The CakeShed in Tunbridge Wells

The joint was busy today but we got lucky. Great window sofa! We enjoyed various teas/coffees. The choc/raspberry cake was apparently delicious and not too sweet. The courgette/lime cake was apparently also a hit. Cake Shed now offers a breakfast menu. Worth a try. The location is perfect, central on the pretty Pantiles.

Overpriced, very average food. Coffee was great but our bagels with fillings at nearly £10 each were basically a rip-off ! Bagels were cheap, as were the ingredients - quite tasteless really. And they add gratuity to he bill as a given - says it all !!

We were greeted at the dood by a lovely lady who helped us with a buggy. Coffe was great and pecan pie was delicious. We will definitely come back when we visit Tunbridge Wells again.

Visited on Wednesday 29th November 2023 After visiting Goudhurst Village & Sissinghurst Castle I returned to Royal Tunbridge Wells to have a cuppa and natter with Sarah & Debs in the Pantiles. The cafe is quite small but has an excellent selection of cakes. The pay area was quite strange as it was in front of the servicing area, but not a massive issue.

Stopped for lunch as seemed most reasonably priced of the café restaurants in the Pantiles. Friendly staff good coffee food took some time. Had to ask for dressing on the salad which was spoilt in part by salt sprinkled on it. They should ask you first. Also in winter should not insist on the door being kept open all the time. Other than these minor quibbles okay.

My friend's pre birthday lunch. My friend had the duck wrap, half of which she left. I had the New Yorker which looked good on the menu but was meagre in size, hard small, stale bagel not much filling and a limp couple of salad leaves on the side...very pricey will avoid in future.

On a day trip from Eastbourne the coach stopped at the Pantiles for a coffee stop so i came into The Cake Shed for a coffee and i had cake as well and pleased with the service but did think it was a bit expensive

Lovely outdoor seating on the Pantiles, idyllic. The menu choice is interesting but prices quite high. The New Yorker bagel is scrumptious but i need two = £16!!! The vegan wrap was spicy and flavourful. The fudge cake expensive and very bland.

Ordered a cake from the Cake Shed for a 30th Birthday. Although the cake I received was nice tasting, aesthetically, it was not the cake that I asked for. For £140 (although in the end £15 was deducted) I expected to get a cake that looked like the reference photos I had sent over and the colour scheme that I asked for. I was made to feel wrong for complaining and when I emailed later that day to formally complain I received no reply for over a week. I was told it took three days to make but it looked like somewhat of a rushed job. I won't be making another order anytime soon.

Fabulous lunches - salads, sandwiches, everything freshly made - and absolutely delicious cakes. Service has been great every time I’ve been, dog friendly inside and out.

Has been a favourite of ours for many years but, unfortunately, the service can be a bit hit or miss. Can be brilliant but our last experience was woeful. I did send this comment to them privately (twice) but received no reply - which is probably a reflection of how interested they really are in customer service. Go figure…

Service was quite slow considering the few late afternoon customers but the sausage roll and veg panini were tasty & good value. The mango smoothie was fresh and lovely and cold . The cheesecake was tasty but overpriced for quite a meagre slice. Staff friendly and efficient.

We came for cake and coffee as a family but the service was very slow. I don’t think they have good knowledge of allergies and food intolerances. I asked about gf cakes and was given a list but thankfully I had been inside and could see that the cakes were all mixed together,with no basic understanding that you shouldn’t mix cakes that are sold as gf/ df with others. That is standard hospitality practice. I mentioned it but the chef was very defensive and just said that “we can’t guarantee anything as they are baked together”. That may be so but you can minimise the risk of cross contamination, it’s just standard in most food outlets. Also it didn’t say that on the list of cakes we were given. I found the attitude rude rather than being willing to appreciate what I was saying. Our order was incredibly slow, despite it not being that busy.

Food was nice. But toilet was not very pleasant and I wasn't impressed with hygiene of one of the servers. But when it was mentioned in a review previously the response was very defensive as tho we was making it up.

I've been to The Cake Shed a few times with my friend and her young daughter and it's been an enjoyable experience every time. It's cosy and laid back with a good range of food options (including for vegetarians like me), good food portions and yummy cakes (we always buy a selection to take home with us). It's lovely and clean, and the staff are very friendly, too. We always sit indoors upstairs but there is also downstairs and outside seating. I've just found out they are dog friendly which is even better, so I'll bring my terrier with me next time, too.

Cakeshed was quite busy so we waited a good while for our bagel/wrap. The veg wrap was impressive but i was disappointed to pay £8 for my bagel, ouch! It was tasty though. Garnish was a small portion of lettuce! This could be done so much more impressively without breaking the bank or a sweat. The cakes looked fairly uninspiring.

The only good thing was that the food they provide was in fact really good. This led to a great atmosphere and being the busiest cafe in the pantiles during our visit. However, one male member of staff repeatedly touched his face, wiped his nose, scratched a few places and the proceeded to make our hot chocolates and one time I saw him get something out of the food shelves. I just think they need to introduce some hand washing as I did not see any of the 4 members of staff wash their hands during entering or using the open plan kitchen which is fully visible to the seating area. Furthermore I looked online at the latest food hygiene score. It was done in Feb 2022 and the score was 2. However on their door they have got 2 at 5 stars… Would I visit again. Probably not.

Dreadful service, waited ages for a table, had to ask twice for people to clear our table and never happened. Took over half an hour to get drinks and some cake. Asked for one of the cakes to go and this didn’t happen. Had to go in to ask for it to be taken. Cocktails were unpleasant and my wine glass had bits floating in it that were not wine sediment/finings. Asked twice for the bill and when taking payment was over charged. Questioned the server about the cost and then was told that I would need a refund, however as they left they then swore at us and rolled their eyes. Went in to complain to the manager who wasn’t very interested, she passed me on to the owner who simply replied ‘that’s a shame we don’t usually get this kind of feedback’. Cakes tasted nice but would wholeheartedly avoid at all costs

My sister and I wanted to try an independent coffee shop rather than the big chains and I'm so glad we came here. Its was wonderful. Staff friendly and cake and coffee just delicious. Could not fault it at all. Do not understand the negative reviews. Loved it being dog friendly as well. Thank you everyone.

The people are wonderful, the food is superb and the drinks are delicious too. There is sometimes a bit of a wait but it is well worth it. The up side to that it that we have never felt rushed!!! Cannot recommend it to highly!

I spied this place while having lunch nearby. It looked so promising that I refused dessert at my restaurant and decided to have cake here. Maybe it was my expectations - but I was severely disappointed. This is more a coffee shop than a 'cake...

Visited many times over the years and they do lovely hot chocolates. Since the pandemic I have visited twice and been disappointed at the quality of the cakes. Nice ideas but very dry. For example, I have tried the peanut butter and dark chocolate cake...

Popped in whilst having a flying visit. A lovely day but all outside tables were in use so we went inside. I had the Italian Job sandwich. It was huge and crammed full of all the filling plus it was juicy and delicious. Calling it...

A trip to The CakeShed I discovered overpriced sandwiches. I paid £7.25 for the Italian Job. It had flavour but was very basic. The bread was soggy, the “Salad” was a small handful of leaves drowned in olive oil, where was the tomatoes, carrots, onions?...

Popped in for a coffee and we're soon tempted by the thought of a sausage roll. We weren't disappointed. Coffee was good and sausage roll was the best we've had in a very long time. So nice we ended up staying for cake too. Staff...

I was really disappointed with this place. I visited with some friends on Saturday last Saturday morning. The first thing I noticed was how cold the place was - it was absolutely freezing inside. The front door was wide open and I asked if I...

Two sides of a coin this week. I took my mum to mine and my partner's favourite coffee and cake place on Friday and we had lovely time, the staff were friendly, the cake was amazing as always. So to turn up Saturday afternoon with...

Have been here on number of occasions with family. Always spot on, however will not listen to garbage from others . Fair play to staff. So professional and as family will be back. Lovely people, top place.

I have always loved The Cakeshed and have gone regularly for tea/cake or lunch with my friend. However, I have recently had a baby and was made to feel very unwelcome. We went to have lunch at The Cakeshed and when we arrived, we asked...

The venue was very busy so we had to wait for a table, wait for service, wait for drinks then wait for the cake slice! Staff are friendly despite being run off their feet. The cakes are difficult to see behind two layers of perspex/glass...

Disappointed in the service. Menu had no indication item ordered contain nuts & I was looked at like I was mad when cake was returned, no apologies given. When asking what cakes didn’t contain nuts you’d have thought I’d asked them to do a long...

Disappointing. Pathetically slow service. Absolutely no reason given for delay. Won’t be coming back in a hurry. Avoid.

Fab service Nice location, good comfy seating, varied menu. Try the New Yorker bagel and iced coffee! The rocky road and soup is always tasty. The vegan cake was tasty, the carrot & lemon and raspberry choc not so much. Service was outstanding today albeit...

Joseph Glenister I advise you to sack the two large guys who treated us and other customers with contempt. No thank yous, no pleases, no excuse me or even acknowledgement when we waited 20 minutes yes 20 MINUTES for takeaway cakes. Once handed to us...

Well it would be rude not to have accepted my friend's offer to treat me to a "Prawn Star" sandwich which he had been telling me for months was the best in town...and it was! A delicious selection of sandwiches and filled bagels, cakes that...

Lovely staff & delicious cakes, however the place needs a deep clean. They were drying cutlery with the filthiest greyest tea towel imaginable & although the chair seats were clean the legs & between the bars of the chair backs were thick with dust. Attention...

We enjoyed a delicious bagel and soup. Seating is spacious and the venue clean and rustic. Prices are fair. The iced latte was one of the best i’ve tried. Visit was spoiled a tad by a very loud, self-important customer but would visit again in...

I vsited The Cake Shed yesterday for lunch with a friend - it is lovely sitting outside on the Pantiles. We both had The Italian Job sandwiches which were filled to the brim and very tasty! The staff are always friendly and the sandwiches and...

Very accommodating. Nice lunch menu followed by fantastic cake. Excellent staff, all exceptionally friendly

What can I say? Totally lovely afternoon out with parents, we couldn't have picked a better venue. Great thought out selection of teas, coffees, cold refreshments, adult aperitifs on one side of menu. Turn over to a mouthwatering selection of lunchtime treats. Oh and an...

My wife and I stopped by to get some takeaway cakes and coffees. The service was lovely, the owner manager had a nice chat with us recommending different cakes and instantly advising on which to avoid for a nut allergy. Hot chocolate is made with...

We waited for menus, another long wait for our order to be place, wrong coffees were brought to us and so we left! Inside the restaurant it was mayhem with staff running around crazily.

Great to see such a biq queue outside an independent shop rather than the named chains, plenty of people enjoying drinks and food to go. Well set up with the table to order from at the front of the shop so that customers can be...

Despite a clear sign stating face masks are mandatory in the shop , the staff inside served a young workman who wore his mask around his neck - and not covering his face. Lots of laughter and banter took place without due care less than...

Come here often. Friendly staff. Good coffee. Both vegan and gluten free options (more would be welcome of course 🙏).

Arrived for a late lunch (2.30pm). Picked the duck wrap and broccoli soup. Duck wrap was tasteless and dry as if it had just been defrosted. The soup was watery and my companion felt unwell after it. The latte was very strong coffee - think...

The Pantiles are always a winner and The Cake Shed is a good choice. Coffee is good and nice selection of cakes. Try the Chocolate and Guiness cake. It won´t disappoint.

We enjoyed our lunch. Good drinks, delicious New Yorker (but small for the price), generous portion of delicious soup. Cake always look good. I like the face-lift, it's fresher downstairs now. The service was efficient but rather cold I'm afraid.

Visited for brunch with friends when visiting Kent for the weekend. The chicken pesto sandwich was a highlight

As it was busy in here we decided to get a takeaway instead which was a huge mistake. After paying we had to wait over 15 minutes for four pieces of cake. Priority was being given to seated customers. Having been here before we would...

Sign on the door says ‘Wait to be seated’ stood outside for 10 minutes and was ignored by 3 servers. Sat at a vacant table on our own accord and was then ignored for a further 15 minutes whilst other customers were being given menus and food orders. Walked off after 25 minutes.Abysmal customer service doesn’t even cut this review and if I could give it 0 stars, I would.

I went to The CakeShed with my Mum. We had lunch. We sat outside, The Pantiles is a beautiful place to be. To sit in such a place steeped in history is very special. I had a vegan wrap - very tasty with mango and chickpeas. My Mum had a 'Prawn Star' sandwich - she loved it. I had a vegan hot chocolate made with coconunt milk - such a treat.I paid and bought a vegan brownie to take away. It was delicious! If you are lucky enough to get a table here, go for it!

We have been to the Cake Shed on a number of occasions over the past year after a very enjoyable initial visit. However the experience on the past two occasions hasn't sadly been reproduced. Yesterday we had the chocolate orange cake which my toddler devoured but the cake itself was very dry and lacked depth of flavour (they have produced much better cakes in the past). We also had two bowls of potato and leek soup. The soup was served lukewarm, akin to the temperature of our toddlers bath. We mentioned it to the gentleman who was very obliging and polite, as he had been when he took our order. Sadly my wife heard the lady behind the counter make a slightly disparaging comment, which put the blame firmly on us (you could comfortably put your finger in the soup and barely notice it was warm). We actually left the soup once it had been heated again, as it had a very acidic taste but we didn't mention that to the staff and left without creating a fuss. It is the regrettable comment we overheard, which although not particularly rude, was unnecessary and although customers are not always right, perhaps on occasion their polite comments might be heeded. Was it not for this, we would likely not have gone back in all honesty but we wouldn't have written a negative review either

The cake selection is great and they taste delicious I also really enjoyed the selection of teas. Staff nice and friendly.

The shop was very busy and there were 3 staff. One on the till, one on coffee and one trying to tidy up the dirty kitchen. The tables were not cleared or clean and the overall cleanliness was very poor. We asked for our table to be cleared and this did happen then we asked for it to be cleaned as there was food stuck on it. The guy cleaned just that part of the table with a dirty cloth and walked off. Coffee arrived with a milk missing and a sullen face when we pointed it out. After getting half way through my coffee I went back to the counter where I asked where our cake was given that we wanted it with the coffee, only to be told that they were busy. Incredible. I would have felt sorry for the overworked staff if they did not have such a terrible attitude. The kitchen was a mess with lots of the blue paper roll stuffed under the fridge and a pile of dishes in the sink. I should have walked away so more fool me.

service was terrible. Server was very rude and argumentative, items were missing from order and tea had no leaves in it!

After browsing the Christmas Market and the town we stopped off at The Cake Shed for coffee and cake - endedUp having a delightful salmon bagel cream cheese and a mulled wine - delicious - perfect way to end the afternoon - not to overpriced and great service - even watched the Morris Dancers while we dined. Great Decor and some excellent artwork for sale - we will be back

Banana, toffee and pecan cake for breakfast on The Pantiles. Cake was nice and moist in the middle, less so at the edge. I like frosting and this cake had a nice amount. The coffee was okay, nothing exceptional though. The coffee size was large, however, I found it to be quite small (but then I’m used to large cups). Nice to be able to sit outside on a warm sunny morning.

We visited here a couple of weeks ago and I was so disappointed with up my choice. Given it's name, I assumed it would be all about the cake. We ordered some drinks and I asked for a piece of coffee cake. It was horrible.It was clearly overdone as the edges were dark and crumbly. The sponge was dry and the butter icing was, quite frankly, disgusting. It tasted like it hadn't been mixed properly and was grainy. It also tasted like the baker had used salt free butter. I'm not sure what other explanation there would be for the lack of taste. I'm a cake baker and if I'd made that cake, I'd have binned it rather than allowed people to eat it, let alone charged people for the privilege!I ate approximately 2 bites of the cake and then pushed it to the edge of the table where there was an empty seat. We sat for another 20 minutes finishing our drinks and chatting in the sunshine before we left. It was a busy day and there were a lot of staff who were in and out but no one asked me if there was a problem with the cake. The staff were pleasant enough but little idea about customer service and lacked direction. I could have gone in and demanded a refund but I expected a little more from the staff. If they can't be bothered to ask their customers, then I can't be bothered to tell them. I did speak to a group of 4 people who had sat down next to me and they asked about the cake that I'd left and I suggested a cafe a few doors down that I know does good food and they went there instead so I felt better about that!Some places are worthy of a second try however this place isn't. When your name is Cake Shed and yet you can't tell the difference between good and bad cake, it doesn't say much about anything else!

Stopped for a tea, and sat outside on The Pantiles. Tea was nice, real tea, not tea bags. A pot of tea for 2 was £4.80, and we had 6 cups out of it.Nice friendly staff, clean and tidy tea room, well worth a stop if you are in the area.

Wonderful relaxed lunch with friends. Great coffee and super sandwich! Eat inside or outside in the sunshine. Only 2 staff but managed it all themselves preparing sandwiches to order. Brilliant!!

We had coffee and the Classic: simply put a bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese. Easy? Sometimes less so for some cafes but ours was superb. Pleasant staff, kept very busy by a full house, we chose to sit outside.

I understand this venue is under new management. I think a face-lift would not go amiss as the decor is very tired. The service was a lot less friendly yesterday than it used to be, cold in fact without the excuse of a hectic queue. The drinks/cakes were slow to arrive. Prices are high for such a tiny slice of carrot cake and rocky road. Iced latte tasted cheap and cheerful.

We have regularly visited for Sunday morning coffee and always found the overall experience excellent. However, the place has recently changed hands and has really gone downhill. The female member of staff was most unwelcoming and surly, service was very slow and there were no umbrellas to give a bit of shade sitting outside. We won't be going again.

Visited here today with family. It never disappoints, food always wonderful and service excellent. Love this place, my favorite cafe in Tunbridge Wells.

This is a great coffee shop with really friendly staff and best hot chocolate I’ve ever had ! Coffee great to. Not tried the cakes or light lunches but they look fantastic and the place is always busy so that says something!

Delicious cakes, including dairy and wheat free vegan brownies! Great coffee, tea & beer. The staff couldn’t have been more friendly and accommodating

I met a friend here last week, we hadn’t seen each other for 40 years!

Had a Guinness cake and a latte with my sister here. The service is great, both of our cakes were lovely and the whole coffee shop is so charming and has a lovely décor. We will be back :)

I always meet my friends and family for coffee here, relaxing atmosphere, friendly staff and good coffee and cakes

Love this place. Good, atmosphere,great cake but no darjeeling. They serve plenty of fussy fruit flavoured teas but not the Queen of teas, otherwise would have scored five.

What a welcome, blackboard outside saying sorry full, tons of empty seats visible, and staff confirm what the blackboard says - really? Don't they want the business? No problem, they won't be getting any of mine!

Was passing through Tunbridge Wells and came across this gem of a sandwich and cake shop. The most amazing cakes (and a big enough portion to share) and great sandwiches and bagels (Prawn Star was a highlight). Staff very friendly and welcoming. Free WiFi!

The CakeShed offers a fantastic range of cakes (including excellent pains au raisins - my specialist subject!) and savouries, along with some of TW’s best coffee.

Came in today for a coffee and a catch up with my old friend and have to say what a lovely place. We both were greeted by a charming young lady at the till who was more than happy to accommodate. We decided to go for a coronation chicken sandwich and shared the bakewell sponge. (Both were delightful) We also had cappuccino and flat white which tasted amazing and the young man with the tattoo on his arm who we forgot to ask for his name was very glad to hear it.

This cafe is in a great location - but sadly there were a few things that let it down.

Great coffee, amazingly huge carrot cake, tasty banana loaf! No queue, comfy , cosy seating and very efficient and friendly service.

We are visiting locally and were exploring the Pantilles and decided to stop. While there were several breakfast/coffee places, the is one was packed inside and outside with people and we decided to stop here. Several cakes and some pastries were there and were fresh. Good coffee and tea and obviously very popular with locals.

Enjoyable visit, friendly service. Prices fair. Would love to see downstairs given a facelift and made lighter and less tired though like the Boho ambience. The coffee banana cake was the last slice so very dry on my last visit but yesterday’s sandwich, carrot cake and red velvet were out of this world!

My Adult Daughter and I walked into this Cafe for a Coffee. Not one member of staff smiled at us and we felt uncomfortable. I decided to buy two takeaway coffees instead.

Great place to go in The Pantiles for cakes and sandwiches, with outdoor seating for when the sun shines. Friendly and speedy service. Not often I rave about coffee, their latte is one of the best.

Having stopped in for a pit stop while working in the town, I needed coffee and some food. Cafe looked good, menu looked healthy, what could go wrong? I was on my own so spotted a table and went to order, my first option was sold out, so I picked a salad and a coffee where I was sitting I pointed to a free table, I then said to the girl I needed to go to the toilet could she reserve that table being on my own I didn’t want to lose it. She asked her manager who barked ‘we don’t reserve tables’, this was after they had taken my money, I couldn’t go to the toilet knowing I had a table to return to, I tried to explain but he wasn’t having any of it, just shrugged and walked off. Very poor!

Please read the review below this one. My daughter thought I had written it as we had witnessed the same incident. The young man serving even said to the woman “I don’t have time to be faffing around with your order”. His unreasonably rude service made the cafes atmosphere dreadful and ruined our drinks and cake, which also arrived 25 minutes later for just one coffee, one tea and one already sliced piece of cake. He has no place working in a cafe with an attitude like that. Appalling

It looked a buzzing lovely place. We just wanted a coffee and cake.

Very disappointing visit to The Cake Shed which from the outside looks like a nice little cake shop. There were 3 staff working and it was quite busy; the staff were positively unfriendly on arrival. After ordering, we waited 25 minutes for 2 drinks and a slice of cake whilst another table who arrived after us were served before us and our orders were practically the same.

Enjoyable visit, friendly service. Prices fair. Would live to see downstairs given a facelift and made lighter and less tired though like the Boho ambience. The coffee banana cake was the last slice so very dry.

Nice place for a coffee, especially being able to sit out on the beautiful Pantiles. Not cheap and be prepared for abrupt staff and having to wait a bit

The cake is incredible and the sandwiches are delicious too! Lovely outdoor space to sit and enjoy the Pantiles. 5 stars for the food! I’ve purchased a cake made to order which was amazing and presented perfectly in a box etc. Unfortunately every occasion I’ve been served by the same shockingly rude staff member. So 0 stars for customer service, it’s extremely off-putting. Such a shame as it’s lovely otherwise.

This place is quite popular with the locals. Sit in or out in pleasant surroundings. It has a nice non chain coffee bar feel. Main fare is tea/coffee and cake type of eatery. Been numerous times and will keep going. Says it all

We went with friends, the inside was super hot and we opted to sit outside, where it was super busy with some uncleared tables.

Yep! Nice welcome, nice staff, nice coffee, nice pastries, nice sitting out on a nice sunny day or indoors on a not so nice day. Yep, nice!

Came here recently, lovely latte and great selection of cakes to choose from. The young waiter was excellent and cleared a table that had just left so that we could outside. Will be coming back next time I'm in Tunbridge Wells

Whilst visiting we came upon this gem.

We ordered three drinks and it took a good 20 minutes for them to be brought to our table even though the cafe was only half full. The staff were pretty obnoxious and dismissed enquiries about our order as if that wait was normal. The staff had loud, personal conversations clearly audible throughout the cafe. The toilets were a state. All of the cakes had a bunch of unnecessary glitter on.

Have come here often, both on my own and with friends. Perfect food, wonderfully cosy and very friendly staff!

Had lunch, tea and cake here as a break from the drizzling rain Service and food where excellent and would visit again in a 'heartbeat'

Really nice cafe with very friendly, efficient staff. Outside tables and cosy downstairs area. Tasty sandwich not cheap but Pantiles !! The drinks are quality and cakes are good. The carrot cake is one of the best you'll ever find! The red velvet was rich but tasty. The coffee cake was disappointingly bland and dry.

Went for lunch with family. Had a thoroughly enjoyable time. Quite small upstairs dark and not so pleasant downstairs. It had a lovely feel to it upstairs. Very busy. Staff very helpful and efficient. Sandwich delicious bread really lovely. Cakes ok nothing special. In the summer you can sit outside, which I have done before. Definitely worth a visit.

Often meet here with a friend, small but has a downstairs and outside eating area. Staff are all very young, those I have seen but seem to know what they are doing. Cakes are a variety of gluten free, vegan plus the usual selection. I particularly like the brownies and the polenta cake.

My husband and I wanted a quick, light brunch on my bday trip to Tunbridge Wells. Lovely atmosphere with quick and efficient service. Had prawn mayo sandwich with a lovely homemade tomato sauce and avocado and feta on toast. Also, the most beautiful lose leaf tea! Perfect.