staff, granted, but it sets the scene. We put in an order for us all, usual, coffee, cake, tea, something for the kids. No smile, no welcome, they way the server asked if we wanted children's sizes I thought was rude. You *can* start a question "Do you...", of course, but surely "Would you...?" be a more polite way of phrasing it? When it arrived, it was just placed on our table. No "enjoy" or "is there anything else we can do for you", nothing. No eye contact. It was colder than a pair of polar bears panties. It was overpriced (£2.80 for a crap coffee and £2 for a sliver of choc cake??) and not particularly nice. I would seriously avoid unless you want to be frost bitten,

Good cup of tea and a lovely view of the green, church and national trust cottage. Sun was out and a lovely village. Happy days

I visited Moonrakers on a sunny Easter Monday and wow was I disappointed. We were a party of 4 adults and two kids and when we walked in we were greeted by what I can only describe as hostility. When we dared to ask for a cappuccino the lady serving barked at us that they 'didn't do cappuccinos' but could do a coffee with frothy milk on the side. When our order arrived one persons was missing and the rest was pure disappointment. Nothing we had was good quality- the cheapest nastiest ingredients you could find. The ham sandwich was the worst- cheap bread, slathered in cheap marg and cheap tasteless ham. It was like a 5 year olds sandwich and they if the nerve to charge £5.50!!! When the waiter brought the missing teacake he was holding it on the plate with his thumb! Hygienic! We asked for an additional sandwich for one of the kids which really flustered the waiter- said he couldn't remember the order without his pad!!! We asked for it without mustard- it arrived with. And then when we asked for a replacement they were less than pleased. It's such a shame- they have the best spot and outdoor space in the village. But the service is appalling and the food no better. They clearly don't want to be running the place- why not just give it up to someone who'd be happy to run it and serve decent food? Find somewhere better to eat in Alfriston. Don't waste your money here.

We had cream teas in the garden at Moonrakers at the end of an Easter holiday walk. The scones and jam were homemade and delicious, the tea was great and in good quantities, service was super-friendly, the garden was lovely. Four very happy customers!

Likened by other reviews to Fawlty Towers is spot on... As a party of four adults, two children and a small dog finding space in Alfriston on Easter bank holiday Monday was always going to be tough, you can imagine our surprise when not only could we get seated at The Moonraker, we had a choice of several tables overlooking the most picturesque of village greens. Here's probably why... Unlike the previous reviewer (who must have been the one other customer in the garden at the same time as us,) our service was ranged from brusque to comical! The tea was nice but the food, overpriced and poor quality....A ham sandwich which we estimated cost 50p (being generous) made of cheap 'everyday' bread, the worst type of packet ham and an overdose of Colemans mustard... all for £5.50... now that's what I call a great mark up! It's such a shame that we put up with such bad service (we dutifully paid full price and left, we were a little scared of the response if we had). We won't be returning... But could be worth a visit if you'd like to experience the Fawlty Towers of Alfriston....

Sorry to say but probably the worst place I've been to for a quick lunch. Overpriced and very poor quality.

Another reviewer likens this cafe to Fawlty Towers - our words exactly. We visited on a Sunday when Alfriston was very busy and this seemed to be the only cafe with empty tables - we soon discovered why! When we went in there was no obvious staff member but an elderly man rummaging through napkins and cutlery. We thought he was a customer but he then walked past us with a pot of tea for another table. He didn't acknowledge us, offer a menu or suggest that someone might come over soon to take out order. After 15 minutes of watching the two men who we assume run the cafe wander back and forth from the kitchen with one or two items at a time we felt we'd worked out the system - ignore customers until you take their order, take the order to the kitchen, do nothing else until you've delivered that order and tried to put right all the mistakes and missing items - then hide for awhile! Eventually, sick of being ignored, we decide to leave and take our custom else where. Only as we were at the door did anyone look in our direction - but still he didn't say anything. Eat first and go there for the comedy but don't go expecting good service.

A lovely spot in the village, but the coffee was undrinkable and the sandwiches were very poor and obviously made from the cheapest ingredients. Very disappointing.

Well, I hadn’t planned Mother’s Day to be squirming with embarrassment in Moonrakers while the poor waiter (a cross between Basil and Manuel) struggled with satisfying orders which were obviously confusing him. Our order for three cream teas arrived – eventually – and in stages like the end of a marathon. “Have you got everything – well ask if you haven’t – whatever!” was priceless. As was the argument from the kitchen about which pots of tea were English Breakfast and which was Earl Grey. The customers appeared to enjoy the show despite their incomplete or wrong orders.We asked for fruit scones, and got plain. We had to ask for more cream and jam. The chap in the corner didn’t get his coffee cake, the people in the other corner didn’t get their scones.Our scones were not fresh; possibly supermarket.More seriously, in this day and age the toilets in such establishments should be better than outside lavvys. I know the building is old and would have listed building restrictions, but there should still be toilets within the main building.Maybe they had the last laugh – I wasn’t amused at £18 for three cream teas.We will not return!

I thought the food was overpriced for the quality and quantity. The menu is small and simple, but what was delivered was very basic and clearly used cheap supermarket ingredients (the sandwiches, for example). The prices were high in comparison.The venue itself is nice, and the garden is pretty with a view over the village green. It was a lot quieter than the other tearooms on the street...and in my experience there are better places to go in Alfriston.

i was very impressed by the food and service at Moonrakers today. We arrived quite late in the afternoon but we're still welcomed and served with delicious cake,scones and a good cup of tea for a very reasonable price. The staff even brought water for my dog!

Tiny but with a very pleasant little garden overlooking the church and a green and good coffee. A bit of an oasis.

We stumbled into Moonrakers for breakfast during a cloudburst at the weekend. They were not officially open, but we're happy to rustle us up a very good combination of cooked breakfasts. We were able to sit outside, which was a bonus, and only possible because they have a gazebo in the garden. Excellent.

Afternoon tea, delicious. Loads of cream, jam and home made fresh scones. Large pot of tea and not weak so you decide the strength. Lunches cooked to order, with fresh ingredients. Well worth a visit.

Wasn't too impressed with lunch, a ham and tomato sandwich cost £5:50 and didn't even come with salad or crisps, not even home made bread! Too expensive for what they're offering, should've been £3:50!

Nice breakfast, bit pricey for what it was, but generally nice enough. Had a good hour & half sat here drinking & chatting with no real pressure to leave. Staff not particularly friendly & welcoming but think that just might be their way...they weren't horrible either on the flip side.

We sat outside this lovely old building and enjoyed a superb cooked breakfast served by friendly efficient staff. The whole experience was enhanced for us by the sunshine, church bells and being able to walk out of the back gate and enjoy a great rural stroll down the Cuckmere towards the sea, over a footbridge and return to Alfriston on the other side of the river.

Sat in the garden at the back of the café / restaurant on a hot summer's afternoon. Lovely view of the church and green, idyllic in fact, I'd say.We had tea, coffee, a scone with jam and cream, and an antipasti plate. The last of these, in particular, was exceptional. Lots of different elements (see picture) and was tasty and filling. Arrived quickly and nicely presented.One less star on the rating as the light wasn't on or didn't work in the men's loo and the cistern seemed to take an inordinate time to refill; bit inconvenient, if you'll excuse the punThere are quite a few cafés in Alfriston but it seemed like most are on the busy / noisy High Street, so the Moonraker's oasis of calm was very welcome

Coffee time arrived at Alfriston and right across the green from the church is the Moonrakers.The cream tea was as good as Devon serves up if not with a little quantity. The scones are really good and the coffee of good quality with a very good taste. I had enough cream and stawberry jam for two people, great.We will certainly be returning as it has only been open a year I hope that it is well patronised so that I can visit again.

We had a wander around Alfriston bank holiday Monday as it was a lovely sunny day. Stopped at Moonrakers and sat in the back patio overlooking the green and the beautiful church.I had the cooked breakfast and my partner had the cream tea. Both were lovely. The young man who served us was extremely friendly and efficient. We live in Hove so not too far away and will definitely come back on another nice day during the summer and have some lunch. It really is a very pretty place to sit and take in the peaceful view.

We had afternoon tea in here after an 8 mile walk around the Cuckmere Valley, and the food was delicious, and with really friendly staff.

Much more than a tea room, they also do breakfasts and evening meals in the summer season which we look forward to trying, but popped in for a cream tea today, which can only be described as lovely,with a nice ambience and friendly owners. Oh and gorgeous views from the garden

I wouldn't even step foot through the door, view or not, judging by the signage. Common and tacky. It's got a wif of botch job to it, like we don't care what it looks like we will rely on the view and the building. Looks like they buy pizza from Iceland and call it a tea room. God help us.

Very pleasant service. Teapot and china cups and great scones. My daughter loved the victoria sponge. Worth your while to visit

Was impressed with the vegan and gluten free options marked on the menu.Could value food, and a lovely view of the church from the garden.Friendly staff- far less rpetentious than other venues nearby!

And the friendliest staff!! I chatted to everyone including the chef as it is a laid back, homely place.

I'm not normally one to write reviews but I felt that our experience here was so poor others should be informed. From the outside, Moonrakers looks lovely...It has a very cute little garden outside overlooking Alfriston common and the signage makes it look modern and inviting. However, staff were rather unwelcoming and the food we recieved unacceptable. We were camping and could have done better on a camping stove. My grandmothers egg bap was poorly presented with yolk soaking the bread before she had even begun and my bacon and scrambled egg was even worse. The egg was colourless and tasteless and bacon like leather burnt at the edges. Furthermore, they offered gluten free bread but on further questioning found out there was no control over contamination- coeliacs stay clear!! To top it off, the bill was waved at us from afar and we were asked to pay with no receipt itemising what we had had. Overpriced for certain. Looking back I wish we had said something at the time! A real shame. After a fabulous camping experience we left feeling rather deflated :( stay clear!!

Came here for a drink this weekend and it was lovely. Sat in the garden with my dog and the woman working there (I believe the owner?) bought the dog some water which was really thoughtful. We ordered tea with scones and it was very traditional and very delicious. It was in such a beautiful location, with a beautiful view of St. Andrews church and it was a really enjoyable experience. Could have had some more choice of cakes and stuff, but other than that everything was great. The pizzas look great, didn't have one but would totally come back here for one. I would come back..

Lovely little tea room with spectacular outlook over lawn and very pretty little church. Have been here 3 times now, on my own and also with friends and family. Best coffee around and lovely sandwiches, cakes, scones etc and also very nice light lunches including a good selection of pizzas.

Very relaxing tea garden at the rear of this restaurant. We had scone and tea. Staff very accommodating and friendly.

Took my mother there for lunch today, from the moment we arrived we were made to feel very welcome indeed. An excellent range of quality teas and hot fresh 'house' coffee, it was nice not to be bombarded with 27 different coffees like other establishments The waitress said I could have hot milk if I liked which was a lovely touch.We ordered sandwiches and cakes. My aunt has a lactose intolerance but this was no issue to them as they made ham sandwiches without butter and Lesley the chef had baked a cake using a dairy free spread. I also noticed Gluten Free cupcakes, ideal for someone with a wheat allergy.You could sit inside and savour the 'olde worlde' atmosphere of the tearoom or, as we did, sit outside in the 'Tea Garden' and admire the frankly excellent view of the Tye and the Church.It used to be a tea rooms many years ago and became a 'trendy' restaurant more recently under the stewardship of Robin, who is of course, father to Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Robin has now moved on and the new people; Lesley,her brother Peter and their father Chris have taken Moonrakers back to being a quintessential English Tea Rooms and its lovely that the place has moved from one family to another so well.The bill worked out at less than £10 per person which is excellent value. Paying cash did not bother me in the slightest, I understand bank charges for having, and using, a debit card machine can be quite prohibitive, especially for a new business just starting out so it makes sense to be cash only.We will certainly be visiting again the next time we are in the area!

Having been a regular customer of the previous restaurant of the same name we found this new incarnation disappointing in every way.

Moonrakers has a Unique Selling Point ~ insofar as their rear garden is a wonderful haven, quarantined from the bustle of the narrow part of the High Street through Alfriston. The OUTLOOK from that rear, brick-paved garden across The Tye to St Andrews Church by the green ~ it's a really special feature. The new owners seem to have rescued this from the overgrowth that had developed under previous incarnation for this venue ... as a supposedly fine-dining restaurant. Moonrakers had been a tea & coffee place in the past ~ a place to enjoy a leisurely breakfast on a fine day, or a cream tea with our group of walkers after an event. That all changed from about 2007, and we were really sorry to see the old Moonrakers pass and change. Although we had been once to the restaurant in 2009, it was not particularly a place where we wished to return. So, we had looked forward to calling in to see how it is going now :The Good Points :~ We received a warm welcome, and were swiftly seated in the garden.~ Dogs are welcome in the rear garden area with metal bowls of water available.~ Plenty of seating in the small, walled garden, including sun umbrellas for most; shade from fig and other trees/shrubs; and a gazebo area immediately at the back with more seating and a table just outside the main interior of the venue.~ Comfortably refitted inside for those cold, damp or just-plain-wet days~ A fairly wide range of basic tea-room fare and prices. Good to see some pizzas added recently, and from discussion with the gentleman serving us, it was obvious that the new owners were open to seeking ways of improving and aiming to meet local needs and demand : opening at special times when the local camp-site is busy for example.~ Good range of teas available.~ Our Pizzas as ordered were tasty, although possibly not the best pizzas that we have had even within this month (yet, not far behind). So, no complaints overall; and we did enjoy our light lunch. We were asked twice if we were enjoying the food, and we confirmed that we were.The 'Not So Good' :~ OK to be fair, the offering on the menu needed those Pizzas to make a lunch stop that was attractive to us ... personal tastes would not have run to the three sandwich "flavours" offered at the moment.~ It did seem slightly chaotic at times : but, it is early days and we are sure that this well settle.~ Changes are happening swiftly already, and the addition of pizzas is just one example : added to their display boards within and outside. Hopefully the menu range and overall appearance will improve with time.~ "cash payments only" : a bit of a disappointment in this day and age, where digital transfers are fast and efficient.~ We overheard a family ordering cream teas, and there was no adjustment offered when one of that party (a young teenager) wanted a cream tea but just with a glass of tap water. Seemingly, that would still have been £6 : so the family adjusted their overall order accordingly. That was a great opportunity for the server to think on her feet, and so to offer a small adjustment for not having to put out the usual tea things.Ideas :~ This is billed as a Tea Shop and yes there are plenty of other coffee outlets in Alfriston, BUT, with probably the best outlook and a lovely rear garden setting (yes there are other great gardens too, but this has The Tye right there in front of you), it seems a shame that some quality coffees are not available as well. What a spot to stop for a quick espresso!~ If I was there for breakfast, an option of a small plate of 'Full English' might be better than just a bacon or an egg roll or sandwich. Just a thought. ... and what about some croissant for a proper 'Continental Breakfast'.Those in combination with the terrace setting would go down so well with visitors from abroad; as well as from all parts of England. We understand that there may be an occasional Evening Event: it is true that we had not heard of one apparently offered last Friday, although we live only about a mile away. So, look out for an occasional evening 'Do', with Pizza on the Terrace; or maybe in the future, a Barbecue!!We sincerely hope that this Team makes a go of this venture at such a lovely spot.

Been closed for at least a year and up for sale. Closed closed closed closed closed closed closed closed closed closed closed closed closed closed closed closed closed closed closed

Unfortunately, it was quite a cold evening when we booked our dinner so we couldn't sit outside, but the welcome we were given made up for it. In fact, we wondered if we should know the owner, as he was so friendly and helpful! The meal was excellent, we thoroughly enjoyed our visit, so were sad to learn that the restaurant had been sold and would be closed for a short while in June, before re-opening under new ownership in July. We shall certainly go back, and hope to receive the same welcome and lovely food!

What a great restaurant.The menu isn't extensive (though more than sufficient) however, the food is superb. The staff are helpful, efficient and knowledgeable about the food and the excellent choice of wines. The place has a great ambiance and all of these things combined to make our evening most enjoyable.