The Apothecary in Rother - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Charming place with nice cakes and tea. We would definitely recommend, if you are looking for an authentic place - it is touristy though.

I loved the quirky look from both outside and in. When you first go in it’s not obvious straight away that there are more little seating areas on different ground levels. Very quaint. Loved the quirky interior. We ordered coffees which came quickly and were piping hot 😀. I had a crepe with lemon and sugar. Delicious. One small thing, I’m a stickler for good service so would have liked that extra friendly more attentive service but brilliant overall.

Gorgeous little cafe with a quirky interior. Servers were very sweet, but was a no frills sort of place, we both had eggs on toast, mine scrambled and they were some of the best I’ve ever had. Cakes looked nice but we didn’t indulge. My only negative was they didn’t appear to have any iced drinks (coffee) on the menu, which on a day like when we visited would have been hugely welcomed.

Have been using The Apothecary for some years and always loved the Shabby Chic feel. However, I think now it is time for redecoration and a refurb of the toilets. Everything looks tired and grubby. Not what you want when eating and drinking. Lovely staff, decent food and coffee.

Rude young staff member. Cakes weren’t worth being treated like that. Other more friendly and welcoming places in town

Loved the look of this place so popped in for a tea and toasted teacake having checked the menu first to see their prices (see my review of The Old Grain Store, Rye for explanation). Took a nice comfy seat in the small front room where the counter is based; this was both a positive and a negative. Positive in that service was swift and efficient; negative in that you had no choice but to listen to the staff incessant inane chatter (one lady had a particularly loud voice and I learned far more about her family and her knowledge of other families in Camber than I needed). The teacake came ready - and plentifully buttered and looked great. One half tasted great. Unfortunately you could tell until you bit into it that the other half was partly burnt and therefore tasted more of burn than bun. Shame.

We had a lovely lunch in this place, good selection of salads and sandwiches. Great setting with various interesting decorations and furniture. The selection of cakes looked great too!

Stumbled across this lovely coffee shop whilst on a day trip to Rye with my husband. Staff were very friendly and greeted us as soon as we arrived and informed us of the available seating. We sat on the sofa in the second room and loved looking at the quirky coffee table which had newspaper articles under the glass. The sofa was lovely and comfortable and we loved the rustic feel. Service was quick and friendly. We had a cream tea each, mine with a cappuccino which I found to be made perfectly. The scones were warm and fresh. Prices reasonable. We will definitely be returning when we next visit Rye.

Looking for a cooked brekkie and had been recommended to visit the Apothecary by friends so we did so. A warm welcome was received as we entered and we were given a choice of seating and the waitress would attend to us once settled. Picking a table a couple of levels up (not floors) and we perused the menu. The kids opted for a sausage sandwich and a croissant respectively (teenager moaning about calories again) whilst I chose the poached egg with bacon. Service was swift and soon we were tucking in - being Rye, we enjoyed the local LARGE crusted bread (either white or brown, both as tasty as they come) and the eggs were poached to PERFECTION, neatly moulded and gorgeous colour yokes! The Apothecary was originally an old chemist / pharmacy but has been modelled as a library, bookshelves and books along with some very distinct wallpaper - on the ceiling!! A super brekkie and will be both returning and recommending to all. Thank you everyone there!

Apothecary Cafe looked quite interesting from the outside so we thought we would go in for coffee. Inside very quirky, interesting decor, comfortable, full of character and ambience. Service was excellent friendly, polite and attentive, great coffee but even more amazing the cakes. I checked out other tables who were having food and that too looked very appetising, if it wasn’t for the fact that we’d already had breakfast we would have eaten there too. Lovely place to stop off and treat yourself

A world away from your corporate coffee houses, The Apothecary is a delightful place to drop in for tea and cake after strolling round the historic streets of Rye. Loved the fact that there were so many different places to sit in the cafe - including those where you could tuck yourself away - and the fact that the chairs and tables were an eclectic mix, in varying styles and vintages. I should also mention that they had a decent collection of loose teas and the cakes were fantastic - the shortbread I ordered was nigh on perfect.

Had a lovely hot chocolate and tiffin cake. As well as having other cakes and mocha. The most important thing about this was having the cups piping hot which kept the drinks lovely and hot.

It was our first time visiting Rye and we came across this Cafe and what a little gem. The staff are all welcoming and friendly. The food was lovely and we were served quickly even though it was busy. The Cafe itself is homely and nice. We would return and we recommend this Cafe.

Lovely eclectic place. We had toasted sandwiches, coffee and hot chocolate. All very hot and tasty. Very enjoyable

What a fabulous place, the home made orange and raisin slice and the date loaf were simply delicious, and what a quaint place, the surroundings and the helpful energetic staff made it even more enjoyable. Thoroughly recommend - if you can get a table !! Will definitely be back with other friends now that we have found you !

We went into this very quaint cafe, it must have formerly been a chemist’s shop. The food was lovely. The staff were extremely pleasant and service was good

We visit here quite frequently when visiting friends in Rye. Really lovely atmosphere, with a great menu. The cakes and sandwiches are always really nice. The only thing I would improve, is that it would be nice if they checked in to ask if we want more drinks.

Lovely old building with a great cappuccino. Food took a while to come out but was ample and well prepared. Seating was a but tight, and quite noisy at the front but you fo get to people watch on and high street. A nice experience over all.

Excellent place for a lunch when exploring the town. No problem with gluten free items (I have coeliac disease) and we both enjoyed our food. Friendly staff, comfortable sofa 🙂

Cracking cafe, nice vibe in there and the food is excellent, we had 4 different mains and 4 different cakes and all were top notch and fairly priced .. it’s popular though so you might have a wait but it’s worth it

We went to the Apothecary as it looked great and they had a couple of empty tables. The orange and sultana cake was fantastic, and the brownie was nice, but the tea could have been better (we could not tell the difference between Assam, English Breakfast, and Darjeeling). Quirky decor, welcoming atmosphere, friendly staff.

Called in here for a late breakfast/brunch. Have been here several times before and it's always been a lovely, relaxed place to have a bite to eat and a drink.

We stopped in for a quick coffee and a slice of cake. The cakes were great and the savoury food was going down a treat with other customers. The staff were friendly and helpful. Even when it's crowded there seems to be a little space somewhere in the cavernous back rooms. But they DON'T know how to steam milk. So my cappuccino was just a milky coffee with soap suds frothed milk on top. Exceedingly disappointed and it took a lot of effort not to get them how to use a steam wand more correctly.

Great service and reasonably- priced food. I had a lovely bacon and brie panini which was well cooked and tasty. I highly recommend this place.

I walked past The Apothecary when it was closed and I said to the Mrs we have to go in here before we leave Rye. So after checking out of our B&B we had one last look around the shops in Rye and the walked...

Popped in here for a late lunch one Sunday. Lovely little old world tea room/cafe. My partner said it’s best poached eggs he has ever had. We had some late breakfast and then a cream tea and it was all delicious and reasonable. Would recommend.

Visited Rye for the day and popped to this cafe for lunch. Ordered Welsh rarebit and was quite disappointed with the portion size. We had 1 slice with salad and coleslaw. For almost £9 this seemed a bit steep. Tasted really nice, just a bit...

Had the soup and bread which was very tasty. Disappointed that there was no gluten free bread, especially as the cafe says it has gluten free options. My husband is not coeliac but has a very low tolerance to gluten and decided to risk a...

Nice location on High Street, good coffee and welcoming staff. Good croissants, pans au chocolats, etc too.

Great coffee in a genuinely interesting building , ideal for taking a break , some good looking homemade cakes too

An interesting old building of real character, delightful staff, and above all, the most wonderful scone, thick cream and rich jam. All washed down with a generous quantity of Earl Grey tea. What more could you ask for on Valentine’s Day?

We visit the Apothecary for afternoon drinks and snacks and were attracted to this establishment by its appearance (both inside and out). Apothecary is an old term for what we now know as a pharmacist. The main entrance area is fitted out in the style...

Great looking cafe and food/coffee/orange juice were all served quickly and with smiles from the staff. However, I do have to comment about one member of staff had a cough which really bothered us. Every couple of minutes we heard it and then observed it...

My wife and I visited this venue this week whilst visiting Rye. We have ben here before but quite a while ago. The inside is very old and has a great history and serves very good, fresh food and coffee's. There are three rooms available...

Nice atmosphere (three rooms as well so plenty of space), friendly staff and good food - no frills, just does what it says on the tin! The porridge was lovely for breakfast unlike the stodgy muck you usually get in cafes for breakfast. The prices...

Ein kleines, äußerst gemütliches Cafe mit leckerem Kuchen und Kaffee und Tee in allen Varianten. Ideal, um während eines Stadtrundgangs...

A small troop of us headed to this spot excitedly (as we have done for many years) in the hope of a tasty milkshake and a warm welcome; sadly neither were forthcoming in this oddly stilted and strangely unsatisfying visit. It felt very much as...

Whilst visiting the town we were drawn in by the quirky and eclectic appearance of this establishment and I'm glad were as it didn't disappoint. The young staff were efficient and very friendly and lunch was very good, we felt unhurried and relaxed and would...

Vi kom ind for kaffe og te med kage. Jeg kan godt lide venlig betjening og hyggelig stemning. Gamle boger...

Nice pleasant staff. Coffee tasted good and the selection of homemade cake was many. I had the coffee and walnut and it was delicious.

The best place we have eaten in Kent. Lovely staff and great food. Best coffee cake ever. Don't miss this little gem. Excellent.

Dined here with my partner for a light lunch on a wet Saturday. Lovely quirky atmosphere with nice, polite and helpful service. I had Welsh rarebit. Partner had BLT on really good granary bread. Both very good with decent coffee. Price/quality ratio spot on. Well...

Lovely experience with quirky interior. Food order was taken promptly and coffee and food delivered quickly. Decent portions of cake and great milkshakes. Only improvement would be on the number of tables that could sit more than 3. We ended up tucked round the back...

Peculiar place right at the end of the main street. We enjoyed a cup of coffee and a shortbread. Friendly staff and definitely a cafe to stop by and admire the decorations.

Just off the end of the main street and spread over three tiered areas (the property goes up hill) this cafe had a really nice cosy, local atmosphere. A warm welcome as we came in, prompt table service and a good value menu with all...

Recommended to go here for coffee when visiting the area, it was a lovely inside space, warm, friendly atmosphere, a little noisy as we sat by the kitchen prep area, but it was obviously a good coffee shop as all the tables were taken. Great...

This is a spacious old building with lots of pharmacy related decorations and a novel line in comics decorating the ceilings. They serve decent coffee and have a very nice line of hot local sausage sandwiches on a range of breads. Mustards and sauces were...

Great selection of home made cakes as well as sandwiches, crepes and paninis. Good quality coffee and the cream tea with clotted cream and jam was superb. The young ladies were friendly and very attentive service.

Really lovely welcoming service and cakes that are just amazing. Great coffee too. Also, loved the music, very tasteful!

This venue scored A+ for the coffee, A+ for the service ( polite, friendly & with a smile) & A+ for the prices! The Welsh rarebit came with generous leafy side salad & slaw & the panini's have extra options. What's there not to like!

Popped in for coffee & cake on a wet and miserable day so needed some cheering up. Coffee was fine, walnut cake was nice and the apothecary in general had a charming ambience. However the staff were so drull! We couldn't believe how the youngest...

It was great to stumble across this charming cafe, which was everything you want in such a historical place to visit. Polite and fast service. I was very pleased to see that all the cakes were covered on the counter - it makes sense in...

In a world full of Costas and Starbucks what a delight to find a higgledy-piggledy place like this. Squashy sofas, groaning bookshelves, wonderful coffee and eats and sweet staff. What a shame there isn't a chain of these.

Called here for drinks only. A very big step into the place which was hard for me. managed to get a seat ok. Was very busy and a slow service. plenty of choice, prices ok, we usually moan in other places that drinks are just warm but here they were very hot. Think staff could be a bit more friendly and a smile does help

After lunch, and wandering around the lovely cobbled streets of Rye, my friend & I felt the need for a coffee and something sweet before heading back to London. Luckily, we stumbled across this corner cafe, and were well chuffed with our choice. Lovely 'oldy-worldy' atmosphere to be found indoors, with relaxing, deep-cushioned arm chairs to enjoy, whilst I tucked into a highly delectable 'cream tea' - a plain scone served with lashings of clotted cream & strawberry jam, and a pot of steaming team on the side. A highly recommended venue.

Hi we met my mum for coffee in here whilst we were on holiday. I had not seen my mum for several months but the staff did not rush us and allowed us to sit in there chatting for a couple of hours. The coffee and food was delicious and the setting was really quirky and quaint

I'm writing this whilst still in the cafe, having just finished lunch. What a lovely, quirky place. Quick, friendly service, really nice coffee and good food. The menu is simple cafe fare but the food is done really well. Didn't try one of the cakes but they look good and if they're in keeping with the rest, I'm sure they'll be delicious

My espresso was reasonable but in 2021 I’d expect to have a nicer alternative to soya milk for my coffee so I wasn’t able to order a latte

We often eat here when we're in town because their food is always delicious and their hot chocolate is actually hot, not just warm :). It was a shame that, today, we were served by a whole host of surly staff. Sort that and you are back up to five stars

We stopped here for lunch whilst visiting Rye so relaxing stop. Lovely quirky cafe - excellent banana milkshake and welsh rarebit. Good choice of food and drink.

Not our first visit but our first day eating out post lockdown and we weren’t disappointed. First class service and excellent food and coffee, as usual.

My wife and I went in to get out of a torrential down pour and discovered a little gem. The cafe is decorated in a lovely distressed state, full of character and charm. The staff were friendly and extremely helpful. We only had tea, coffee and cake. But looking round the portions being served we're generous and really well presented. Would highly recommend this cafe.

My husband and I popped in for a coffee whilst visiting Rye today. Met with great customer service, friendly staff and fabulous HOT coffee. Well worth a visit

My husbands favourite place for coffee and breakfast after early morning mass. Very cozy and staff are friendly. The corner table is our favourite spot

Worth a visit. Nice cakes and good coffee. Hot breakfasts food available. Would recommend the Carrot cakes which is very moist like a Christmas pud. Good service and plenty of spacing for COVID. Decor is like an old chemist in keeping with the town. Not easy access for wheel chairs or buggy’s. Would recommend. Please like if this helped.

The food was very good and it is bigger inside than it looks. With a pram go round the side, rather than lift up the steps. But be warned they have no high chairs!! Not even one!

Two of us popped in for coffee and cake and we could not fault anything, the service was fine and the drinks were ok. COVID safe, but due the many coffee shops in Rue would try another next time

We ducked in here out of the rain. Good selection of drinks and cakes. Sadly no gluten options available the day we went.

Been to Rye many times but 1st time here. Good social distancing and plenty of hand sanitiser available. Opted for the Welsh rarebit and wasn’t disappointed, large portion and very tasty. Would recommend and very filling and we would most certainly go back again

Firstly the positives, the coffee and walnut cake was pleasant, they had good COVID restrictions and the young man serving us was polite. However, the service was incredibly slow & the staff just seemed to stand around. So slow that we saw two other tables walk out in our first 5 minutes of sitting down which wasn’t a good sign. Our coffee and food were slow to arrive (however the young man did apologise for this). The coffee was ok. My last point would be that the dress code was a bit in inappropriate, one girl had shorts on so short you couldn’t see them under her apron. As a waitress myself I understand that staying cool in the summer is hard but on this particular day it wasn’t even hot enough to wear shorts, let alone ones so short.The staff were all young so maybe just need some guidance. Seems to me like management have fallen out of love with the place.

Quirky place, friendly staff, Victoria sponge was lovely as was the panini. This place is SO grubby. Doesn't look like it's been properly cleaned for months...and for this reason we will not return.

Went with wife and son. Ordered drinks and 3 cakes. Coffee eventually arrived (although it had gone to another table incorrectly before it reached us), but no sign of milkshake. Waited 10mins for milkshake, but still no show. Asked waiter, who then went to go and make it - obviously forgot about this part of the order. My cake arrives, at which point we are then told that they had sold out of the other 2 cakes, so we had to chose from the only 2 other alternatives left. My wife declined and my son chose one of the others available. My cake was raw in the middle, and my sons cake was dry. In the meantime, customers were asked to wait outside whilst tables were prepared, and then promptly forgotten about. New customers came straight in, past those waiting outside, and were seated. Those waiting outside eventually left. Lucky escape. Asked for the bill, waited, nothing. waited some more, until finally went to pay at counter, as no one was coming over to take payment. I was ready to walk out and not pay I was so disgusted with the service, but was advised against it. Post lockdown you would have thought cafes like this would be bending over backwards to give good service to achieve repeat business. Obviously not. The Apothecary needs to take some medicine. Owners - sort it out before you go out of business. Shambles.

Have been here before and liked it very much so was quite happy to pop in again for a bit of lunch today when we visited Rye. I just had a sandwich, coffee and a slice of Victoria sponge - it was all excellent. The staff were all wearing face shields and were sanitising everything after customers left, the tables, seats and everything. There is a "one way" system in operation now and you pay at your table rather than going to the front desk.

Quirky decor and layout. Nice atmosphere. We had flat whites, a tuna melt panini and the most delicious carrot cake. Hard-working staff trying to deal with covid protective measures and serve food at the same time. Definitely worth a try if you're in Rye and fancy a light lunch/coffee and cake.

We decided to go for a nice breakfast after reading some reviews. Part of the stuff makes you feel unwelcome, waiting at the door to be attending after one of the waiters realized we were there. The menu is smaller than in the web. Tried to order creppes with brie and grapes as they have that combo with sandwiches and in the old menu abd web. Been told they don't do it anymore with creppes and offering to do it in a toast instead or actual sandwich? I think they couldn't bother to do the creppes.I had toast ,scrambke eggs and smoked salmon instead,very basic with supermarket bread and high price. I was expecting something else.overrating place.

Nice lunch, good choice, Liz had welsh rarebit, nice with plenty of salad and home made coleslaw. I had smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on toast - very good, Tea was good Flat White OK. Very friendly staff.

Eclectic mix of furniture and furnishings, staggered floors, cosy atmosphere, great coffee and homemade food, perfect change from all the chain style coffee house everywhere else. The carrot cake was fantastic and my husband enjoyed his cream tea, I also managed to get a soya milk, decaf latte which was actually hot too so big result and a huge thumbs up to this place.

If I could run a coffee house this would be it! A wonderful eclectic mix of old furniture, wooden floorboards, easy leather armchairs, excellent rapid service and delicious food and coffee. Perfect! We had two large americano coffees a homemade Quiche and a Tuna melt panini. The whole bill came to just £18.10. I really want to come here again. Just the place to read a newspaper and relax!

Have been visiting for 18 years and am never disappointed with the high cooking standard in this tearoom/cafe. Does not serve fool blown meals, but the snacks and cakes are excellent with fresh ingredients. However, the Shabby-Chic decor has been taken too far. The floor is a disgusting pealing lino and leather easy chairs are warn out and require re-upholstering! The place is not very clean. The atmosphere and quality food makes up for what is lacking in hygiene.

Popped in for coffee and a light bite. Slightly weird layout and I imagine the table arrangement makes it hard to maximise covers but we somehow ended up going in through a back door and stumbled straight on a free table when others appeared to be struggling. Drinks were good but availability of food poor. The first two items we ordered were out of stock! Wouldn't avoid but wouldn't seek out next time in area.

A wonderfully quirky place with multiple rooms, each with a slightly different feel. A great array of cakes and pastries as well as a more extensive menu. Great place to sit and people watch!

We’ve had coffee and cake several times in the Apothecary in the past when in Rye. Although the service is usually slow the drinks and food have always been ok. We called in today and were greeted with’ we’re very busy today but there might be somewhere’. There was in fact quite a lot of space but there were several tables with only one person at the table, and a spare table for two. A little bit of chair moving would have created space but the staff weren’t interested so we left.

Visited on a busy Saturday. Loved the cafe. Great coffee and cakes. Staff were overwhelmed by takeout customers so table service was slow. Still loved it though!

Nice quirky atmosphere & comfortable seating. Unfortunately we were totally ignored by the teenage female staff. Once we were able to get the attention of a waitress to inquire if we should order from the counter we were abruptly told that someone would take our order. Only when we got up to leave did a waiter take our order! It seems to me that when you rely on young untrained staff, your business will only suffer. Please train them to at least be welcoming & polite & your business will surely thrive.

I’ve eaten there before and never had to wait that long for service or the food itself.But this time it was really busy and I had to wait 10 minutes to be served. The waitress was very helpful and took my order, a simple poached egg on toast but 25 minutes later, no food. When I enquired, the kitchen confirmed it would still be “a while”. I would have appreciated knowing that when I ordered.Still, it’s a lovely place and I’d visit there again but only when it’s quieter.

Went with my wife for lunch. Very quirky place and very busy. We had the Welsh rarebit and a latte. The rarebit was very nice with really good home made coleslaw. The coffee was great. Would definitely go back

We were looking for a lite-lunch and thought we would try this establishment.Either a window needs to be open or some ventilation installed. On entering my glasses steamed up and took some time to defog.Service was quick, polite, friendly and efficient. They even apologised that there weren't enough sausage rolls left to fill our order and what replacement we would like.Food when served was tasty and wholesome.One of our number has a gluten intolerance, therefore didn't want the bread that came with the soup, so he got an extra portion.Unfortunately there was a hair in the salad, but we were not charged for it.It is a cramped space, but lots of atmosphere.

We managed to get seated at a busy time today (28th Dec). Was told swiftly that our order would be taken at our table. 10 mins later she hadn't come, so placed the order at the counter. We had waited quite a while, when we were asked if we would like to place our order. I then said we had ordered, have they forgotten? Our drinks were then brought but no cake. After getting up to tell them the cake we had ordered it was brought. Not the most relaxing coffee experience. Would have been lovely had we not been forgotten.

We go to Rye two or three times a year to have a nose around in the shops and have a yummy lunch. As creatures of habit we’ve tended to end up in the same place all the time, so we thought we’d discover somewhere new. The Apothecary on the high street looked warm and welcoming so we went in. It was homely inside, an eclectic collection of comfy furniture and decor...shabby chic. The food ranged from teas, coffees and cakes through to paninis, sandwiches, soups, salads and some all day breakfast items like poached eggs on toast. Service was friendly, everything made fresh, plenty of seating over four rooms and inexpensive. We were pleased with our choice and sure to be back!

Walked in to this place as it looked an interesting spot for the staff to just ignore us, we sat down at a table and was still ignored by the young staff who where to busy gossiping.

Eclectic can only describe the interior of this quirky cafe. Armchairs with the stuffing coming out. Three different rooms all with distinct character. Excellent food, tea and coffee. Very friendly quick service and reasonable prices

Always a pleasure to come here - staff make you feel really welcome, and if you can get one of the booths by the open kitchen on the top floor, the Chef is a great person to chat too.

As you step through the door it's like walking back in time into a plush, Victorian club with leather armchairs and a very relaxed atmosphere. But there's nothing old-fashioned about the food and service. Whether you are here for just a drink, or a drink and a cake or a snack lunch, all the food is home made and the staff are very friendly and helpful. Well worth dropping into when you are in Rye.

Oh my goodness this place is a real gem.It’s like going back in time to a better world.It has been restored as an apothecary, but is a coffee shop.Such a lovely ambience.Cakes are wow, I had carrot cake with citrus glaze, so moist and fresh. Baked on the premises. Excellent coffeeReally worth a visit

Stopped for coffee and cake to warm up. Waitress service which was nice. Great selection of home made cakes (all made in house). Definitely worth a visit.

What a building, straight back in time with original fittings, old comfy leather chairs and such a unique atmosphere. if you want chain plastic cups, laminate tables don't cross the threshold. Homemade cakes a plenty, reasonable prices and relaxed atmosphere where you can read the paper or just gaze out the huge windows. It is larger than you think so don't pass by.

Really good coffee and excellent choice of cakes. Atmosphere is lovely - you can sit in the window and watch the world go buy.

Went in for breakfast as it looked quirky from the outside. It was honestly the grubbiest place we have ever eaten, a shocker for Rye as there are so many nice places. Paintwork all over was filthy and oddly there were grease stains all down the walls where we were eating. We didn’t use the loos but the “white” door into them was in parts black with filth. Coffee was fine but the eggs on toast were luke warm and on soggy sliced bread. The more mature lady that too, our order was friendly but the several young staff were sullen without even the basic niceties of a smile or even acknowledge we were there. Give it a miss and go to Hayden’s down the road or in fact any of the nice clean cafes in Rye.

Bit of a Tardist, much bigger inside than it looks outside. We sat and were served with a smile. Coffee with cream and a pancake which we didn’t go in for but fancied it! Not rushed, all good.

Their scrambled eggs for mum is a winner And panini for me. Not great access for a wheel chair but someone will,always help us to get in and out again