Nelson Coffee - The Roastery (Eastbourne Café ) in Eastbourne

Delicious delightful with decadent pastries

Fantastic breakfast at Nelsons. The coffee and turmeric milk especially good. Service is brilliant.

Oh dear. Well we ate breakfast there as there was nothing else open locally that could provide a full English. So I went for the Nelson Brekkie - expecting a decent breakfast with two eggs, two back bacon, two sausages, mushrooms....you know. What came was mainly make up of thick brown toast, with the addition of two eggs, two tiny rashers of fatty streaky bacon that had nothing left by the time you cut the fat off, ONE sausage, ONE mushroom, a tiny pot of dried up beans, ONE CHERRY TOMATO!! An extra sausage was a totally unjustifiable three quid! I asked for some ketchup and was given a tatty old Heinz bottle (obviously refilled) because it contained a weird gel-like sweet pale red substance - definitely not ketchup! All this for £14.50! Disgusting. The coffee was nice, however it took ages to arrive and when our meals arrived (45 minutes after we entered) we had finished the coffees but to order more would have put another fifteen quid on the already outrageous bill. Compare this to the excellent breakfast I had at Toby Carvery the day before - as much as I wanted of well cooked breakfast items, toast, marmalade, bottomless coffee - at under half the price. I cannot understand why the place was heaving. Either people were unprepared for what they were about to get, or they had bottomless pockets! This place needs to pull its socks up. We won't be back! If they reply to this, I'd like to know how a single sausage can cost three quid!

Nice coffee and cookie. Friendly staff

Very popular venue and it's easy to see why. Amazing coffee, very good food and a superb staff compliment who went out of their way to make us feel welcome and at ease, despite a full house. Really grateful for the kindness and above-and-beyond service.

Had a great coffee and delicious bacon and sausage bap - best I've had in a long time.

The best coffee so far in Eastbourne. Super friendly staff and a good quality of food and coffee! .

Wow! Perfect coffee and excellent food! Highly recommend the Tumeric milk and eggs Benny! Yum! Staff were so friendly and the place has a lovely relaxed vibe. 10/10

Formerly a place I would have given 4 or 5 stars, it was a favorite... Nelson's Coffee shop has emptied out since they decided to integrate an upfront tip app in with their payment system, which not only comes across as greedy and desperate, but at the same time makes you feel really bad, if you opt out. This is a terrible business model for a café where you order at the counter and are reminded to help yourself to cutlery after you've paid. At around the same time, they added £2 to items on the menu, and took out ingredients from the sandwiches, making them a separate chargeable side. Frankly, ordering an inferior version of a product at a more expensive price feels like a slap in the face to me... Unfortunately, I've recently had a bad experience with the food there three times in a row now, with hot milk arriving lumpy and cold, a sandwich being served with Heinz tomato ketchup instead of the house sauce advertised on the menu, and a falafel pitta missing the falafel and half the vegetables! Enough is enough - this feels contemptuous and insulting. I have been a regular at Nelson's Coffee for several years now and a very loyal customer, but unfortunately I am no longer going to be going there.

I would like to offer some feedback, as this has always been a wonderful place to visit, but I must admit that on my recent visit, I was left disappointed. Having explored similar establishments and studied the competition recently, I feel it’s important to share my thoughts. Positives: The coffee and atmosphere remain consistently enjoyable, and I still appreciate the overall vibe of the place. The coffee in my opinion, is the best in Eastbourne. Suggestions: Water – Given that the food here is well-seasoned, the current water dispenser situation is no longer adequate compared to other places. It seems that expectations have shifted over the recent years. The glasses provided are too small, and the water itself is stagnant and room temperature. Why not, like many other establishments, install a tap that offers clean, filtered, and chilled water directly from the mains? This is becoming a common feature in places now, and larger glasses would also reduce the need for multiple trips. It would be a worthwhile investment, and the tap could easily be incorporated into the station on the right. Food – The menu has lost some of its appeal and quality. I used to love the pancakes, as they were exceptional, but the offering has now been simplified, and no pancake options. For £14, the full English breakfast should be flawless, but unfortunately, it wasn’t. The bread was under-buttered, and the egg yolk was dry instead of soft. Hash browns were not cooked enough. The beans were a different style (personal preference is I prefer the normal type) but at a small quantity. While the ingredients are good, the quality does not justify the price. Tipping – The tipping process is rather controversial and seems to be deterring customers. Since it’s not table 100% service, having to tip before receiving the product or service feels counterintuitive. It would make more sense to offer a separate contactless tipping station, allowing customers to leave a nominal fee, say £1, at their discretion. This could be a separate transaction, independent of the main purchase, I have seen this has been used in other places successfully. I'm offering this feedback in the hope that improvements can be made, as my recent experience was not as positive as before. It’s a shame, as I would love to continue considering this place a top option.

Absolutely loved this place. Really great quality food and coffee. Very friendly staff, chilled atmosphere. I live 2 hours away but will Def be making a trip back in the future.

Really lovely coffee shop with great selection of food and drinks. Coffee roasted on site, and can purchase beans here too. Nelson brekkie and the veggie brekkie were delish!!

Superb cafe, the coffee tastes amazing and the smoked salmon benny was delicious.

My favourite coffee shop in Eastbourne. I love to sit on a stool in their window either reading my book or just watching the world go by. Highly recommended

Food and drink were excellent. Would recommend visiting here.

My local coffee shop, I grew up in Eastbourne and always thought it was missing an asset like this —beautiful coffee and food options. What stands out most is how wonderful every member of staff is, a genuine, kind energy. Makes it that much more joyful to support, they’re doing something really great. Though I don’t appreciate a cashless business, everything else makes up for it.

Lovely staff from my experience, decent coffee and food, a bit pricey but it is what it is

Brilliant really enjoyed my food and coffee

Best brownie ever, very nice coffee and kind staff!

Best coffee in Eastbourne at a good price, gorgeous hot food and pastries, lovely coffee variety... But run out of filter too quickly 😮‍💨 the lunchtimes folks deserve filter too!!

Best coffee shop in Eastbourne, great food. I especially love the music. Chilled beats, perfect for relaxing with a cup of coffee.

Warm welcome, clean and reasonably priced. Great coffee (in-house roasting) and good atmosphere.

What’s not to like about Nelson’s? A friend introduced me to this lovely cafe and I’ve been back several times since. Perhaps it’s a little bit pricey… but that is just life these days unfortunately. Having said that, I am very happy with the food and drink received on every visit, and the staff can’t be faulted either. Two thumbs up from this guy!

Nelson is the by far the best cup of coffee I've had while on holiday in England. I'm just sorry I hadn't time to stop for something to eat. The place looks lovely and has a nice vibe.

One of my fav speciality coffee spots in Eastbourne, always enjoy the coffee served here. The brunch menu is amazing too :pp

Great coffee and the best eggs Benedict and French toast ever. Wonderful hospitality. Very surprising from what, from the outside, seems like a run of the mill coffee shop. Will return if in Eastbourne! Happy days☀️☀️☀️

Great breakfast options, good coffee. The kind of place where all the small details are thought through - from the mint added to tap water to unusual extras in classic breakfast meals and a (rarely) well balanced hollandaise sauce. Ahh and freshly baked cookies are heaven. Definitely recommend.

High quality food. Nice coffees. Friendly staff They never disappoint. Highly recommended:

Fantastic coffee and fabulous staff

Popped in for a coffee. Lovely oat latte by the way, nothing wrong there! Decided to buy something off shelf, pricetag said £11. Barista said it is actually £14.95, is that ok? Didn't think to honour price displayed very clearly on shelf. She then went to look for pricetag, which she couldn't fine. Not great! Thank you for the owners feedback below, I think it just further justifies the low rating for customer service! Long way to go in terms of responding well to constructive feedback! Please allow me to hold and share my opinion which is what this platform is about! Just to note I gave 5 stars for food. I rest my case. Will definitely not return!

Quality coffee at reasonable prices & a lovely cafe in a town full the usual cafe Nero, Costa, Starbucks.

Really trendy coffee shop off the main high street near Eastbourne station. Coffee has plenty of flavour and reasonably priced.

Yummy matcha latte, very smooth. They have an interesting drinks menu. You can buy their roast and get them to grind it to your brewing method too.

Lovely atmosphere. Matcha's we will definitely be back x

Excellent and plentiful breakfast

Great coffee and cozy place! It wasn't too busy when I came around 10.30ish. They provide wi-fi too so it's great if you're a work-from-cafe person. Would definitely return ✨

The best independent cafe and coffee shop in the local area. Their in-house roasted coffee is brilliant, perfect flavour balance. Service and products are second to none, I love to visit when I'm in the area. I use the Bear Blend coffee at home too.

Finally found myself good coffee and brunch in Eastbourne. Loved it for a birthday lunch. Thanks 👍.

They make amazing coffee - their specials drinks are the best in Eastbourne, especially the Atlantic Fog! The staff are always very kind and attentive, friendly, even when it's very busy. I must admit though it's rather expensive for what you're getting, especially if you eat there, have cocktails, or even have a plant milk alternative as it's bumps up the price. The cinnamon rolls are amazing, they have great vegan options for cakes/pastries and the food menu for vegans isn't bad but could definitely be better and has been better in the past. As it's such a nice place it's often very busy and I've noticed that food can come out lukewarm/cold. They do use a giant coffee machine to roast the beans on the cafe floor which can be really loud so if you're easily overstimulated be aware of this. Best place in Eastbourne for a coffee and a cake catch up! :)

Tasty coffees and a great atmosphere!

Good service and atmosphere. The BBQ brisket was very tasty.

Been twice now and highly delighted with both food choices

Great coffee Wasn't keen on the breakfast at all, poached eggs I guess are pre made and warmed before serving as we're just about warm, bacon was like eating a wham bar (rock hard and very, very sweet) the sausage was very confusing, a pale burger looking item on your breakfast is not what I want.. I'll have to try something else next time. I thought £16.75 for a breakfast & coffee was a bit ott Would be nice if you accepted cash!

This is an amazing place. The staff are so lovely, great food and drink. I one hundred percent recommend Nelson coffee

Very slight disappointment with the coffee strength (weak) and hot chocolate with cream despite the request. The atmosphere was slightly cramped, spent the whole event listening to conversations either side. Food was nice (7/10), don't buy the Benedict unless you like mayo (needs warning in the menu).

I had crougette fritters and a coffee there. Unfortunately the food was cold. The presentation 5* though. The amount of food very disappointing. The atmosphere is noisy with coffee machines, clients, and the staff. OK for a coffee I guess but would skip the food.

Fantastic coffee, food and atmosphere.

I First discovered Nelsons coffee at a Café in Bexhill. Being quite sensitive to coffee I was so happy to find one that didn’t upset me and was (a bit too!) easy to drink. When I opened my restaurant - The Good Grub - in Eastbourne it was a no brained that I’d use Nelson’s as my coffee supplier. They are so so kind to me and incredibly supportive of my new business. It’s a real family atmosphere and I know I can count on them. They personally deliver our beans each week and take the time to talk to me and my staff about how things are going which we all really appreciate. The Nelsons cafe itself is absolutely lovely! Again, staff are just so lovely and no matter how busy it gets they always have time for you. They have lots of vegan options and are always more than happy to accommodate to dietary needs, and of course the coffee is fab!

Nice place with a good variety of breakfast options. Enjoyed the atmosphere (it was crowded but not crazy) and it seemed very popular. I had the breakfast board - great variety and delicious Bircher. My hash brown was sadly a bit soggy, but as always I leave no potato behind. Avocado toast was fine, not my personal preference for toast but it was a solid breakfast overall. They have oat and soya milk for coffee. Service is order-at-the-counter and very efficient!

Based on my friend's recommendations, I tried the coffee at Nelson's today, and I was really impressed with their coffee. More than my expectations I found my favourite place for cinnamon buns. Loved your cinnamon buns as much as I loved the coffee.

By far, the best cafe in Eastbourne! I had the breakfast board and it was the best cafe breakfast I've had! The coffee was excellent and nice to see the roasting process in the front of house!

Great breakfast and coffee. Worth the hour+ drive! Would definitely come back

The morning after the beer festival we needed some good food and my wife found Nelson Coffee. We arrived at 9.30am on the Sunday and had our choice of tables. Any later and it would have been more difficult as this was clearly a popular place. My wife and I opted for the vegan breakfast and we were sure glad we did. When it arrived it looked stunning and fortunately the taste matched the appearance. We agreed that every element was clearly carefully chosen to provide the very best in taste, nothing was left the chance. The beans were not just Heinz, the avocado was topped with seeds. The mushrooms were smoked and it continues with each item on the plate. The sourdough that everyone seems to choose for breakfasts was crunchy but the juice from the vine ripe tomatoes softened the slice. My favourite part were the hash potatoes. A generous portion and delightfully crispy. I seem to be rating a lot of places 5 stars lately but I have been so fortunate to experience the best food and Nelson Coffee is up there!

Always a pleasure to pop in! Sometimes get a mixture from a service perspective but the lady that served me last week was really sweet. Coffee is very strong, beautiful taste but next time I will ask for a single shot as preference. Thanks Nelson’s

Great tasting coffee and service

The best most consistent coffee in Eastbourne. Highly recommend.

Best coffee and cinnamon buns in town

Absolutely love this place, the food is just so packed full of flavour and the coffee tastes lovely. Currently my favourite place for brunch in Eastbourne

The funny thing about this coffee shop is that there is no aroma or smell of coffee anywhere in the place. Parking is non existant, and you cannot use cash.

Dropped in for quick brunch and had the grilled cheese sandwich with bacon whilst my wife had the salmon bagel. Both were well-presented and tasty.

They do a cracking English breakfast, coffee, wide selection of pastries and cakes and allow dogs

Wouldn't accept cash & coffee was barely warm

Nelsons is the best spot in Eastbourne if you're looking for fantastic coffee freshly roasted on site, delicious food and friendly staff. Ben and Lucy are amazing and put so much care and attention into everything they do, and it shows 🥳

Fabulous time at Nelson enjoying some freshly prepared food and wonderful coffee. It was our first time and it's definitely gonna become our regular place for a unique and delicious breakie in Eastbourne!! Thank you to the wonderful team at Nelson that looked after us so nicely.

Fantastic little Caffè with lovely and friendly staff. I truly recommend cappucino and summer pancakes xx

Amazing craft coffee and nice barists as well! 💚

Adding one more glowing review to a whole host of others! The coffee is fantastic, the food delicious, the ambiance and service friendly, warm and efficient. Loved it. Perfect.

Stopped by in Eastbourne to hike to Birling Gap, this cafe was right off the Eastborne train station. Service was quick for takeaway and the food was excellent even when it was eaten cold during the hike. If they didn't close before I got back, I would have gladly sat down for a hot meal here. Nelson full brekkie looks and tastes amazing, highly recommended. Hot and iced espresso drinks were as smooth as can be.

The best coffee shop in town. Always busy place, very nice staff. Just one little snag...the almond croissant disappear very quickly. Always when I wanted to order with cappuccino coffee it was sold out.

Great coffee, exceptional. We only sampled pastries but they were super-fresh and yummy. Ordering at the counter is easy and friendly. Service efficient to the table. Nice modern vibe. Parked at Enterprise and walked short distance up to the cafe. Going again!

Absolutely love Nelson's for coffee, brunch and everything else! Staff are always friendly and welcoming and create such a warm atmosphere to relax and socialise in.

Good coffee, helpful staff and nice atmosphere. Cool songs

Food was tasty and service is friendly but way overpriced.

Great coffee. Not a fan of the coffee being in glassware without handles but they do serve the best coffee in town which is why I go. Great food as well.

The most imaginative and tasty English breakfast I think I’ve ever had. The chocolate cake was moist, rich, but not sickly and generally delicious, and the coffee was amazing!

Breakfast at its best with their unique touches on beans and sausage patty - yum! Great coffee and friendly service. Do you need more in the morning?

Very nice coffee but very small cups. Seating is cramped and uncomfortable mostly. Only a few seats are good enough for groups of 4 or more. Very noisy when busy.

Amazing pancakes! Probably the best in town.Highly recommend.4 of us had different meals and we were all satisfied with menu and service. Was disappointed there was no payment by cash option as not in favour of cashless payment.

Excellent coffee. Lovely atmosphere! Highly recommend.

This is the only cafe where you can have a perfect breakfast. Amazing breakfast and perfect, kind, helpful staff.

When I wrote this review, I didn't know there were two Nelson coffees!!!This 2 place has closed......... I gave it 3 stars!!!! I looked on TripAdvisor to see where you can enjoy the best coffee in Eastbourne and Nelson Coffee came first ... The coffee was very good, but in terms of pastries the choice was very poor and the not clean. ........................................................................ First Nelson The Roastery is a great place and a nice atmosphere and what it proved is, it makes real coffee!!!!

Best coffee in the south of England this not just a coffee break its an experience

Amazing independent coffee shop run by a husband and wife team. They roast their own coffee in store which is nice to see. The highlight of our visit were the excellent breakfasts. Brilliant flavours and a varied choice of dishes.

Delicious breakfast, great coffee and friendly staff. We will definitely be back soon. 5*

It’s one of the good spots for fine breakfast in Eastbourne. Few steps away from train station and serves a variety of good quality dishes. It’s also a coffee roaster It’s a good place for a breakfast or brunch and a nice spot for a date although the atmosphere isn’t romantic as such. Friendly staff and a clean restaurant Price is at the upper range compared to other options but it’s worth it.

Stopped by Nelsons today, beautiful food and the best coffee in Eastbourne!! Can't rate the quality enough. Thank you guys!!

Had a really good breakfast here, the coffee was excellent and the food was amazing, staff were really friendly. I would highly recommend this establishment to anyone who enjoys good food and coffee and I look forward to another visit next time I am in town.

A great shame: good food, nice atmosphere, nice lady server: all spoiled by the discourteous, grumpy and ignorant male waiter (?). A) he displayed lack of product knowledge, and seemed to resent being asked where the drink came from, B) addressed me (an elderly male, never having been in there before) as “mate”. Totally inappropriate, and most unprofessional. When I asked him, politely, if would mind not addressing me as “mate”, he really lost it, accusing me of rudeness (I wasn’t), and really acting like a midget version of Basil Fawlty! I pointed out that we would not be returning. A great shame, as until then, we had had a pleasant experience! Get rid of the Grinch, or reeducate him, at least. I don’t know, or care, who he is. He has lost more than just the three of us as a result of his lack of customer skills!

What a relaxing break. You shouldn't miss it!

great fluffy pancakes with a perfect combination of fruits.! thank you Nelson coffee

Amazing oat latte, very friendly service, nice and clean and dog friendly. Highly recommend it

, not great, coffee was good, until wobbly table spilt it everywhere, I told her about it she said sorry, but did not replace my coffee after only having half a cup left, food turned up two fried eggs on toast, eggs really undercooked very snotty send it back,, came back still snotty,, avocado and a bitter taste too much lime, left me with a bad aftertaste overall disappointing 👎👎

Lovely relaxed place to enjoy an almond croissant and coffee, especially the autumn latte!

Excellent... really accomodating and staff very friendly

Used to go fairly regularly before when it was Company. Recently I went for lunch with family and was disappointed to learn they’ve gone cashless. Had to pay by card. Wont be going back as I don’t support businesses who won’t accept legal tender.

A somewhat spartan establishment with nice service, a good brunch menu though slightly overpriced for the quantity & quality in our opinion.

Amazing and very tasty breakfast& brunch. Very friendly staff. I’d recommend that the fruity pancake would serve with maple syrup and fresh berries and fruit.

Amazing breakfast. Love to visit this place

I've been to Nelsons since it opened and I've always loved their coffee and their food. They've got an amazing vibe and I love that years later the owners are still workng front of house. Friendly staff, comfortable atmosphere, great tasting menu.

Best coffee and brunch place of whole Eastbourne! Veggie breakfast was awesome!