The Nutmeg Tree in Lewes

Love this place 😊 Food is delicious, service is friendly.

Completely unacceptable to list teas on your menu as herbal non caffeinated when they are caffeinated black teas. This caused a member of our group to have a serious reaction. Please change your menu to be correct and SAFE.

Unfortunately if you want to do a reservation over the the phone, nobody is answering. Our third attempt to dine and we could not get a table. Poor administration as we got the excuse of no enough staff and the time before was not enough clean pottery :(

Can not give the Nutmeg Tree enough praise. It is a place to go to for any occasion but especially if you need a bit of a lift and need to chill out. My friend and myself have been going for a number of weeks, we absolutely love it and look forward to it every Saturday. The atmosphere, staff and food are first class. The menu is varied and caters for all tastes, every thing we have tried has been delicious and just the right amount. The staff are attentive and delightful. What more can I say.

As a group we have visited the Nutmeg Tree in the past and had very enjoyable lunches. I phoned on Saturday morning (July 6th) and made a reservation for a table later in the week. The call was handled by a very pleasant young lady, who not only enquired whether we wished to eat in the garden but also said she was looking forward to seeing us on the Thursday, plus repeating my telephone number twice! That same evening, the Nutmeg Tree posted on their website that they would be closed for 2 weeks. Nobody notified me of this and it was only by chance that my daughter spotted it - otherwise a group of elderly people would have had a wasted and very disappointing journey. I commented on this on their facebook page, but there has never been any acknowledgement or reply. I have not made any further bookings. A shame, as the food is good and the staff (generally) are very helpful and friendly.

Very nice staff very friendly, one in particular deserves a pay rise, bacon sandwich was huge and I can confirm, the coffee is good all round thumbs up here 👍🏻👍🏻

Super friendly and lovely service. Excellent beef sandwich, lovely hallumi salad. Amazing selection of cakes too! Reasonably priced with generous portions. Not to be missed!

Tried this place for the first time, booked a table on the phone. Very hot day so asked for a shadier area, moved with no fuss and to a beautiful spot. Staff were attentive, professional and friendly, only had to look their way and they were there to ask how they could help you. Love the uniforms. Good and varied choice on the menu. Food was excellent, good portion size and absolutely delicious and hot. Really lovely the atmosphere and made to feel special. Thank you, will recommend and definitely visit again.

A delightful restaurant with an extensive menu. My friend and I ordered a salad each which was very enjoyable. The staff were all very pleasant and efficient. Although the whole place both inside and outside in the garden was very busy there was a lovely atmosphere and we weren’t rushed at all. I enjoyed my visit so much I’m going to book an afternoon tea to treat myself and my granddaughter.

Had breakfast here today. The staff were very welcoming and efficient. The quality of the full English breakfast was superb. I had the smaller plate option which was ample enough and came with a slice of buttered toast. Super coffee as well. Highly recommend a visit here.

This a small team room/cafe near the Ditchling Museum with a 1940s theme.

What a lovely place to visit, everything was just perfect, , can't rate it highly enough.

Excellent freshly baked warm scones, perfect clotted cream and delicious strawberry jam. After being out of the country for a few years, one couldn’t ask for a better comeback!

Everything GOOD about this restaurant & T rooms.

What a wonderful place …. Our first visit but definitely won’t be our last! Service was friendly and the young lady who took our order knew the menu very well. The food was excellent, the four of us all chose something different and we all said how delicious our meals were. What a fantastic little gem of a find. We spotted another table having afternoon tea which looked amazing so that will be for our next visit.

Our family had a lovely 70th birthday celebration at the Nutmeg tree. The service was friendly and helpful. The food was delicious. A lovely relaxed afternoon tea in a wonderful location.

Excellent coffee and a very tasty cheese scone Good bacon sandwich as well Very friendly and helpful staff

First time visiting after looking at Google reviews and it was lovely 😍 The food, atmosphere and staff made this place, and proper loose leaf tea! Overall, very very impressed and will definitely be going back

Excellent choice of cakes and other goodies! Will be coming back soon to try even more!

Lovley cafe in the heart of Ditchling. Dog friendly and lots of food to choose from. Breakfast , paninis , milkshakes , tea , cakes everything you'd want. Lovley staff and outside seating to.

It’s been virtually a year now since our first visit to the Nutmeg Tree and since then I’ve lost count of how many times I/we’ve been back. We always receive a warm welcome from the owner and staff who provide such a great service. Nothing is too much trouble. We are always amazed at the variety of food which is superbly cooked from the finest ingredients. The cakes and pastries are also divine. We love the décor and the patriotic flair; all part of our national heritage which we should all be proud of and grateful for. I only discovered the lovely garden last summer, but what a treat. Such a relaxing haven, can’t wait for this summer to begin. If you’ve never been, then pop in, you won’t be disappointed. A true gem in East Sussex. Keep up the good work ladies, you’re all doing a fantastic job. We appreciate you all.

Amazing cafe, beautiful food, lovely service and great location. Can’t recommend The Nutmeg enough

We had a large pot of tea for two, which was ample. I had the toasted tea cake, and my partner had buttered crumpets. very friendly efficient staff. Very busy and rather crowded. Numerous tables that had been "reserved for lunch", so were unoccupied, and caused a incongrous delay in seating us; a bit Fawlty Towers. The long delay was a pity. Then there was the Nationalistic decor (complete with numerous Union Jacks) of the Vera Lynn room in which were placed, but wished we hadn't been; also a shame. I did wonder what a European would make of the room's decoration. Would Vera have approved of those pictures- particularly the large picture of a bomber in the cafe foyer? It hardly creates the right ambience for a tea room... There were too many Vera pictures in that room. The owner, has now explained to me why and I accept that this is a 1930s/1940s theme tea room. I understand that Vera lived in the village and the pictures and photos were all donated by her family and others. I just wanted to highlight that I feel Nationalism at the present time is a rather dangerous and divisive theme, perhaps some botanical pictures would help. Best wishes, CN.

It was AMAZING love the classic scones!!!!!!✌️✌️✌️👍👍😄😄😄😁😁😃😃😃🫠🫠!!!

Well, what a little gem we found today. Absolutely beautiful, place for a spot of tea and cake just wow. The inside is stunning and very clean. The tea was just out of this world and the cake well one they are just so tasty and two huge. Really exceptional prices true value for money. The staff are lovely, extremely helpful and stop for a chat. It was busy but I'm not surprised we got a table quickly but we arrived at the end of the day. I cannot recommend this place more and we will be back. Thank you for the exceptional tea, cake and service.

Absolutely lovely. Everything about it , from initial communication around the booking of afternoon tea for 8, to the quality of the food, but above everything, every single member of staff was so friendly, welcoming and couldn't have been more helpful. Perfect birthday surprise. Thank you!

Been before for breakfast which was excellent,today went for Sunday lunch if possible even better than breakfast great service very friendly and great food at excellent prices thank you all so mucuch

I CANT SEE WHERE IM ABLE TO REPLY SO WILL ADD IT HERE… the date of my visit was 13th December 2023-apologies for my error that it was actually a Wednesday (not a Tuesday as I stated)-if that helps.. Thank you for responding. My review on another site appears not to have gone in this website, so I’ll post it directly. I cannot remember the last time I gave an eaterie a bad review…. I generally only write in to praise. Was at the nutmeg tree on Tuesday last week. It was extremely quiet in the teashop-I was to find out why. Advertised on the door as open till 4. Arrived at 3:30. Told sternly ‘we shut at 4 no hot food possible as kitchen shutting… just sandwiches and baguettes or cakes, tea cakes’(paraphrased). Told the table to sit at though loads of tables free. Given menu and waitress so impatient were given 30 seconds to read it…. Sandwiches ridiculous prices for basic sandwiches… some priced at £7.50 for not even a bit of salad with it. Said we’d have cakes as not paying that much for unimaginative choice of sandwiches -went to choose cakes in the entrance lobby, which seems to annoy them. I suppose precious seconds were lost to the waitresses by doing so. While I looked at the cakes for a few seconds I saw hot sausage rolls, pasties etc in a warming tray. Yes-apparently we could have those. Pasty on own £4:50, with chips £11:50. Some chips then for that price I thought … oh, they come with beans too. Were served tea and pasties. Pastie plates whisked away at just before 3:50-seconds after the last mouthful hit my lips. Waitress came about two minutes later to ask to remove rest of the tea things(as she did it). Took the milk jug without asking-I took it back saying I needed it for the tea just poured(teapot not actually empty yet either that they took). Was told they’d leave me with the cup. Lights dimmed in the shop by about 3:55 and the hoover out right next to us though 90% of the cafe empty… not surprised in hindsight! Then after cup of tea finished we went to pay- by approx 3:56 as so rushed by then so unpleasant what’s the point… … had to wait at the till about 4 minutes to pay though about 4 staff in the area and why the seeming rush given us to then make us wait? Another snooty waitress. Paid and reached the crossroads at 4:08. Rude, abrupt, rushed, snooty, unprofessional service. Won’t go there again.. The Green Welly cafe on the corner are a lovely, friendly team. Unfortunately they were shut that day.

Also lovely owner and daughters!! Happy Christmas

Wonderful place which offers a range of food. Lovely friendly staff so lucky it's on my doorstep

Always a pleasure to go there whether for a coffee or something to eat. Wish it was nearer to where I live.

Owner is always on hand keeping things well run. The waitresses are helpful, polite and dressed in uniform. Huge varied menu and fairly priced. Food very nice quality and presentation. Licensed for alcohol so we have wine. They are popular and deservedly so They have safe parking for bicycles, free car parking nearby in village

Came here on a blustery autumn day. On arrival we were seated in a beautiful room with a roaring fire, this set the tone for the place- quaint, charming and warming. The staff were all lovely, efficient and easy to talk to and our food was all delivered in good time. The coffee was superb and well made. The food was incredibly generously portioned, especially considering the price. It was also refreshingly unpretentious. I ordered the veggie breakfast, everything you would expect to be on a breakfast was represented and it was all well cooked and tasted good quality. One of the best breakfast experiences I’ve had for a long while!

We dropped in for breakfast on Armistice Sunday and were aware there would be 2 minutes silence at 11am, however , thought the staff would be able to deliver hot food better. We ordered hot drinks and vegetarian breakfasts with unbuttered toast on the side. The drinks arrived, but no cutlery. My breakfast arrived together with wrong toast which was taken back, but no cutlery. The 2 minutes silence started and ended. Eventually 5 minutes after my breakfast arriving, my husbands breakfast arrived still with no cutlery!.. Infact we had to request cutlery, later my toast delivered correctly along with very late delivered sauces. For the cost I thought the breakfast was average to say the least.

We have been coming here for a long time and the food and service is always great but when we visited recently I was very disappointed with the meal (ie quiche and salad ) which in the past has been lovely but the potion size was so much smaller this time and my daughters noticed theirs too....I appreciate its difficult times but it was very noticeable...I will still come but sadly not so often.

Best breakfast for miles ! Charming vintage tea room. Great service , friendly staff and yummy food. Lots of menu choices too. Highly recommend

Booked a table for Sunday lunch and had the roast turkey. It was delicious! All were washed down with a very large glass of wine each for £5.99 a glass which was excellent value. The bramble crumble slice was lovely and fruity, but the treacle tart was the best we had ever had. You can never fault the service at the Nutmeg, some high-end establishments could learn a lot from this team. Thank you for a lovely family meal we all enjoyed it so much. You do need to book to be sure of a table, even in the winter months.

This place was such a wonderful surprise after a long day walking on the south downs. We wanted to sit outside and it said it had a.garden but as it was advertised as only being a tearoom we didn't expect a full meal... however the kids and I ordered the most amazing huge roast dinner and my husband got a big fry up. Brilliant food, pretty garden, not a big bill and the staff couldn't have been more lovely.

Wow what a find great food great cakes, we had Stilton and bacon quiche and burger with cheese and a proper slice of bacon we had the best chips that I have had for ages

Lovely tea rooms which serve breakfasts and lunches too. Very nice staff.

Breakfast was OK but nothing special. Be careful when ordering the Nutmet Special Breakfast as mine didn't come with any mushrooms or beans and I was charged separately for the cup of coffee when the "special" is supposed to include the tea or coffee in the price! My wifes "small" english breakfast breakfast was even smaller as it lacked the advertised fried bread! My fault for not challenging when paying or not paying attention to the menu!

Just a wonderful afternoon tea with my colleagues for my retirement . Thankyou

Always love a bite to eat at the nutmeg tree, lovely (but smallish) outdoor garden. Great food, great service

The Nutmeg Tree is an absolute must-go. These 1940s tea rooms are gorgeous and thoroughly take you back in time. Every time I visit I’m welcomed with smiles from the lovely staff, I’ve never had a bad experience here. Their menu is varied and everything is made with love. For the prices, the Nutmeg Tree team will make sure you have a lovely visit, always willing to go above and beyond for their customers. Highly, highly reccommend!

The Nutmeg provided the catering for our recent party for 60 people and it was absolutely excellent!! Lots of guests commented on how lovely the food was too. Andrea couldn't have been more helpful with all the arrangements. I can highly recommend!

Andrea and her team recently catered an afternoon tea party for our Mum's 90th birthday. Wonderful selection of sandwiches, quiches, sausage rolls, and various cakes. Brownies were to die for! Fabulous food, wonderful team, highly recommend.

Had a really lovely Afternoon tea at The Nutmeg Tree last weekend with my mum for her birthday sat out in the garden in the sunshine. Food was really tasty and of high quality. Cakes are amazing and the staff are lovely and pleasant as always. We both had a fabulous time.

Nearly walked past this place - thought it was closed then found out that everyone was sitting in the back garden eating & drinking ! Excellent staff and nice place to eat and drink

Perfect break half way into our hike in Ditchling. Traditional atmosphere, beam house, very good attentive service, lovely food. A must if you visit Ditchling

What a lovely little find after a Google search, we went with 4 adults and 3 children and it was perfect! The service was impeccable and nothing was too much. The food was fantastic and we will be back. Only negative experience was no proper baby change facilities.

A lovely place to have an afternoon tea with close family to celebrate our Diamond Anniversary.

Love this tea room lovely atmosphere great food, dogs welcome

This is such a cute little place to grab a bit or a cup of tea while in Ditchling. The decor is very timely and stays true to the history of Ditchling through the ages. Often my family and I will take the dog for a walk and finish with lunch or a piece of cake here - we’ve been doing this for over 10 years now!!

We were booked in for a sandwich and scone tea and the ambience of the tea shop was fabulous and the service swift and friendly. The cakes looked completely yummy and the scones were absolutely delicious. However, the sandwiches were hugely disappointing apart from the egg : plain cheese, plain ham, plain cucumber. Would have been nice to have something extra in them to liven them up a bit. What was really unpleasant was the amount of butter in the sandwiches - so thick that initially I thought it was cream cheese with the cucumber - really unpleasant.

Enjoyed a hospitable visit on both occasions coffee and lunch very nicely cooked and presented. Staff exceptional good value and would come again .

A wonderful step back in time! I felt like I was in an Agatha Christie mystery (I did keep an eye out for Miss Marple). A lovely location for a quick lunch. A nook and cranny establishment (complete with a Dame Vera Lynn room!) with a perfect outside space (where we sat). D chose the Halloumi Salad (with some tasty sundried tomatoes) I ran to type and had the burger (with some delish caramelised onions). Washed down with a lovely glass of Dry White (foolishly didn't get the name of the wine). Service came with a smile - the charming uniforms are a lovely touch, adding to atmosphere of a bygone era. Thoroughly recommend.

Wonderful breakfast lots of choice friendly and efficient staff only complaint service a little slow but they were very busy and we were a large party of 12 and they did apologise. Xx 👏 👏

Excellent tea and cake and great service. Came here for late afternoon tea. The coffee and walnut cake was great as was the tea. Overall excellent range of cakes and teas and great tea room vibes! Lots of vegetarian options too.

Great place to stop for tea or a bite. The homemade cakes are delicious 😋

Stayed at the hotel next door and went in for breakfast what a find made to feel very welcome service was excellent and the breakfast was amazing will be back even if we have to make a detour so much to see inside.

We enjoy going to the nutmeg. The food is yummy and the staff are really friendly. They have a lot of gluten free options on their menu and gluten free cakes. It’s become our local tea rooms to go to

I was absolutely appalled the way Jane reacted to my Complaint She is Nothing but a Jumped Up Snob Food Over Rated No Atmosphere What so ever Would not Recommend

We were booked in for a sandwich and scone tea and the ambience of the tea shop was fabulous and the service swift and friendly. The cakes looked completely yummy and the scones were absolutely delicious. However, the sandwiches were hugely disappointing apart from the egg : plain cheese, plain ham, plain cucumber. Would have been nice to have something extra in them to liven them up a bit. What was really unpleasant was the amount of butter in the sandwiches - so thick that initially I thought it was cream cheese with the cucumber - really unpleasant.

Lovely brunch of poached egg and avocado on sour dough this morning - absolutely delicious. Staff so friendly and helpful, always smiling. Gorgeous tranquil walled patio out back, with the best views of the downs. Highly recommended.

This is such a cute little place to grab a bit or a cup of tea while in Ditchling. The decor is very timely and stays true to the history of Ditchling through the ages. Often my family and I will take the dog for a walk and finish with lunch or a piece of cake here - we’ve been doing this for over 10 years now!!

As always a lovely treat to eat here where all the above are excellent. Cannot praise it highly enough.

Two of us stopped here (by bike) for breakfast this morning after camping nearby. Secure out of sight bike parking ✅️ Amazing cooked breakfast ✅️ Good coffee ✅️ Fast and friendly service ✅️ Great value for money ✅️ Plentiful seating and lovely garden ✅️ Open from 8am (even on Sunday) ✅️ Honestly, I don't think you could ask for more. Superb. Thank you!

A treasure. Perfect. Friendly smart professional staff, from the minute you enter. A menu full of dishes you desire. Great quality and value. A model of how it should be.

Had a lovely family lunch here , beautiful place & fantastic garden.I had a lovely homemade quiche , large generous portion, couldn’t quite eat it all,very reasonably priced. The staff are very attentive. Will definitely be returning.

We were booked in for a sandwich and scone tea and the ambience of the tea shop was fabulous and the service swift and friendly. The cakes looked completely yummy and the scones were absolutely delicious. However, the sandwiches were hugely disappointing apart from the egg : plain cheese, plain ham, plain cucumber. Would have been nice to have something extra in them to liven them up a bit. What was really unpleasant was the amount of butter in the sandwiches - so thick that initially I thought it was cream cheese with the cucumber - really unpleasant.

A wonderful find as we headed out of Brighton. Stunning little tea rooms with lots of space in a very English village style. Great food, fabulous staff and service. The cake selection is amazing and local produce adds to the affordable choice. At the crossroads go towards the church. Enjoy 😉

A really lovely teashop. Lots of choice on the menu and service is very prompt and helpful. Highly recommended.

Seriously upset stomach following breakfast here..probably sausages or eggs seems likely but can't be certain, it may have been other items. Coffee tastes good.

A lovely hidden gem, lovely food, good service and loads of cakes to choose from - definitely will return and free parking nearby

Delightful find, walked from Burgess Hill to Ditchling and wanted somewhere for a pit stop and a bit of lunch, this place looked lovely from the outside so had a wander in. Very large menu with lots of choice, lovely surroundings, nice decor inside and lovely cosy courtyard outside. Had a scrumptious egg and sausage sandwich whilst my partner had the halloumi salad. Empty plates from the both of us, delicious. Very tempting cake display as well which we would probably have enduldged in if we weren't walking back. Recommend stopping here to anyone that visits the Delightful village of Ditchling

Wowza. Amazing cakes. Friendly service. Reasonable prices

Lovely traditional village tearoom with a beautiful cottage garden. Menu choice was amazing and the afternoon tea was lovely. Staff were well presented and very helpful and friendly. Would definitely recommend.

This is such a cute little place to grab a bit or a cup of tea while in Ditchling. The decor is very timely and stays true to the history of Ditchling through the ages. Often my family and I will take the dog for a walk and finish with lunch or a piece of cake here - we’ve been doing this for over 10 years now!!

We popped in for a cuppa and cake and ended up having brunch. Beautifully cooked poached eggs , crisp smoked bacon with wholegrain toast, and all the ingredients were great quality . The staff are friendly, the service is prompt,the cakes looked wonderful and the...

Awesome food. Kind staff. Always clean. Book and either inside or out,small tables or big tables. Regular visitor. Reasonable prices.

Everything about our experience today was 5*! Beautiful setting outside with gorgeous flowers. Staff were all extremely friendly and helpful. The afternoon tea was fantastic. Having had a lot of afternoon teas over the last few years, this was by far the best. Everything was...

We were warmly greeted on arrival and had a great selection of food to choose from. Service was prompt and courteous. What an amazing gem to find in the heart of Ditchling. Highly recommended.

What a beautiful tea room. Visited with my lovely friend Claire who is a regular there. She wasn't wrong, lovely staff, fresh delicious afternoon tea and reasonably priced. I'll be bringing my mum here soon. Thank you 😊 💓

We had a birthday celebration brunch at The Nutmeg Tree. The staff set up a table in the corner of the beautiful garden and could not have been more helpful or accommodating. The food was delicious and we had a lovely time.

I booked The Nutmeg Tree for a group of 9 to celebrate a special birthday. It was lovely. We sat in the beautiful courtyard on a lovey Saturday late morning/ early afternoon. The choice of food was fantastic and reasonably priced. The staff were friendly...

Always guaranteed good food and excellent service.

We visited this lovely tea room yesterday and even though it was a busy sunny Saturday we enjoyed a real tea leaf cup of tea. An omlette and a pannini. Scrum. Will def' be going back. Really recommend.

We went for a cream tea. I can’t say enough 😻😻how wonderful it was, the staff are dressed impeccably, tentative and polite. The food was to die for, gorgeous sandwiches, scones were delicious. Will definitely go again. We bought coffee cake on the way out...

Afternoon tea at The Nutmeg Tree tearooms in beautiful Ditchling yesterday. Superb! Do try them out if you can. (They do meals also.) Lovely, friendly staff too. Can't praise them enough.

Friendly and welcoming staff, fabulous food, quaint little rooms and lovely outdoor area.

Went for lunch yesterday afternoon and I couldn't fault anything. I had a Bacon, Brie and Cranberry Panini which was tasty and surprisingly filling. Great portion size of salad on the side too. Hot and cold drinks are reasonably priced. I was sat outside and I couldn't have chosen a better day for it. The outdoor chairs were really comfortable too! And to top it all off the service was fantastic. Staff are unbelievably friendly, welcoming and polite. I'm not particularly local but will definitely be back again when I'm in the area 😊

We stumbled on ‘the Nutmeg Tree’ first thing yesterday morning on the final push of an overnight 40 mile walk to Brighton. The Nutmeg Tree was an absolute oasis for us and we couldn’t have wanted or asked for more. There are many cafes i...

We’ve been coming here for a few years, it’s like an extension of our home and the staff are almost family. Thank you for making living in Ditchling even better.

Great place to eat. Such professional staff. Regular place for us for breakfast.

What a find! This was my first visit to The Nutmeg Tree, joining friends who had been encouraging me to visit the cafe for a long time for afternoon tea and cake. The pot of tea was really hot and came with extra hot water....

I’ve given you five stars (due to all the previous wonderful experiences we have had at your restaurant) however I came so so close to giving you a bad review today but I had to stop myself because of the previous wonderful visits to your...

Visited yesterday with a group of friends. Beautiful characterful venue, I had the best broccoli and Stilton quiche I have ever tasted and the service was excellent - the staff are so warm and friendly, they can’t do enough for you!

I visited the Nutmeg Tree in Ditchling today, to meet up with friends for lunch. We were all really impressed, the food was delicious and the welcome, warm and friendly, excellent house wines too. I’ll certainly be back !

Had a fantastic breakfast today with my work partner. So great to eat in a friendly environment with lovely staff. Can’t wait to see you all again.

Great food and staff. Lovely place to eat. Cosy.