Tea Leaf in Brighton and Hove

I am so fed up with the chains and 'high-end' places for coffee and some food - particularly when their meagre vegan offerings are expensive and disappointing. So I was delighted to find The Tea Leaf today! I was freezing cold and starving and looked at the menu in the window - plenty of vegan options.. Yay! Nice and quirky inside - cushions, cosy and welcoming.. Couldn't decide between the stuffed peppers, minestrone soup, baked potato or a toasted sandwich. Eventually went for the latter-- lovely garlicky hummus, avocado at its best and veg... all served in toasted sourdough. And a lovely cup of tea with oat milk. Nosey me found that this place has only been taken over 2 months ago and, honestly, their vegan options were the best along the road (I looked at every cafe). If you want a warm welcome, quirky and a change from the same-old, same-old - theTea Leaf is for you.

At first sight it looks like a rainy place but there is a lovely garden in the back. We had delicious vegetarian Buddha bowls and excellent coffee. Very reasonably priced and friendly service. Highly recommended

My husband and I popped into Tea leaf for lunch a few weeks ago, The food was delicious! Fresh and tasty. We also had one of their homemade cakes - amazing. Great food and great service. We will definitely return.

This cafe is the best place for brunch/lunch in Hove. Warm friendly welcome, fresh produce, and daily specials!! Supports community partnerships around the local area. Also lovely hidden garden that is a real find.

I walked in wanting to order a sandwich and a drink, the person at the counter did not even see me or hear me as they engrossed in making a coffee. i eventually was acknowledged so I placed my order saying I was going to sit in the back garden. I found a back yard in a sorry state, all tables were dirty and untidy, plants dying or very dry and leaves covering the floor which is hardly the welcoming and relaxing place you'd expect. I sat there as I was eager to eat quickly and tried to not think about how bad this place looked and felt. I was then told that the main ingredient in my sandwich was not available so I accepted the alternative, so from having a BLT I was going yo have a sausage sandwich which eventually was handed to me (on the dirty table) with no sign of a serviette and with the minimum amount of sauce, spread thinly on ordinary granary bread ( from the day before). Fine. I was angry and just about to embark on a long walk so I ate quickly and did not even opened my bottle of water, walked to the counter to pay, here the best bit: I paid 9 pound for it. Please tell me: we are not normalising this kind of rip off. It's Portland Road in Hove, not Pimlico on the verge of Mayfair. I hated it.

We live round the corner and absolutely love treating ourself to brunch at tea leaf! Katie is so nice, as are all the staff and we feel so at ease eating here. Good quality, tasty food for reasonable prices! Couldn’t reccommend enough!

The Tea Leaf is great. Have always loved the food and Katie the owner is very friendly and flexible when it comes to having the food made just as you want it. My personal favourite is the falafel wrap.

What a great find on Portland road, fresh ingredients, lots of options with generous portions. I’ve been quite a few times now for breakfast/lunch or even just a coffee in their peaceful garden at the back. Great service and very reasonably priced, keep up the good work!

I can’t recommend this place enough. It is such a great place for breakfasts, lunch or just a quick coffee. Great atmosphere inside, and the garden outside is great now it’s getting warmer. Perfect for children and families too. They even have free WiFi which is great. Staff are accommodating to every request, and will make anything any way you want it. I’ll be back again soon!

Love this cafe, it’s got a completely different feel to all the others and executes what it does, really well. The owner obviously genuinely cares about the impression the cafe decor, service and food makes on the customers and it’s all great. Really relaxing, quality and good value.

A small group of us including a 1yr old dropped in for lunch. The food was excellent and very reasonably priced. They also had a high chair and were welcoming to children.

We came into Tea Leaf on a cold Friday in December for a warming panini and flat white and had a lovely experience.They had a lovely warm, cosy and relaxed atmosphere and the food was high in quality and flavour. No ask was too big and we felt comfortable we could stay all afternoon. This I definitely my favourite cafe in Hove and I will continue to recommend Tea Leaf to my friends.

The best place to eat and drink on Portland Road. The food is freshly made and extremely tasty! Such good value for money. The staff are always lovely and welcoming too. I can’t keep away!

Stopped by on a shopping trip for breakfast. Friendly staff, food tasty and good value. Unfortunately the surroundings are pretty grubby. Dust and dirt - loo particularly unsavoury. Such a shame. A good clean would make all the difference.

Very pleasant cafe with interesting interior and a beautiful rear garden. Staff are lovely; friendly and accommodating. They have a separate vegan menu and offer plant milks. Also wide selection of herb and fruit teas. Their vegan breakfast is wonderful, and they offer smaller vegan fayres, such as banana and peanut butter on toast, and vegan tiffin. Reasonable prices. Recommended.

Lovely garden. Yummy food. Vegan options. Friendly and good service. So lucky to have finally stumbled across this cafe. If you haven’t tried it yet - get in there!

Found by chance. Lovely place friendly helpful staff. Excellent food pulled pork sarnie was fab. Parents visited and loved it and local to my flat as well

Quite good selection, tasty food, friendly staff. Highly recommended for a quick breakfast or lunch or a long chat.

I'm struggling to put into words just how incredible this place is.

Wandered into this spot with my wife. I'm a vegetarian and she is not, but we were both able to find something good. We even came back for breakfast 2 days later. Good Mochas! Good vibe...

When I pass by I always stop for one of their sandwiches which are superb. My favourite is there pulled pork sandwich which has a great tangy flavour and comes with a great coleslaw and side salad. Great staff who always provide efficient and friendly service.

Cute little place, pretty awesome decor and the owner is pretty nice. I go there and sit sometimes, they have a great playlist!

This place is a gem, fantastic food the best chicken wrap ever all freshly made to order. Great prices too.

This place makes you feel at home, nice healthy food freshly made by the nice owner Katie. Amazing soups and ham & cheese panini :)

Wanted a quick breakfast and coffee and found this place during a walk. Offbeat decor and a warm welcome were found inside. The food was served quickly and warm, and was delicious. Can't wait to come back when it's warm outside to enjoy the secret garden!

Ever since I moved to the area back in Nov 2014, I've been coming to the Tea Leaf. Katie kept my partner and I supplied with coffees and tasty paninis, salads and sandwiches while we were renovating our house in the depths of winter. A great, friendly place for lunch, coffee break or breakfast and the secret garden in the summer is a nice hideaway from the lovely buzz of busy Portland road. It really is a wonderful friendly neighbourhood café that I visit time and time again (even though I now have a fully functioning kitchen!) A special mention also for the most divine brownies known to humankind. Gooey double chocolate with chunks of white chocolate inside.

Found this place while renovating our house around the corner and have been a regular since. Great coffee and tasty food, the toasted sandwiches are top notch. There is also a lovely garden out the back.

I love this little cafe, they serve the best breakfast in town! and that's saying something. The sandwich menu is huge and if you get suck trying to choose the lovely owner Katie will suggest interesting options, if you are in this part of town you would be mad not to pop in.

Having tried a number of local places I found Tea Leaf last year and am happy to say the food is fantastic. Great menu, pulled pork sandwich or falafel wrap are my faves. Good soups on for winter too. Friendly service and good fun decor.