The Singing Kettle Tearoom in Wealden

I had a wonderful savoury and sweet experience earlier this week. Lovely cream tea and a particularly delicious cheese scone! Delightful and friendly and ‘Joy’ful service.

We found this gem by chance, the outside seating area was slightly hidden, but we got there in the end, enough room for us and our dog. It was a small back area of a small house from many years ago. But it had a hidden charm to it. It was neat and tidy, they may have even used the old outside 'privy' of the old days as the current toilet facilities. But very tastefully down. We ordered our coffees and a warm cheese scone each. There was a slight issue with the scones, but the Duty Manager dealt with it swiftly and in a very quiet but professional manner. We then opted for toasted teacakes. These were lovely to eat, especially warmed through. After speaking with the DM she told us our coffees were free. She then offered us some fruit scones as an apology. But when we told her that we'd ordered the toasted teacakes she told us that everything was on the house today! That was a very special offer we thought. As we left we offered some money to the waitress, but she refused at first. But my husband said we just couldn't not leave without offering at least a tip. The service and attitude of the staff was excellent. It certainly didn't put us off returning to The Singing Kettle. Well done to the Staff today.

Incredibly unwelcoming, unbelievably slow and extremely expensive. What a shame. Alfriston deserves better.

Great value. Consistently good, great cheerful staff, especially Joy. I’ve been on several occasions and every time greeted with the warmest of welcomes. Service is efficient & the homemade cakes (of which I’ve tried most) are exceptional. My favourite stop of when travelling through from Eastbourne to Brighton each week. Bravo!!

It is a delightful little cafe with happy staff. The food was tadty and presentation was appealing. Highly recommend.

I have been to the singing kettle numerous times over the years and not once have I had bad food or awful service. It’s great ! Staff are super friendly and the food is yummy.

We saw a 'specials' board in the window which lured us in. No prices on it, but the 'Bubble and Squeak cakes with either avocado or bacon and poached egg' sounded like a decent midday snack. It was good, as was the Earl Grey tea. But over £35 for what amounted to 2 plates of bubble and squeak, 2 rashers of bacon and a poached egg, plus tea for two? That WAS a surprise.

We had coffee and we’re nearly tempted by the lovely cakes. But this only a couple of hours after B’fast. The Owner was so pleased to see us and very happy to take a group photo.

Small delightful menu with a superb range o top-quality teas with delightful staff in this quintessential Sussex village

The food and service are great. Our seocnd time here and he tried some savoury options. These were really yummy but £19 for two people to have a fairly light lunch is too expensive hence minus a star there. Nice to sit out front and watch things go by but the metal tables get a bit hot!

Excellent small friendly cafe with delicious cakes, but i found £8 for a cheese and chutney excessive, even by London standards!

Super service from the staff. Friendly and helpful. Filled up water bottles as we were cycling. Two double espressos hit the spot for us on our journey back home.

This tea house is situated in an old building in the centre of Alfriston. We only called in for tea and toast and found the service to be friendly, and our order was nicely presented - thick slices of toast and extra hot water for the tea pot. Open air seating at the front of the cafe, and also some more outside seating to the rear. We enjoyed our visit and would definitely go here again another time.

We took my mother in law there today in her wheelchair, the staff were extremely helpful with a can do attitude, and the food and coffee was great.

Today we had lunch in a lovely little tea room in Alfriston. The food & very lovely cakes are homemade. We had the traditional Welsh raebit which was very good. The staff are very friendly.

Had a lovely cream tea which consisted of two huge scones, jam and cream. Lovely friendly staff complete the overall experience. I would definitely return.

It’s quite a pleasant place to sit, and staff are friendly. But this place is definitely about getting as many £££s as you can from the punters. Nice cakes but very small portions for a sky high fee. Oh and make sure you pack in...

Beautiful venue as always ruined by radio 1 playing over speakers. So intrusive in a tiny venue, never had this problem before. Would put me off going back if repeated.

On arrival we were told there was no hot food, only cake , our table was small for 3 people and not ideal for social distancing. Food was OK but expensive. Service charge was added to our bill without asking a too common practice these...

Service very good. They allowed as to Mix and match and share the savoury cream tea with open sandwich. Thoroughly enjoyable

Wow, such a small place, but with the most delicious food and drink. We had the soup of the day, beetroot with horse radish and real good bread, stunning. Also herb scones and cream cheese, mouth wateringly good. All served with a smile and a...

Have visited this beautiful and cosy cafe many times with friends. The staff are always friendly, polite and welcoming, nothing is too much trouble. The food is delicious and just the right amount. Always feel comfortable and every need met. Thank you for being a...

Visited on a Monday, it seems most of the village is closed that day, but NOT this lovely little tea shop....thank goodness. We had cream scones and tea and hot chocolate. The young lady who served us was so very polite and informative and the...

Almost at the end of our South Downs walk we treated ourselves to an afternoon tea. Great scones, quality tea and plenty of it. Pleasant staff who lent us a map of the village to find our bnb as the WiFi not working.

Great cakes, good strong coffee - just what you need coming off the South Downs Way. I asked the owner's advice on route planning and she gave me a spare OS map!

We stopped here for coffees and cakes whilst cycling the South Downs Way. Lovely coffees and home made cakes. Very friendly staff - nothing too much trouble (including bringing my cake and coffee to me whilst actually sat across the road out of the sun!).

We stop off on way back to have scones as we had enjoyed them last time we had been there, to be told there were no sweet scones only savoury understandably being Bank Holiday Monday. So settled for cake and tea not really what we...

We had the reasonably priced cream tea- two large, freshly cooked scones with plenty of cream and jam with a pot of tea from which we had two decent size cups of tea. The service was quick and efficient. Parking in Alfriston difficult but pay...

We sat outside this charming tea room located in the middle of an equally charming village, watching the people walk past. The cream tea was lovely and the service was welcoming and efficient. Spiffing.

After reading the great reviews we decided to have lunch at the Singing Kettle. Service was indifferent, definitely not welcoming. We felt like intruders, not welcome guests. We were obviously got the great service team's day off. The food was nowhere near how good it...

Stopped by during a stroll round the village and we were really impressed with the place; great scones and lovely coffee to set us up for more wandering round the village. Friendly, attentive service and heartily recommended

Visited this cafe for the first time since 2017 for a breakfast to celebrate my 32nd birthday. As soon as I was at the door looking at the menu I was greeted with a warm and friendly welcome by one of the staff and showed...

Whilst walking the SDW we arrived in Alfriston and enjoyed a lovely cup of tea and cakes whilst sitting in the sun in the pretty centre of the village. This place delivers, cakes were lovely and light and tea with extra hot water perfect. The...

We visited the Singing Kettle on 6th and 7th June 2021 and it was wonderful on both occasions. They have a charming bijou seating area outside as well as a few tables overlooking the village, alongside tables inside. Their food is fresh and delicious, and...

Loved it here- definitely worth a visit- great cakes and selection of tea and cute patio garden to relax in.

We had teas, coffees, lunch and scones and it was all wonderful. I had the Welsh Rarebit and it was incredible. There was a terrible guy who insisted on not ordering from the menu, instead telling the chef to make him a sandwich from scratch....

Came here for cream tea. It's a nice little place with seating out the back, in front and inside. Service was friendly and efficient. The cream tea was lovely but it's not the cheapest around at £16 for two.

Set in the Market square this is a lovely place to have a cuppa and slice of cake in the small courtyard. Great service and and great cake what's not to like ?

A credit to its location and a location to credit. Cakes and coffee both excellent. Co located with the marvellous Much Ado books. Will revisit and revisit.

My husband and I enjoyed a lovely lunch in this friendly, charming tea shop on the main square in Alfriston. My husband had a lovely fresh soup followed by a Welsh Rarebit. The portions are very generous! I enjoyed a delicious smoked salmon and avocado...

My bubble friend and me have this place a go we both had cream tea which I will mark as 10/10 .Food is fresh. Also which was great hand gels and I felt safe from virus here .

Went here for lunch and felt very Covid safe. I had a welsh rarebit with walnut and leek which was delicious and my husband had a smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwich which was also amazing. We both then had a scone with jam and...

Visited this dear little place twice. First time, I sat out in teeny courtyard at back and met lovely people while enjoying fab treacly gingerbread 😋 The two ladies were, bright, cheerful and very welcoming. My second visit was for a mini breakfast sitting in...

Had the best Lemon Drizzle Cake, Chocolate Brownie, Pear and Ginger Cake and Latte. Friendly, welcoming staff. Went back two days in a row! Highly recommended.

I stopped by here a little while ago and saw that it did a takeaway aswell so I went for the herby sausage sandwich in thick bread and a lovely latte.The owner and staff were very polite and friendly and the service was great.Both sandwich and coffee were lovely and I will definitely stop by again

Absolutely loved the smashed avocado. They have a really cute little garden out back and we loved it. Didn’t really rate the coffee too much but the food was spot on!

Unplanned coffee stop. Great coffee. Really delicious cakes. Friendly efficient service. Seating outside due to COVID precautions.

I LOVE avocados, but the smashed avocado made by the (extremely talented) cook on Sat 1st Aug was without doubt the best I have ever eaten. It might be a but OTT to rave about it, but the bread was soft and squidgy and the avocado was seasoned to perfection - mixed with various seeds and nuts to add delicious flavour and texture. Seriously, it was one of the finest things I have eaten - and I'd go to this beautiful village just for that - and for 'Much Ado' (which happens to be the finest book shop in the world). Cheerful, really helpful staff at the Singing Kettle and we sat in a lovely sunny spot - thank you! xx

In the heart of Alfriston, this little gem offers delicious cakes and light meals from a tiny kitchen. The staff are delightful and welcoming so we keep coming back.

My wife and I visited the UK and were advised to go for a cake and coffee to the Singing Kettle. Absolutely recommended. Good coffee, fabulous cakes but most of all staff cheering you up on a rainy day! Whenever we are in the neighbourhood we will go back.

Being in Alfriston again, we decided to take lunch in the Singing Kettle Tea House again (3rd or 4th time now). Again we were friendly welcomed, rapidly served and above all we got again an excellent lunch (the "Buck rarebit" is very nice, as well was the special soup of the day). We can absolutely recommend this place! It's tiny but with lots of atmosphere. We have no hesitation at all to recommend the Singing Kettle Tea House.

There are some lovely tearooms in Alfriston but this is not one of them. We waited ages for some tea and when it finally arrived, it barely tasted of anything and the pot was just enough for one, not two. At almost £6 for a pretty small pot of tea and poor service does not entice us to visit again! There were a group of us and all of us felt the same, agreeing that next time we'll be going elsewhere!

Beutiful day ... lovely walk ... good compnay ... the four of us all fancied a cream tea ... we looked at the menu outside and realised that would be £30:80 for four cream teas ... I don't think so.

Alfriston has plenty of options in terms of Tearooms and generally all pretty good However this small place is somewhere we return to regularly Great old world atmosphere and good food Plus dog friendly which is a must.

Cosy welcoming small cafe. Small dog friendly. Tiny outside courtyard. Nice menu. My favourite breakfast around here is the veggie but i swap out the advocado for bacon. Lovely sussex cream teas too. Cannot fault it here. Good everytime. Thanks all x

A mid-afternoon stop for tea beckoned after our 100 mile drive. We stumbled across The Singing Kettle serving proper tea made the traditional way, (no tea-bags here) and a vast range of delicious cakes. Savoury snacks are also available all served with a smile.

Four of us called in for morning break. Run by two lovely ladies who served us lovely cakes and teas. Small but well worth a visit.

Had a family visit here today and really enjoyed the tea house. Everyone ordered a range of different scones... some savoury, some fruit and some plain with the usual clotted cream and jam. They were all superb light and crumbly. The tea alongside was equally excellent! An enjoyable visit by all and we would certainly return!

My wife and I visited as part of our Sussex downs break. Great little place. Lovely home made cakes. Proper English authentic tea room. Good choice of teas. Best one in Alfriston.

Great breakfast served up by the friendliest staff. Had a full English which was cooked to perfection. Lovely location and well worth a visit to Alfriston!

Super friendly, welcoming and chatty staff, excellent food and delicious coffee in abundance! A must visit especially for the weary cyclist[s], as we were, you can even keep an eye on your bikes while you're 'hoovering' and 'slurping'! We'll be back and really, really really look forward to it!

Warm and welcoming, great soup options and substantial rarebit variations too. Cake choices good, nice to have some without icing too. Hot coffee and we were restored.

fabulous little spot came upon it by chance , but I can highly recommend , the best welsh rarebit i have ever had with saute leeks and walnuts ....with side salad on granary bread .

Just been to this delightful little cafe, I will say it was quiet with only 2 other tables that came in while we were here but the staff were very accommodating and helpful. I awkwardly asked to have smashed avocado instead of sausage and poached eggs instead of scrambled on my full singing kettle breakfast and they did so without an issue (while my other half cringed as I asked haha). The breakfast was perfect and healthy and clean not greasy. The coffee was lovely and I even got a piece of blueberry coconut cake to go. Would definitely visit again if we ever return to Alfriston!

Alfriston is an attractive little village just about 20 minutes from Eastbourne. But relying on public transport or in this case, voluntary bus service to get there, it seems only possible on weekends. We went on a Sunday, my lady insisted we went to church. This was a unique experience with six bell ringers, ringing the church bells in the middle of the church. Something we had never seen before. Afterwards we walked over the Village Green and enjoyed walking round the little sideways and by-ways of a Sussex village. Before going back to Eastbourne we had delightful and tasty cream teas in The Singing Kettle in the village centre.

Stay and visited the Singing for breakfast... wonderful... loved it so much we returned on the sunday morning for breakfast again!

The nicest lunch with lovely people serving you...The food is absolutely amazing and he is so fresh, you will not be disappointed.

Nice but small, prompt service,nice staff. Would return when visiting alfriston again.nice spot to sit outside and watch the world go by.

Visited here twice now, and both times I've had trouble with over-charging. Today, I ordered the cream tea (£7.50). I asked for Earl Grey - they'd run out, but recommended the Darjeeling. I said ok; when I got the bill it was £8.05 - they said the extra was because the Darjeeling costs more. I paid it, but that shouldn't have happened - at the very least they should have warned me it would cost more. It also reminded me that the last time we visited, we were overcharged too.

Have visited several times and this cafe is truly a little gem. The food is so tasty and the service excellent. Folk might say its a little pricey but you pay for what you get. Delicious

Called in here for a coffee before starting a day's hiking having already eaten a packed breakfast. However the sight and smell of the cooked food and the fact that they have a vegan breakfast (massive but pleasant surprise for such an off the beaten track location) tempted me to order, and I was glad I did! The food was excellent, tasty, healthy and well cooked and prepared. Really set me up for the day. Additionally the service was perfect, and the establishment itself spotlessly clean and well managed with a lovely atmosphere. Heartily recommend The Singing Kettle to anyone staying in Alfriston.

Wow! We visited here on the 9th August whilst on holiday in Sussex and it made our trip to the village. We were warmly welcomed by the friendly and chatty staff who clearly want customers to have a memorable visit.

Another wonderful experience at the singing kettle, thoughtfully designed menu with simple ingredients, imaginatively presented. Caters for vegetarian/vegan diners and always seem very accommodating mixing the menu up to suit individual needs. The cakes are delicious, even the gluten free options, the white chocolate & raspberry is an absolute must if you're lucky enough to get a piece! The staff are friendly and service good, we always take visiting friends here for a bite.. highly recommend if you're in Alfriston.

we had the kettle breakfast. good sized portions. friendly staff. reasonably priced. vegan offered as well. recommended.

Good coffee and cake and friendly service. On the Main Street with outdoor tables and chairs and obviously popular with locals.

There is a lot that is very positive about this place; nice staff, good atmosphere and generally good (if not slightly overpriced) food. Always enjoyed coming here in the past, but this last trip was a big disappointment. Terrible scones!

We didn’t think they would be able to fit us in but they did and it was such a fun experience. The scones freshly baked were delicious with strawberry jam and cream of course. They even had our blend of tea which was a bonus.

While visiting the Sussex Downs, we stopped at the Singing Kettle already twice for lunch. We were not disappointed: cosy room, friendly staff and good food and drinks. All freshly made. We also tried the Cream Tea: excellent as well. I would not hesitate to recommend this place to other people.

Great menu and lovely service, cheerfully cramped interior, lovely food at sensible prices.....really excellent in every way.

Called in for a spot of light lunch after visiting the NT property close by. It is central to the village by the cross. Parking in the village is very difficult but there is a spacious one just on the north side of the village. We had their Scone Tea without cream (thinking diet) and it is served with two scones, butter, jam and a pot of tea. The scones both plain and fruity were delicious and plenty of butter and jam to accompany them. There was a choice of plain, fruit or herby. Nice clean decor with both inside and outside areas and also a toilet. Scones are baked on the premises. There is a really good choice of cakes, a good variety of sandwiches, soups and rolls as well as a variety of special rarebits. Altogether a very good menu for lunches. I would thoroughly recommend this Tea House.

We stopped at The Kettle last year and was rather disappointed, however, this time the service like the welcome was warm friendly and very polite.

Although I have been to the Singing Kettle multiple times, I have only just got round to writing a review of it.

Excellent food, creative and much more interesting than menus we saw posted for other eateries in town. The staff was super in every way.

Sat outside in sunshine as we had large backpacks. Coffee arrived quickly and was hot and tasty. Scone, with jam and cream was a little disappointing - small amount of jam and the cream was very runny (but I may be biased here coming from Dorset).

Had a delicious and surprisingly sophisticated vegan lunch in this pleasant little cafe. Staff were very friendly too.

We had the savoury scones and they were tasty, the girls were very friendly and the service was very good. Would recommend.

This is a lovely unpretentious cafe and I always enjoy coming here. Proper homemade cakes and delicious soups and bread. Great prices and a warm relaxed welcome. Fab!

Our tea was delicious! The scenes, clotted cream and jam divine! The servers were a delight and we were there close to closing.

Lovely little tea room in the heart of Alfriston. Serving delicious food and cakes. Had a great beetroot ginger and coconut soup. Cater for gluten and dairy free doets too.

Joan Trotter and myself had to forgo our usual walkeridge today as we were meeting our dear friend Andreas who has been a little under par. We decided to gather at the Singing Kettle as we thought a good slice of cake would sort her out.

A trip here for cake and tea is always a pleasure and the food is so tasty and fresh. Love the people..love the venue..love the food. Well done The Singing Kettle!

Interesting food combinations and amazing soup. Fantastic pots of tea. High quality and worth the slightly more expensive price.

Wandered in today on the way for a walk as we noticed the sign saying “vegan cakes” so went in to get some to takeaway. Friendly service in a lovely little place and the vegan banana and date loaf cake was really lovely....we’ll be sure to pop back if we’re in the area again!

Wonderful little tea room in Alfriston. Very small with six tables inside but cosy and well presented. Great range of teas available. Had the best berry tea I think I have ever tried. The homemade cakes were tasty with some unique flavours. We had rhubarb & rose water cake and apricot and amaretto cake. Would definitely return.

After a long walk called in for a rest and lunch. Avocado and poached egg on toast for me, grilled goats cheese and roast beetroot both with dressing and leaves for walking buddy. So tasty could have licked the plates! Choice of loose tea and tap water offered immediately. Lovely staff and friendly, no pressure to hurry us up. This place must be seriously busy in the warmer months with homely feel. Definitely repeat visit to taste rest of the menu and cake planned for very soon.

Lovely quaint tea room, friendly staff, delicious gluten free cakes, great tea. Thank you, we’ll be back!

Joan Trotter, our foster daughter Floella and I stumbled upon this little gem having prolifically walked all around the South Down Way near Alfriston.

In Alfriston today, popped into one of my favorite spots and tried the fish cakes off the special board. Most enjoyable, but then I wouldn’t expect anything less. Every meal, or indulgent cake is real treat and I love coming back. The staff are like old friends and make you feel so welcome. Hope I’m this way again soon, as I’ll definatly be back.

Expensive but tasteless fish cakes with little fish. Accompanying salad definitely not fresh. That was it. For the money, perhaps a roll or piece of bread would look like better value with minimal expense for the restaurant. Staff pleasant and cosy interior.

Very crowded. Tea served well but Cheese scone just tasted of curry powder. Toilet had no paper or towels. Unacceptable