Runaway Cafe in Lewes

Simply superb! I was delighted to see tea made from real tea leaves. Good tasting brew and gorgeous cake. This is how you do it.

We stopped for lunch whilst travelling. I had a delicious smoked trout salad and the rest had panini sandwiches and salad. With a lovely photos on the wall it is reminiscent of ‘Brief Encounter’. Staff were friendly and efficient. We will be back.

Warm, friendly cafe with so many choices of cakes, including gluten free! Lovely cup of twinnings tea and many others on offer. Such helpful staff too. Tables inside and really feels like an independant cafe. Certainly worth a visit!

This cafe serves the most delicious porridge I’ve ever had! Nutty, whole grain (bulgar wheat??), every mouthful is a rummy! I’m a repeat consumer - warning though, it’s made fresh so takes nearly 10 minutes… the only downside if you’re in a rush for a train! Also love the vegan, sugar free hot chocolate - as a non vegan, it’s wonderful and not overly sweet for a nice, warm morning drink. Service is always friendly, certainly worth a visit when you’re passing through.

Service was good, but I have never had such a revolting cup of brown water. Virtually no flavour at all until afterwards when it took 3 hours and a whole pack of mints to take the taste away! On a positive note, it was warm and wet!

A great station cafe, full of great food, great customer service and a retro/railway vibe that’s really cool. Retro decor, with classical music playing and railway pictures of Lewes station from times gone by, add to the atmosphere. Warm milk ladelled into your tea, a really packed meaty pork pie and locally sourced delicacies make this place a must if you are passing through Lewes Station.

Lovely, such a refreshing change from the standard pumpkin offer at most stations, wonderful at the end of a long walk or run for quick refuelling while waiting for a train home (my husband especially really appreciated you still being open and a lovely sandwich from you on his way home from the South Downs Way 50 yesterday)

Stopped here for a leisurely breakfast and some tea the next day. Limited cooked breakfast menu but the panini tuna melt was delicious. Good coffee, though the tea was a little cold. Friendly staff and reasonable prices

Popped in for breakfast to take on the train, my bacon sandwich was tasty, the bacon crisp but I was disappointed it was pre-cooked and packaged with no opportunity to add sauce. My coffee was again OK, just a bit ordinary. I still love that this place is on the platform and independent though.

I love The Runaway - the coffee is good and reasonably priced. There's a great selection of homemade cakes, sandwiches, and pastries and the staff are friendly and efficient. There's no waiting around if you need to hop on the next train (I always wonder if their clock is deliberately a few minutes fast to make sure!). A truly refreshing change from all the usual station chain cafes. A local treasure.

I googled a breakfast cafe near to Lewes train station and The Runaway came up. It was a pleasant surprise to find that it was on the platform. I ordered a full English from the nice lad behind the counter together with a coffee, I was told they “were out of sausages, would extra bacon be okay?” It was nice to told. The cook came good though, and bangers were found. Everything arrived freshly cooked, piping hot, and nicely presented. All three staff were super friendly, and it was so good to find a spot like this as the simple cafe seems to be a relic of the past. On leaving I also noticed The Runaway was licenced, I decided against a stiff drink as I was in Lewes to test drive a new truck. I’d go back in a heartbeat, super spot great coffee and great menu.

Stopped for coffee and cake while on holiday last week , cake looked devine was home made and wrapped in cling film not cheap but why not was on holiday so treating our selves ,,, sooo disappointed cake was so soggy lemon drizzle cake and battenburg just could not eat it ,,, cant remember the last time I complained about anything but really felt the need to this time , the manager was really nice said it was wrapped in clingfilm to stop people touching the cake and refunded our money xxx could I suggest cake trays with the dome lids and tongues to pick the cake up that would keep germs at bay while keeping the cake fresh and edible xxx

We arrived in Lewes by car but stopped at the station as my daughter and I were being dropped off for a day out. All of us needed a cuppa and the loo but definitely not Costas which had no loos anyway. So we sneaked through the ticket barriers onto the platform to find this place; a small cafe nicely decorated with train pictures and cosy. The decorations and flowers on the table are a nice touch. No train to catch but we did notice that when ordering the staff will ask if you're in a hurry and need to catch a train. Don't do that at Costas! We shared a nice ham and cheese toastie, sausage roll, tea and coffee; all tasty and very good. Loos are nearby and for station toilets they are very clean. Luckily the nice lady let us through the closed ticket barriers when we had finished.

Sadly only a quick visit as I changed trains for Plumpton Races, Popped in for a few minutes at lunchtime to see a range of freshly made sandwiches. My tea was poured from a proper tea pot with a tea strainer! The whole atmosphere of the station suggests I should return soon and no better place for a light lunch either. Amazingly when I returned at 5.30 they were still open,time for another tea and slice of almond and cherry cake. Lovely place open until 7pm.

A pleasant café for dining. Food well cooked. Its like stepping back in time with pics of trains from the past hung up and nice ambience with classical music playing in the back ground. .

Busy Cafe where people are passing through on their journeys. Based inside the Railway Station. 4 of us met up from different parts of Sussex for Coffee/Tea and Cake. There were a good variety of cakes, sandwiches, pastries etc. Service was friendly and helpful.

Popped in here a couple of times. Good coffee and delightful homemade cakes and snacks. Such a variety! There was a lemon and raspberry polenta slice even! Also lovely staff.

great place to get food and drink while waiting for a train, none of you boring chains here. good value sandwiches

According to a recent review the cafe has now changed hands but I did not notice too much change when we visited and we were offered a choice between "plastic" cups or proper china so you can in fact still have the latter. There was a little jug of flowers on each of the clean tables but I failed to examine minutely to discover if they were fresh or artificial but they looked nice.A range of coffees, teas etc. and other drinks on offer, jacket potatoes, and sandwiches, sausage rolls etc. No doubt cakes also but as a non cake person I failed to notice.It was late morning when we visited and I was still in breakfast mode. However whilst waiting for the third member of our group to appear, the breakfast menus were cleared from the tables. These did have a very good selection and I had noticed an "all day" breakfast but it would seem not really all day as it was not mentioned on the various display boards at the counter. On enquiring of the pleasant lady serving, she spoke to the "chef" to see if it were still possible to obtain something breakfasty and I was able to obtain scrambled eggs and grilled tomatoes on toast which was very good indeed.The walls of the cafe are adorned with railway photos dating back to steam days whilst throughout our stay music consisted entirely of opera, possibly piped direct from Glyndebourne (not really) but the volume seemed to increase significantly during the soprano arias I think they are called so certainly not background music.There is rumour of a Costa Coffee or similar opening in the booking hall area which would probably have some detrimental effect on Runaway Cafe custom but I hope it will continue to be viable as it is certainly independent and a little different and I am just sorry I don't like opera.

Most station cafes are, let's face it, worth avoiding - selling as they do over-priced, pre-packed plastic snacks - NOT the Runaway. Here is a family-run buffet with quality food from freshly-sourced ingredients, friendly staff and affordable prices. Heather's infectious smile is so welcome, especially in the early winter mornings. The coffee is delicious and the cakes home-made. Meals are prepared to order along with specialist sandwich choices, while popular fillings are available to grab-and-go for those in a rush. Tables and chairs are clean and comfortable, with fresh flowers another lovely touch. Keep up the good work, team. One of, if not THE best station buffet in the country.

Unlike any other station cafe that I have ever been in this is not a member of a chain, it is beautifully individual, friendly, helpful, clean and accommodating. The coffee is as good or better than any of the chains but the other fare is just incomparably better and with a greater choice. It's almost worth stopping off at Lewes for a tea and freshly made sandwich with an accompanying home made cake, exquisite, and in the modern world very refreshing, in more ways than one.

I wrote a wonderful review of this place a year ago but it has changed hands and all the charm has gone. Where are the flowers on the table, where is the crockery? Where is my tea leaf reading? It's now a perfectly normal station cafe but I wouldn't make a special trip to it and it left us feeling sad and nostalgic. At least provide proper cups for those wanting to wait for that train that has been inevitably delayed....

Well run cafe on Lewes Station where the staff are pleasant and the prices good value for money. Personally i always use this when travelling to London by train and the selection of cakes etc is excellent.

This cafe has been on platform 2 at Lewes station for many years & long may it remain. It used to be run by the entirely mad Victor who went off with one of his staff in much disgrace. It is now run much more efficiently (though you no longer get healing) but the hours are better. Coffee is tolerable (though much better at Ground in Lansdown Place if you have the time). The savoury sesame & cheese biscuits are to die for.

Very sweet staff, always helpful, great respite when the train is late(is it ever on time).Always plenty of fresh food with wide choice including fresh fruit.

Great little spot- to have a snack and drink while waiting for train back to London. Very nice and helpful people- the owner is very nice and helpful person- they have few tables so you can seat inside and sandwiches, beer, coffee. Kind of liked it a lot.

Friendly happy staff, good service and a choice of things to eat and drink. Great to while away time whilst waiting for the train.

Staff really work hard to serve customers and provide a cheery face to us commuters! Great selection of sandwiches, snacks, hot n cold drinks etc. also has wifi and charging plugs for when phone is flat.

As a railway station café, these people go the extra mile. There's an imaginative range of sandwiches and pastries, all of them good. It takes the pain out of a train cancellation.

What a place to find with half an hour to wait for a train. Welcoming, efficient, clean, a perfect haven to top up the caffeine and sugar levels. Even fresh flowers on the table. Thank you.

Im Bahnhof von Lewes, am Bahnsteig 2 (Züge Richtung London) gibt es diesen besonderen Ort, der so gar nichts mit dem mittlerweile üblichen entsetzlichen Fraß der Bahnsteigskioske bzw. -automaten gemein hat. Frisch gemachte leckere Sandwichs, selbstgebackene Scones, Kuchen, Flapjacks etc. und ein mehr als akzeptabler Kaffee machen das Warten auf die notorisch unpünktlichen Züge zu einer angenehmen Sache. Stets frische kleine Blumensträusse auf den Tischen, ein geschmackvoll gestalteter Raum und klassische Musik in dezenter Lautstärke sind weitere höchst erfreuliche Ungewöhnlichkeiten. In Deutschland mittlerweile (leider) kaum vorstellbar.

If you ever have 10 minutes to spare at Lewes railway station you must experience their cup of tea, it is always fresh, made with tea leaves (not tea bags) strained and served to perfection with as much or as little milk as you desire

Grab the best coffee in Lewes before you get your train. This is not a chain or franchise its unique and lewes people love the Runaway.

This is no ordinary station cafe. The choice and quality of food on offer is great. And the prices are really good.

In a rush I decided to have lunch here. This cafe has been the subject of an impassioned campaign and many people really rate it ,I asked for a baked potato with beans, no beans, never mind cheese is fine.so when this simple meal came I was surprised by the ineptitude displayed. the potato was microwaved so skin not at all crisp but it was not fully cooked either. The cheese was begrudged and the salad garnish was plain and without dressing,So I left most and will not be back,

Stopped by for a quick coffee and snack while waiting for a train. I especially liked the jug of milk with its little ladle. The server wasn't fazed by passengers in a hurry, and kept her friendly smile firmly in place.

Wow what a gem of a place. Had a terrible business trip to Lewes and was leaving under a cloud. Almost walked past this place as I pondered whether to stop for a coffee. Well, I had a choice of spirits and a wide range of cakes even gluten free, decent made sandwiches and even soup was on offer. I had lemon drizzle which was delicious and a glass of wine. Leaving Lewes in a better mood and will ensure I have this as a pit stop again. Can the owners please have a chain at lots more stations, would make travelling far more enjoyable

This modest looking cafe on the station platform would be easy to walk past. If you do you will really miss out. Come inside and wonder at the range of freshly baked cakes. All the usuals are there- lemon drizzle cake, xmas cake etc but there are also a few more exotic ones. My parsnip and maple cake was gorgeous. The staff are lovely and do what station buffet staff should do, very well. Proper tea from a pot, real milk not plastic capsules, friendly chat and the best food I've ever seen on a railway platform. They care about what they do and it shows. Enjoy the cafe and support them! All station buffets should be like this one.

Amazing place - a railway buffet from a past era, but in a good way. Tea poured from a huge pot, milk put in with a ladle, which hasn't been widely done since telly was in black and white.And a great selection of cakes and snacks (I had a delicious granola bar) including lots of gluten free stuff.

Didn't expect a station cafe to be so refined, tea in proper cups and saucers with doilies, flowers on the table and classical music playing. A taste of a bygone age. Very clean with pleasant staff: It really was lovely!

Just what you need in a station, the runway has the most extensive range of home baked cakes for a little cafe, friendly helpful staff who understand that you need to catch a train, and lots of choice of tea, coffee and sandwiches

Brutal, if like me you use a cane. Nothing but stairs! Easy journey from Gatwick railway station, but not all return services from Lewes to Gatwick are direct. Some require changes, intervening waits, and staircases (British stations are poor when it comes to accessibility as many are very old - Victorian).

I wish we had known about this earlier because we would have allowed more time here before our train. Charming old-fashioned tea room with proper tea served from a pot in China cups. The woman on the till even read my fortune from my tea leaves before I left! If only more station facilities were like this. Will try and visit Lewes again just for the tea room here.

I almost envy Lewes travellers having this on their doorstep as it has a (now unusual) Brief Encounter whiff about it, with its adjoining room and rows of bottles lined up behind the counter. My friend and I only had a short time before catching a bus so decided to have a bit bite here instead of exploring cafes in Lewes. The sandwiches on offer were fresh and homemade and there were plenty of hot items as well, eg cheese on toast. Service was pleasant and helpful. It comes across as independently run, a nice change in this era of big chains.

A very pleasant place to wait. They serve a really good cuppa and have one of the biggest selections of delicious gluten free cakes I've ever come across.

This café came as a nice answer when I missed a connecting train. I had some coffee and cake and they were of very fine quality.

Runaway Cafe makes getting to the station in good time a must. Friendly, calm, and with a good selection of treats. I always get my coffee here.

This little independent cafe is a great place to have breakfast and we make a point of getting to the station in time to have coffee and a bite before our train. So glad The Runaway was saved from closure after a local campaign. Stations don't really need anodyne, chain coffee shops if there's a good local supplier.

This is a one of the few station cafes I've found in the UK with free wi-fi (that works), ample power sockets to plug in a laptop and decent coffee. It's not hard to provide this, but so few places do. Plus they're a friendly bunch too. Top marks.

Step back in time when you walk through the open door of the Runaway. Fast service and the obligatory doily if you drink 'in'. Open very early in the morning for the commuters the queues are dealt with promptly so no one misses their train!

Excellent coffee, with a wide range of cakes (some home made), biscuits and sandwiches, and classical music playing all day. Open from very early morning for busy commuters. The kind of independent railway cafe we should have more of.

I'd read the reviews on TA and thought The Runaway worthy of a visit. It is not what the reviews suggest; avoid the iced coffee which was delivered tepid and unjoyous. Unfortunately we were left disappointed, the Runaway is nothing more than a typical station kiosk but has potential to be more.The only thing going for this station cafe is the staff who were pleasant.

I think this is the best all round cafè in lewes. My husband and i visti lewes monthly to look at antique shops and over the years have Had lunch in all the Pubs cafes and restaurants in Lewes. Its centrally located opposite Church antiques and near the flea market so you dont have to walk Miles to find it. Its spotlessly clean. The food is lovely. Freshly cooked .hot and cold available. We love the all day breakfast.extremely good value for money. Big portions. Definitely not a greasy spoon cafe think Cary kidston oil cloths. The thing i love the must is Its not twee and pretentious. It doesnt need to try hard.good food speaks for itself. The Waiting staff are friendly and lovely too

Magnificent! Independent, beats the chains usually found on British railway stations hands down! Friendly, good food, most of it 'home made' in a pleasant 'cafe' setting in the original railway buildings right on the platform for London. Its a pity they don't still have platform tickets so those not using the trains could frequent it too!

We had such a pleasant experience when we stopped for coffee and cake that we decided to go back for lunch and were very impressed by the antipasti - not the sort of thing one would have expected to find at a station buffet! This is exactly the sort of independent cafe a progressive rail company like Southern should be seeking to encourage - shame on them for trying to close it! Hanging around while waiting for a train is usually a bore - not so if you have a café like this in which to relax.

This place is still here! Southern tried to get rid of it. I presume because it was the only bright spot on their otherwise hellish journey into London. A true one off, where they make the food on the premises - the antithesis of the scandalously horrid Starbucks

Only nipped in for a coffee on my way to work but am always delighted by the charm of the place. The food and nibbles look great but never actually tried but the coffee is good and the staff are very friendly with good service

coffee not great but tea good - how can a station cafe not do a fry-up? Better than a chain but depressing decor.

The Runaway is a gem! Really friendly and accomdating staff who serve a great range of take away and eat in food. They are a popular with regular commuters as well as holiday makers. Their range of food is so much better that the chains that dominate other starions. Worth getting a platform ticked to have a flapjack and coffee.

What a lovely warm hospitable cafe this is. It really provides a fantastic service and is always busy with happy satisfied customers.

I visit this unique cafe once or twice a week, when visiting Lewes to attend an Italian Class. (I live in Bexhill, a good 20 miles away by train.)I usually have a warm drink, and perhaps a cake, but sometimes have a cooked meal. I thoroughly recommend the homemade Fish Pie, while in summer I sometimes have the Italian mixed antipasti. Due to 'people power' this independent cafe has been saved, and Jacqui (Jackie?) has great plans. She is asking people to say what improvements they would like to see, and will test the ten most popular ones. I like her idea for a settee/armchair area, and access to Wifi. I would also like some more radiators, especially at this time of year! I do hope she will keep the policy of playing only classical music - Classic FM - as this creates such a pleasant, relaxed ambience.The staff are LOVELY ...

I've been using this cafe for many years and have always found a friendly welcome on my visits. It’s run by an independent cafe owner, which makes it all the more unique these days when most cafes on stations are owned by large companies. There are hot and cold snacks and they are always obliging when you've only got minutes to get your train. Long may this independent retailer continue at Lewes station!

An example of the many independent retail and catering businesses in Lewes, this cafe is an asset to the station. It offers a friendly efficient service in a delightful ambience for reasonable prices. When travelling I always allow time to buy a coffee there, to take on the train or to from a china cup at a little table with fresh flowers, photos of trains and background classical music. What more could one want?

I have been a regular commuter from the south cost to London for 6 years, and every morning the Runaway Cafe provides an oasis of calm and restoration in an otherwise hectic and turbulent few hours. Walking from the platform (in whatever weather) into the cafe is like stepping into a chapter of your favourite book, where you feel you know it so well, and yet it's unique character always provides a welcome contrast to the routine of commuting life. The decor, gently broadcast classical music, wonderful staff and above all exceptionally high quality tea (I have tried to replicate their fresh leaf tea , but to no avail!) is a draw of the utmost pleasure. This warm, affective environment has the ability to salve my commuting soul every time..

Lewes Station is blessed with that rarest of things - an excellent station cafe. People go and drink the coffee there when they've no train to catch. I'm regularly surprised by how good and inexpensive the hot meals are, & how well-chosen the cold menu - you can get something you actually want! The service is friendly and efficient, probably because it's privately run, and not thank goodness part of one of the shockingly bad chains that monopolise most of our stations (where usually however hungry I am, after viewing the overpriced inedible junk on offer, starving seems the most tempting option). Unfortunately despite much local appreciation the management regularly have to battle to renew their lease - it would be such a shame to let this great little business get replaced by some dire, standard station buffet.

Where else does a journey to London begin with a friendly welcome, quick and efficient service and excellent, freshly-prepared drinks and snacks? The classical music soothes me after the dash to the station. The Runaway is the only station cafe which I am genuinely sorry to leave when my train pulls in. I love the fact that it is not part of a chain but an independent establishment where travellers feel at home because the regular customers are so obviously fond of the place and include newcomers in their chats with the staff.

Like so many others, I love this cafe! I first tried it when killing time before going to Italian Class nearby, and I've been going there every week ever since. Good selection of hot and cold drinks and sandwiches, cakes and pastries. The cooked meals are also delicious. The staff are very friendly, and efficient. It is such a joy that they play Classic FM. This really does create a good ambience, and is such a pleasant change from the mind-numbing rubbish most cafes, restaurants and hotels play.The cafe is situated between platforms 2 and 3. They are a privately owned one-off outfit, which makes another pleasant change from branded cafes. I thorougly recommend this unique place, which is great for breakfast, morning coffee, lunch or afternoon tea, solo, or with friends.