West Dean Stores and Tea Room in Chichester

The home made food really is tasty and quite different so you should find it interesting. A nice cafe to supplement a visit to Westdean gardens next door. Nice big pot of tea thank you. You can enjoy the garden out the back if the weather lets you.

Gave up and went elsewhere. It was reasonably busy but not full ( at least 10 empty tables) - one member of staff seemed very irritated by simple requests from customers (such as wanting to see a menu or locate the toilet) and was quite unfriendly, and then decided they were taking no more food orders. I never found out what food was even on offer apart from the few pasties on display by the till.

Friendly and welcoming as always - especially as we were wet having cycled. It was full of walkers and cyclists (and dogs) enjoying the food and respite from the weather but we were served quickly.

Six of us arrived at lunchtime after a wet walk from the Trundle. Friendly fast service, good food (I recommend the sausage roll) and reasonable prices. The shop also had a great display of fruit and vegetables.

I have visited this store with coffee shop numerous times recently. I visited yesterday to be served by Liza and a young chap learning the barista. Liza was very welcoming and friendly. And the young man made a perfect cappuccino. Thank you both of you. See you again soon

Seven of us (all ladies) were refused entry today because it was raining and we were wet! The dog with us had been tied up outside and we were not muddy, just wet. The blond woman who refused us entry was rude. The tea room appeared to be empty too, so it is surprising that they would turn away custom. We will be making our views known among our friends and the 'walking group' community.

As a ladies walking group we have visited here previously. Tbh it’s never been a great experience. A try of coffee’s virtually thrown on the table and told to sort the orders out ourselves. Today we were actually refused entry. One of our group had a dog, which she intended to leave outside anyway. However grumpy blonde member of staff said they couldn’t allow wet and muddy dogs or humans inside. We were wet but not muddy. Gives a whole new meaning to the word hospitality! Heaven forbid they would have had to mop up a bit of rainwater. There were 7 of us for coffee and snacks, no one else was in the cafe. They’re fortunate they can afford to turn away that many customers on a rainy day when few others will venture out. Needless to say we will not visit again.

My wife and I called in during a cycle ride today for what I hoped would be a nice lunch. I’ve been in several times in the past and have enjoyed it…..but not today. 1) coffee was great 2) Chicken & bacon sandwich was poor (see pic) 3) Tuna sandwich was really under filled and bread not especially fresh 4) Lad on the till was polite 5) Lady who looked like the owner was very rude and off hand. “Hi there” I said - she ignored me. “Which garden are you sat in” she yelled abruptly when I said we were sitting outside. 6) Man who brought the order to the table - off hand too. Certainly won’t be returning with either my wife or my cycling pals any time soon.

Stopped off whilst running the Centurion Way from Chichester to West Dean and back. It's a lovely little tea rooms and shop, the scones and tea were great. I will come again sometime.

We enjoyed nice cups of coffee here one Cappuccino and one Latte. The service was friendly andefficient.We sat outside with nice views

Stopped at West Dean stores and cafe last Wednesday with cycling friends…happy and friendly welcoming staff and good food and drinks. Thank you …

Wonderful little cafe, well worth a visit. Delicious home made sandwich which was served with a small salad and a few crisps and tasty cake. The service was really friendly and helpful. There is a mini bike maintenance stand and a place to park push bikes, also a tap outside to re fill water bottles for those cycling/walking. It was quite busy with cyclists/walkers but service was still pretty quick. Seating inside and also outside on the grass. Very dog friendly. A great place to stop, we were on a long distance cycle trip and really happy to find it before continuing our journey up onto the South Downs Way.

Visited West Dean Stores today for the very first time. I admit to feeling slightly nervous following all the negative customer service reviews on here but it was absolutely fine. My wife and I both had Cumberland sausage baps, mine with a fried egg, and lattes. No complaints about either, in fact, the rolls were very tasty and the coffee good. Service was friendly, polite and efficient from both the young lady that took our order and the chef that brought our food out. If you wanted to be picky, the food was served on paper plates and the coffee in takeaway cups. However, we only had baps so a paper plate was not an issue and the coffee cups might just be a practical solution for a small operation. Also, we were sat outside so this may be just for 'safety' and 'proper' crockery used inside. Our first visit so don't know what is normal. Whatever, we thought it fine and would have no hesitation in revisiting. No connection whatsoever to West Dean Stores, just thought the run of negative comments needed a little balancing. Incidentally, we saw quite a few cyclists using the Store and they're usually quite fussy about where they have their stops, so the Store can't be all that bad!

I haven't been here for a while because previous experiences have put me off. Still no change. Poor service and lousy coffee.

This is the worst experience I have ever had. We walked into the stores where two ladies were behind the counter. After waiting several minutes without either of them acknowledging we were there we asked if we could go in for coffee. One of the ladies spoke in a very disgruntled manner. Saying there were no seats unless we wanted to sit outside on wet seats. No apologies at all. Referring to other reviews I see this person has been treating people like this for some time. I cannot understand why the management are not dealing with it If you like a happy greeting with a smiling face avoid this place and use others not very far from this location who go above and beyond to make it an enjoyable visit.

I have visited the store many times with friends and family in walks and bike rides. There have been 5 or 6 occasions of late (mainly since Covid) that staff have been rude, unhelpful and you feel like a massive inconvenience. All these situations where trumped last weekend when my 11yr old son visited whilst on a bike ride with a friend. Having lost his wallet the day at school he tried to pay by cash, which wasn’t excepted. Despite his plea he was met with the same “cold” attitude from staff who didn’t seem to care and refused to serve him food nor drink even though he said that he was hungry and thirsty! He had to cycle a further 6miles to get something to eat from the nearest supermarket instead. It’s totally out of order to not try and help a child in that situation, most people would help an animal in that situation! With a bit of willing they could of served him in some way, shape or form and excepted cash as his only available method. It seems they enjoy enforcing their own unnecessary covid restrictions and use it as a excuse to be rude, unhelpful and in this case inhumane. When I was told about this I called up the same day to complain and spoke to claire (supervisor) who was the one who wouldn’t served him, she was remorseful but hasn’t passed My request for a call back from a manager as I wanted to take it further. I still haven’t been called back and can only guess she has not passed the message to her manager. I’ve left another message since and have still not received a call almost a week later. When I told my colleague at work this week what had happened she also said staff were very rude to her and her friends when she visited a few weeks ago! Don’t bother going there and take a pack lunch would be my advice.

Very disappointed with our visit having been recommended this place by friends. 'Please use sanitizer at back door.' NO SANITIZER!!! Cutlery in basket on table was water marked and dirty looking. Chef harassed and told lady serving to let people know that food would take 15 minutes!! Lady seemed flustered and advised there would be a long wait for coffees. Took our cakes outside and tea followed about 20 minutes later!!!! Not inclined to visit again.

I would never stop again at this cafe. The older lady in the store is extremely rude hence the sign outside, I think, saying they would not tolerate aggressive behaviour- I guess her abrasive and awful customer service has upset many more customers and helped create situations to result in the sign. If you like being spoken to as an inconvenience and a deviant deliberately breaking Covid rules (being properly masked throughout and walking into the toilet in an empty cafe/shops after being told where it was and then getting a dressing down for not having gone round outside and through a garden to get to it despite not knowing this) you would enjoy the experience. As someone who has shielded and been very careful for others and myself, I found it laughable and offensive in equal measure. A shame as the chef is very personable and the food was fine but the coffee horse-box at the top near the Trundle would be my choice next time.

I have never written a negative review in my life before. But the attitude of the lady at the tea shop was so unpleasant today, the place is best avoided. We arrived but had forgotten our masks ( our bad), they didn't have any for sale so obviously we could not go inside which is obviously the law and no problem. We asked the lady who was outside if we could get a couple of take away teas instead. No we could not apparently as we would have to go inside to pay. This was relayed in an really abrupt unfriendly manner. We had the right change, so cannot see why needed to go in to pay, or were happy to give our card to be taken in, but no. All relayed with a very unpleasant attitude. My top tip - go on a bit further to the coffee van at the Trundle where they are pleasant.

I found this lovely tea room really charming. Excellent coffee and cake and really friendly young waitress. Will visit again soon.

We are regular customers of Tea Room and the staff are always very friendly and helpful. Outside seating re-opened today along with a brand new menu - BTL and Egg Mayo sandwiches simply delicious. Your takeaway service sustained us on many a long walk during...

Stopped of here while out walking, hoping for a light lunch. Lovely little shop, shame about the food - A watery tuna sandwich on cheap bread, and a bun so stale as to be inedible. Only thing I could recommend was the locally produced apple...

West Dean store and cafe, what a shame about the attitude of the staff there today. It is know locally for good coffee and bacon sandwiches but don’t expect a smile or a feeling of being welcomed when you arrive.

A useful place to stop off for a drink and bun when on a walk. The food and drink are fine but oh dear the staff just don't understand the meaning of customer service. They are officious and blunt. I'd go to West Dean Gardens...

West dean stores..where to start. We found this little place and thought it was going to be a hidden gem, oh how wrong were we. The setting was lovely, what you’d think was the perfect coffee and cake stop but the appalling service totally spoilt...

We cycled up the Centurion Way from Chichester to West Dean and saw a sign for Village Stores and Tearoom. I was not expecting much but was very pleasantly surprised to find the shop had outdoor seating and even places to lock up ones bike....

Its tucked away from the main road .It is wheelchair freindly,Clean,Nice staff it is also very good for walkers in the summer for those who are walking in the Southdowns national park.

Really nice stop off point with delightful tea-room serving simple well produced fayre for mid morning breakfast, light lunch or afternoon tea. And lovely outside tables too. Easy to park and a great helpful quick stop shop with lovely fresh bread and pastries, milk and...

Wow what a gem, tucked off in the village of West Dean just off the A286. Everything is cooked fresh to order. There is a great choice on the menu boards. It's well priced for the quality and quantity you get. Perfectly located before you...

We probably come more or less at least once a week with the dogs and really enjoy the experience. Teas and Coffees are delicious as are the sandwiches and toasted tea cakes. Staff are efficient and friendly and service is quick and good value for...

We often treat ourselves to coffee and cake at West Dean after a long dog walk in the area. The cafe serves wonderful cakes and is dog and bicycle friendly.

Another delicious visit to the tea room - or more accurately - the seats outside in the unseasonably warm sun. Lovely coffee and a great selection of cakes and buns. The bath bun was hugely delicious and deliciously huge.

Great place for lunch, coffee or more. The menu was comprehensive and good value. Order at the counter then food and drinks delivered to your table saves long queues.

Breakfast bacon cooked to order, lean and surprisingly good in a lovely bread roll. I took it with me and stopped to eat it at the top of a green hill, perfect. Later in same week, I returned for lunch . The menu is tiny,...

I found this off road cafe by accident but have been back twice. The service is good and they take card payments. There is a range of snacks and they have indoor and outdoor seated areas and a clean toilet. Car parking is easily available.

Discovered this cafe last week and already have been there twice. It's a perfect stop off for cyclists as it provides tools and a pump. It's a lovely little cafe with plenty of outdoor and inside seating. It has a charming atmosphere both in and out, good selection of sandwiches and snacks, cakes and drinks. It also sells a limited amount of groceries and fresh fruit and veg, bread. Great place, service with a smile and perfect setting.

Stopped in for a cuppa ended up having a bacon roll what a treat.

Stopped off here for breakfast after reading the great reviews. It's tucked away down a narrow lane and looks lovely. A local village shop/stores with a cafe attached. Well sort of. The lady serving behind the counter appears to be doing everything, serving at the shop, taking orders, cooking food and waitressing. It's a bit too much for one person, especially when she is also caring for a rescue dog.

This is now a favoured stop on our regular bike rides. I've now taken my daughter's family there as part of a walk from Lavant up the Centurion Way. Peaceful, welcoming, charming, community feel. Beautiful coffee, and great cakes. The place has soul.

Probably like a lot of people, came across this little gem quite by accident. Travelling towards Midhurst, spotted the sign on the road and immediately turned off to find The Stores, plus plenty of parking off the narrow lane. Inside, the store part comes first, well stocked with all those things you might have forgotten, plus a selection of wines. The tea room is at the back with about 6 tables inside. It is light, bright and modern with an old-world feel. There was a lovely fire burning, so it was cosy. There is also an outside patio area with sheep in the field beyond. We were only there for coffee and scones, but the light lunch menu looked very inviting too.

It was a warm spring day so a drive through the stunning country landscape of West Sussex was in order. Bypassing Chichester I headed toward Midhurst and although it can be a busy road that day it was almost free of traffic, so it was an easy drive as I meandered my way through the rolling green hills of the South Downs. Feeling the urge for a morning coffee I spotted a sign for ‘Village Store and Café’ in the Hamlet of West Dean.

The delightful Brodie and Sally moved on a year or two ago, and the Store is now managed by the West Dean Estate.

Popped in here with my brother after a cold day's bird watching. Received a very warm welcome from the lovely staff. Great coffee and homemade cakes also helped us thaw out! Highly recommended. Able to buy a few things for supper too - bonus.

Went to west dean stores & tea room this Sunday for the first time after a hike around the local area. Judging by the number of customers, we had a feeling we had come to the right place and everything from the friendly staff to the delicious local produce proved us right. Myself and 2 friends tucked into soft sourdough baps filled with crispy bacon accompanied by excellent coffee. We took some tasty cakes away with us for later and a few varieties of the delicious fresh bread! Tucked away off the main road this was a lucky find. Was surprised to see most recent comments on tripadvisor, as we certainly did not have the same experience, are you sure we went to the same place?!

Stopped off for coffee on a long bicycle ride.

very friendly staff, yummy cakes and bacon rolls, lovely just to sit outside and watch the world go by. Am I biased? well i do live in West Dean, its really worth a visit

Slightly hidden away this is a very pleasant place to stop for a snack after a hike. Being well off the man road it is nice & peaceful, and it is a sun trap.

Stopped by on a cycle ride along centurion way with my two boys. It was a lovely sunny day and we sat beneath the trees in the garden watching the birds and looking at the lovely flowers, chatting to other walkers and bike riders. Great atmosphere and lovely sandwiches. Friendly, comforting and a joy to stop and take stock of the beautiful Sussex scenery. I'd thoroughly recommend it, and picking up some of the wonderful bread they sell.

All I can really say is i had a fabulous sandwich , it was so good theres nothing more to say apart from fabulous.

Dropped in for a bit mid-way through a day's cycling. Ordered bacon bap, espresso and a slice of cake. Outstandingly good bap with loads of crispy bacon on a light fluffy roll, coffee was very strong and hot, and cake was a tasty home-made delight. All served up with a smile and a very small bill. Superb in every respect...

A delightful, friendly village store near Goodwood racecourse selling all manner of daily essentials including a variety of the most delicious fresh bread. The tearoom offers a tempting selection of made to order sandwiches & even more tempting cakes - wonderful little gem!

A nice little tearoom, which doubles as a village store. The weather was fine and we were able to sit outside. There was a lovely casual atmosphere and we really felt welcome. We asked for 'tea for 4' and got 4 individual teapots adorned with individual themed cosies (e.g. ladybird). Very unusual

We sat outside: the weather was lovely, the crockery was pretty, the tea pots had tea-coseys. The tea was hot. The cakes were generous and very moreish. The price was fair. The service was polite. What's not to like?

I've driven by the sideroad to the stores many times but never have ventured down. A late morning call for coffee (and cake), however led to a teeny and supposedly swift (one hour later) diversion to recharge!

A VERY nice tearoom, with gorgeous fresh sandwiches and homemade cakes.

Very nice tea room, great atmosphere, with super cakes and sandwiches well worth a visit, been a few times and will return

Similar to being on a film set the seats outside let you in on the quiet tranquility of rural England at its finest. Not only is this a very useful shop but it's a superb cafe and sells booze and magazines. The staff are friendly and helpful and quite up for a natter.

Once found never forgotten. West Dean Stores is one of those hidden English gems of a find that can be so easily missed on the headlong rush to get somewhere.

A real village store (in a tiny village) with a delightful cafe and freshly cooked food.

The ham & chicken pie was excellent. The spinach and mushroom quiche was also excellent. Give it a try.

The village tea room experience was excellent. These tea rooms within the village stores were so clean, friendly and inviting. The owners, Sally and Brodie were welcoming and even our GSD Jet received a biscuit. My wife informed me her coffee was lovely, and even my tea came complete with a tea cosy. In better weather I noticed plenty of outside seating and the seating inside was homely. I loved to see all the children's hand prints on the wall, giving a real community feel. The goods sold were mostly locally sourced and my sausage roll was of a high standard as was the service, every thing was so clean. Congratulations to you both, another visit due soon !

We popped in after a day at the weald and downland museum which was great but leaves something to be desired on the catering front but West Dean village stores was exactly what we were looking for - not only did they cater for 2 hungry adults but also made our 6 month old and Sherlock the dog very welcome and spoilt!!

Really nice people running this tea room simple fare ,freshly made,sandwiches, and other goodies there is seating both inside and out. Unless it has changed recently they are not open Wednesday afternoon or Sundays

Stopped off for a cup of tea and Eccles cake on our bike ride to West Dean. sat at table outdoors in the Spring sunshine. Very friendly place. Excellent Eccles cake!

This afternoon, my son and I, went for afternoon tea at 'Sally's Tea Room', at West Dean Stores. My hot chocolate and tea cake was very tasty. A generous helping of jam for my son's toast. It is such a joy to relax in a tranquil setting, We are always greeted with a warm welcome, which motivates us to return, time and time again. Sally is a charming asset. The store supplies a wide variety of groceries, and local items too.

This is such a lovely cosy quaint cafe, very friendly and welcoming. Lovely food , latte as good as any I've tasted but with better views. freshly made food. Close to the cycle track and lots of wonderful footpaths too. And as a bonus you can pick up lovely card, milk and goodies for supper too!

The shop has changed into a cafe, more in door seating, lovely open fire, very welcome on a cold morning. Just had a coffee today and a sandwich to takeaway, still sells milk,bread and basic provisions, will be loving to sit outside in the summer.

Ideal location if your out for a walk or bike ride, inside and outside seating, always a friendly welcome, great coffee and bacon sandwich, also with a provision / farm shop.