Winchelsea Beach Cafe in Rother

Very nice place to stop during the bike ride around the reserve. What struck us the most, was the amazing service: we ordered sandwiches and went to the beach to come back later to pick up. But the lady brought them to us! So nice of her! 100 stars

We met some friends at this cafe at the start of a long weekend in Rye. The food was excellent and great value for money, and there was plenty of covered outdoor space which was ideal for our friends who had a little one with them. I’d happily eat here again.

I ordered a breakfast £10 and a bacon bap £5, it looked busy which is usually a good sign but it was busy because of the long wait. First I tried to pay with a £20 note only to be told we don’t give change I asked why and was told they don’t bother to carry change so I paid by card, after waiting at the counter for tea for 10 minutes with a man who waited 15 minutes for his coffee I sat down and after 2 enquiries as to how long will our food take it eventually arrived some 30 minutes later. I thought perhaps the quality of the food would make up for the wait, oh no the bacon had been cooked hours before and was swimming in grease the sausage also had been cooked hours earlier or even the previous day and was dry and hard, the eggs were undercooked and slimy but the toast was toasted ok. The plastic tubes of ketchup and brown sauce could only be opened by sticking a fork in them. The cafe was chaotic as was the service and as for the one toilet for all well I don’t want to go there. All in all I don’t know how this business survives I’ve been in the food industry for many years and can honestly say this is one of the worst cafes I have ever been unfortunate enough to have eaten in.

Went for a drive and found this cafe. Pulled up and ordered a coffee and 2 bacon sandwiches... my partner stood there for 20 mins for the coffee and the two rubbish bacon sandwiches were done after 45mins.. Christmas would have come sooner. NOT GOOD

Nice location, but for fish and chips by the sea, captain Birdseye and McCain oven chips is pretty poor

Really disappointed! My son has a dairy allergy, I asked what items would be safe for him to eat to be told they didn’t know. I asked to see the allergy book and was told it was confidential so I couldn’t take it to my table. For something as serious as allergies I was really disappointed, the components of each meal were listed however not the ingredients of each item. The website states to inform a member of staff about allergies so they can be catered for - this couldn’t be further from our experience.

Stopped in for a late breakfast and can honestly say it was well worth the money. We sat inside which was very noisy with another table talking loudly and crashing about in the kitchen but inside is only small so I guess the noise was to be expected,next time we will sit outside. Definitely will return next time we are down that way. The food was lovely ,freshly cooked and plenty of it and reasonably priced.

Very upset with our visit to this cafe. Me and my parents went specifically because the cafe assured me that they can cater for gluten free (I am coeliac). They had a gluten free menu upon arrival also. I ordered my food but informed them I had an allergy. 20 minutes after ordering my food, before bringing it out, they told me that nothing is actually gluten free! Food is all cooked on the same grill with the same utensils. Gluten free bread isn’t cooked in a separate toaster and butter is used from the same tub also used on normal bread. This is extremely dangerous for someone, like myself, with a gluten allergy! They are providing customers with false information which could have severe consequences. Nothing on the gluten free menu was safe for me to eat so I ended up with no breakfast. My parents still ate as they don’t have an allergy. They said food was cold and disappointing and not worth the money. Very annoying as we went out of our way to go here. Just beware if you have an allergy or intolerance as it is not a safe cafe to eat in! If I hadn’t have said I had an allergy, I dread to think how poorly this would’ve made me!

Firstly, the garden area has greatly benefited from the addition of little wooden cabins and seated cabins – a welcome addition to protect visitors from the cold winds (who would have thought it was nearly June!) However, considering there were only 2 customers in front of us, it still took us 25 minutes to queue up to give our order. This was mainly due to only one person behind the counter – this person had to take the order, input it into the till, make all the drinks, write down the order manually to give to the kitchen and then take the payment. We then waited over 30 minutes for the food order to arrive (however the food, when it eventually it came, was good) They clearly had a lack of staff, however the slow service in my opinion could have been improved by a) having a till system that sends the tickets straight to the kitchen, 2) Having a menu that was quicker to prepare/ more mis en place made in advance c)maybe even a reduced menu when really short staffed. The restaurant wasn’t particularly busy considering it was ½ term yet they were completely understaffed. I appreciate it is hard to recruit staff at the moment, hence my suggestion of offering a reduced menu when its busy or better still, a menu devised to ensure a quicker service. The poor gentleman behind me in the queue had to wait nearly 30 minutes to place his order and then was told it would be a 45 minute wait for his food- he only ordered a bacon sandwich- hopefully it was a good one as in total he would have waited an hour and 15 minutes for it! Such a shame as the place has so much potential- the outdoor area is lovely, the food was pretty good when it arrived but the slow service and inefficient system really let it down.

Came across this by off chance. Stopped for a cup of Tea. Tea was fabulous a generous mug and the Coffee cake was delicious. Would recommend

Just popped into the cafe after a stroll on the beach and what an amazing place. Its obviously popular and considering it was a rather misty morning the queue never seemed to reduce. The staff were friendly and efficient and the cakes were lovely. We only stopped in for drinks and a snack but the food I saw coming out looked very appetising. Will definitely be coming back.

Food standard was pathetic really. Customer orientated experience this is not, there is an unyielding in anything that deviates from the printed menu, which includes an egg that is not fried or an addition of a slice of onion to a pitiful attempt at a panini. Honestly, leave the garnish and get the basics right The panache of a school canteen with prices reflecting an overinflated ego.

Only place to sit was at a dirty table with the last customers empty mugs etc on. Table next to us had to clear the previous customers plates themselves with member of staff telling them where to take the plates etc. Waited 30 minutes for a very poor excuse of a breakfast and portion of chips which came to £17 which was extortionate for the portion size and quantity. Was uncomfortable about the amount of dogs that were roaming about next to our table. Very dirty throughout for a food establishment with poor service. Would recommend driving the extra five minutes into Rye to visit any cafe for better service, cleanliness and value for money.

Never been to this cafe before, as I was passing by with friends, wife and I ordered scramble egg on toast, nothing special, felt like only one egg was used between the two of us, ordered a flat white coffee, not quite sure what we got, small cup and very strong nearly undrinkable. Service was very slow, no table clearing, customers were doing this during our visit.

I'm surprised by the good reviews, people obviously have low standards. Have been here a few times as we are local and options are limited, can honestly say nothing we have had here has been good. Food is oily and nothing special. Even something as simple as a hot dog uses poor quality meat and panini bread with nothing else. It doesn't take much to offer food that is a little bit unusual or even healthier, it's always the same options around here. The area generally has a long way to go when it comes to good quality take away/ cafe options.

Not too pricey and sheltered outdoor seating provided if required. Dogs are welcome and situated next to the beach. Could do with more parking space but that's because it is popular. One cannot expect too much from the hospitality sector during these times of expedience.

love this cafe! beautiful scenery, and lovely staff. Always served with a smile! One of the best chai lattes i’ve had! thank you :))

Sat outside in 1 of the 3 pods and had a family lunch, of burgers and chips. Was really lovely, reasonably priced and staff very friendly. Not a huge menu but a good variety. Bought some take away cakes too. Would definitely recommend.

We as group of friends visited this place recently, we used to go quite often pre pandemic and we were shocked at how things have changed and we were totally dissatisfied. Made to queue at a makeshift window for ages whilst others in front of...

Delicious food at a very reasonable price. Good selection and great facilities. Friendly staff. Would certainly visit again if in the area

Lots going on here when we visited in terms of refurbishment and the setting cannot be faulted. Food expensive for what it is and whilst we both ordered paninis that is not what we got. What we got was half a baguette and not very...

Same time last year visited during morning for something to eat. Menu outside says eggs on toast but we're told no poached or scrambled only fried. Didn't want fried so my husband had toast and I had very small brownie.the.lady taking orders wad.unsure of how...

Stopped here for a coffee amd cake whilst walking the coast line. Super helpful. Delicious coffee and flapjack! Staff very polite and even were able to advise about bus times and local highlights. Lovely outdoor seating - clean and tidy. Highly recommended 👌

Nice seaside stop with purpose built outdoor shelters that protect from the wind but allow for outdoor eating. Very nice food and selection of cakes.

Really terrible and it used to be really good no salads low quality food, bad service, general feeling the staff don't care, it used to be good u ntill June when the management changed obviously the new management are no good the burger and chips...

This cafe is under new management which I found out today. Not only could we not eat there because it was operating a “cash only” system but also the prices had all gone up making it expensive.(£9.75 just for a basic breakfast). They are still...

We were staying nearby so on our first day we found the Beach Café. It is in a great spot, lovely views. Pods for families to eat in, away from any wind or rain or SUN!! The breakfast was OK, usual bacon, egg etc. Lots...

Visited on Sunday 3rd July. Lovely location. Beyond shocking service. We arrived early and pre-ordered and paid for lunch as we had 8 children with us. Attempted to collect food at agreed time. Told we would then need to wait at least another hour or...

Not enough staff, internet down for payment, slow service and people asking for refunds. Not a great day today!! Sun was shining though.

a lovely area to sit down, good cafe break for snacks and drink especially when cycling or on a long walk

My wife and I came upon this fantastic cafe at the end of a cycle ride from Rye Harbour. We ate outdoors in an extremely well kept and well laid out garden which contained pods to protect the diners from the wind and weather. The...

I come here a lot! I have a dairy allergy and they cater for me and people with other allergies. Best oat milk latte , vegan cakes and the breakfast baps are the best! They now allow you to go inside and use the toilets...

We love this cafe! The food is always fresh and the prices are great. you definitely get what you pay for! The staff are very friendly and it’s always a great experience :))

Have visited here 4 times since Covid and we absolutely love this cafe. The staff are friendly, the food is delicious and everything feels clean and well prepared. For a beach cafe, it definitely feels like a real treat to eat here after time on...

My first in this cafe and they were so welcoming and genuinely friendly. Such a nice atmosphere. There food is really good too! Best panini I’ve ever tried and my husbands breakfast bap was good too. So much flavour, it was lovely and my little...

Excellent food had to wait quite a while for it to be picked up as we sat outside but very good quality and still hot … freshly cooked cant fault the quality of the food?

Visited this cafe a few times after walking our dog along the sea front. Plenty of seating inside. Had a lovely breakfast roll and coffee. Good value for money.

We used to go to this lovely cafe quite often before the first lockdown. Anyway we decided to go there once again in October 2021 and was rather excited about it. Well the excitement didn't last long!!!!! We couldn't go inside.....not even to use the...

Visited 5 times in a week Because of covid no inside seating is available and food is served in cardboard containers with plastic cutlery to eat at the benches outside, some of which are under cover.. Because of weather we often took our purchases back...

We have owned a caravan locally for 12 years and often use this place for lunch. However although the food is really nice, I do think it is very over priced and to not even get food served to your table is poor, food is...

Quite frankly the finest halloumi burger and chips you will ever find! It’s a lovely spot to sit, with beautiful views inland and the sea just behind.

I am writing to agree with many of the comments here. Fantastic little cafe with a lovely seating area outside and good choice of food. We just had coffee and cake, but was delicious. BUT I agree I think there should be a loo here....

Wonderful little cafe that packs everything in disposable containers. Had a lovely blt and mozzarella panini. My only criticism is that all food premises with seating should provide toilet facilities. I would suggest it is Covid related but I do not think it is satisfactory...

Good place for a coffee (or snack) either before (or after) walking on Winchelsea Beach. Very friendly staff and good tasting coffee. Take away service also offered. Car park on site.

First class service, food delicious. The only downside is there are no toilets on-site. There are public facilities 500 metres away.

We never expected a beach cafe to serve such a variety of interesting, delicious food. It was a lovely, sunny day when we visited for lunch so it was very pleasant to sit outside. The food was very good as was the service. Don't drive...

Lovely cafe with vegan options. Coping well with covid restrictions, everything felt safe and clean. Recyclable take-away style boxes. Good food. Lots of choice. Friendly staff, good service. We had a problem which they resolved well. An improvement on the previous incarnation of this cafe....

Takeaway only cafe next to the beach with many outside tables. Menu didn’t look anything special but food came quickly and was delicious!

Called in for a coffee while driving home from Hastings. In a lovely location and with a fair sized car park. Convenient for walking on the beach (although you are asked to move your car out of the car park before you go for a...

We visited today not knowing the cafe did not open until 09.00 but were both blown away by Sky who’s customer service skills exceeded anything you could expect we both had tuna and salad sandwiches and a latte each which were all very fresh and...

Called in for lunch,after an enjoyable walk along the beach and looked forward to the usual fare on offer .The cafe had obviously changed hands and a new menu was offered.i was disappointed and can only compare the previous owners quality of food and general...

Stopped for lunch en route to Camber Sands. Generous and fresh avocado/salad sandwich with a good helping of nice chips. Serves alcohol. Dog friendly. As it bills itself as a takeaway, there are no loos. If you ask the staff where the nearest loos are,...

Food and drink were fine and desire the main road setting money has been well spent on the outdoor seating. Although still named the Winchelsea Beach Cafe it is run by Bridge Point Catering (part of a large property development business). This means it is...

Great cafe - lovely friendly owners. We walked from rye harbour had lunch & a swim - it was perfect. Definitely recommend supporting this lovely cafe. We are lucky that these small places are open for us still. Thank you!

Had a beautiful lunch there, the sun is shining, the food was out of this world, also the shortcake was sooo good, with friendly staff always smiling, thank you Winchelsea Beach Cafe, you have make this my special day, I be back.

Overpriced food served in boxes what happened to plates. It used to be a lovely cafe but not anymore, won't be going back.

Visited the Winchelsea Beach Cafe with my family today. I can honestly say the food and service was outstanding. Despite there being a slight wait with our order, this was by no means fault of the staff, it was extremely busy. But the food was...

Great for a quick pit stop, local produce, home made, freshly cooked and friendly service. Recommend chicken, bacon and avocado salad, cheesy chips and lemon drizzle cake

We visited as a family during a long cycle ride. The food was really well priced, came quickly and was very tasty. The cakes were perfect and also very generously portioned. We will definitely be planning another route to stop off at this cafe again....

Today, I visited the café for the first time since it was taken over by new management. The staff were rude, unprofessional and condescending; for starters, during a pandemic, I was surprised to be told to remove my face covering, as quoting the staff member:...

Three friends and a senior dog would like to say a *big thank you* to kind staff for great service and delicious lunch. We all enjoyed our sandwich choices (+ crisps), the coffee and hot chocolate (+ cream) are excellent. Coffee walnut cake ... mmmm!...

I can say that’s the worst breakfast I have had.. bacon not cooked toast white and sloppy or old stale bread we couldn’t work it out .. no mushrooms though we paid for them and a free eye lash and long hair in my daughters...

I would definitely recommend this cafe! The food was so tasty and worth the money, and there’s a lot of options for someone who is vegan, which is usually not the case at other places. we ordered online and our food was ready as soon...

Very nice lunch eaten al fresco (indeed very fresco in December!). Food served in recyclable cartons and was delicious! Looking forward to being able to eat inside!

Visited today with my family for a walk along the beach. Haven't been here for a while (maybe a year) and the transformation is incredible. We had a cup of tea with a brioche cod sandwich and a salt beef panini - the food was...

Stopped here for a drink whilst walking along the beach. Very nice staff, good menu for a cafe that is only offering seating outside at the moment. Worth a visit when walking along the sea front.

I visited after a long beach walk and this cafe was the perfect stop off! Really lovely coffee and friendly staff who were welcoming and helpful! Didn’t try the food this time, but I’ll be back! The homemade cakes looked yummy!

Excellent staff, Laura & Ashleigh, very friendly welcome. Great coffee and fresh baked scones. Writing this on behalf of my hubby who visited today. We’ll set up with COVID restrictions and plenty of outside seating. Lots of parking too. Would thoroughly recommend.

Great social distancing provision - queue up to pay at one window, then collect from a trestle table when a bleeper goes for you order. Outdoor seating with a big area under cover. Good coffee, fruit juices and chips, helped a 12.4 mile walk along!

The location is excellent, the quality and choice of food is great, and the staff are friendly and helpful. The outside area is clean and well maintained. It was great to stop off during a beach walk with our dog, and enjoy a break sat...

I took my mate for a birthday breakfast at winchelsea beach cafe today. Never been so disappointed with quality of food how it was presented and £19 for two breakfasts. How people put up with this . Disgusting what plates have covid now. Restaurant prices....

We were visiting the area and saw the Winchelsea Beach cafe on our travels. It looked ideally placed next to the beach so we thought we would look it up here. We found it to have a great choice, to be excellent value, clean, dog-friendly,...

Lovely cafe right beside the beach, parking nice outside eating area. Clean serving great value food drinks and snacks.

After a lovely walk from Rye Harbour with the dog , we enjoyed breakfast in the new, and very well thought out, garden. Unlike other reviews, we thought that the breakfast in a box represented good value for money given the quality of ingredients. Friendly staff well worth a visit. See you again next year!

I’ve been to this cafe several times, today was the first time since businesses have been allowed to reopen. Where to start, staff polite, food is still not too bad in quality. There ends anything I can positively say unfortunately....what a farce, order through a...

flawless menu and everyday increasing even though its only been recently opened, home made food, quick service , friendly staff, well socially distance with the most amazing system in place to ensure that it was all done correctly and everyone could keep their distance.

I have eaten here before under the old management but today was the first time since lockdown was eased. The outside area has had a total revamp, there is a grassed area, lots of tables with parasols and a cover seating area. I had a latte which was perfect and a sausage and egg bap which was made with good quality sausages and very tasty. My husband had the egg and bacon bap which he enjoyed. At £4 each we thought they were good value. The cafe is right next to the unspoilt, stony beach so a lovely location.

Went on Sunday afternoon and didn't realise they were closing but enjoyed smoked salmon bagel. Good location and outside seating.

This cafe was our place to go for a good quality breakfast, after our visit since reopening we were very disappointed my husband ordered the breakfast box what a disappointment for the price, I had the breakfast bloomer it was more like a slice of normal bread not bloomer bread. Very much doubt we shall be returning.

Wow,what a lovely job they have down outside,Lots of Bench tables and chairs,well spaced,with a Parasol.You place your order at a window and are given a little buzzer that springs into life when your order is ready which you collect from another window.All boxed up and plastic knives and forks.It works really well and whilst there, we noticed the girls going around ,Gloved up to change all the black bin bags in the outside containers.We were very impressed with the new turf laid outside and all the Hedge planted around the seating area which will be lovely soon as it grows taller.Nice to be back.A good friendly team well done to the owner youve got A good place ,good food and good team working for you. See you again soon.

The cafe has been recently refreshed and re-organised to cater for diners under Covid19 regulations. Very pleasant staff and surroundings and good attention to current requirements

The breakfast box is pricey for what it is. If it came with a drink and two slices of toast but as is it's over priced. It was tasty but! It should be at that price...

Very polite friendly staff, reasonably priced good and drinks made freshly to order. Lovely outside seating area.

Good location with the beach alongside, a car park and a pleasant grassed seating area with tables and umbrellas. Excellent breakfast baps filled with two large very good quality sausages, wider range of choices that we will revisit and try based on this our first visit. Well organised with friendly staff. As good a beach cafe as you will find hence the five star rating.

Stopped there after a run to the beach and had a very nice caffe latte. good service, safe place with good covid measures in place and they use compostable cups!

Have been using this cafe under previous ownership for several years now. We, as a family used to love coming for meals here, very relaxed family friendly menu and staff. Love the changes that have been made outside but very disappointed in the standard of food and coffee - £5 for bubble and squeak and a fried egg (see photo) that had absolutely no flavour such a great location and opportunity to continue to build on the previous owners reputation but think it's likely that the constant all year round customers will be lost, without some changes.... I'd recommend a review of coffee as ours was without taste or flavour. The routine for ordering, paying and collecting is very efficient and the staff very pleasant even when under extreme pressure and hot temperatures, so thank you.

Visited in July 2020. Lovely location, great food and drinks and very good social distancing arrangements

We enjoyed our bacon sandwiches which were freshly cooked in a soft fresh roll. We loved the previous menu at this cafe. While the new owners have done well to get open and running in the circumstances I think they have misjudged what people want. For a day by the beach people don't want japeleno peppers and chilli oil they want the stuff the cafe served before - good simple fresh food at economical prices. Hopefully when the restrictions are eased they can get back to being a proper seaside cafe which will be enjoyed by everyone.

We were out with our son and grandchildren and had an early lunch at this Café. It was very nice. A nice table safe and clean. We all thought the menu was very diverse and interesting with something for everyone. I had dish of the day - chicken wings which were plentiful and very tasty. My wife thought she had better panini. Son enjoyed his breakfast box. Nice chips. Good value in nice surroundings and staff were very pleasant and smiley. Considering the difficult times for such establishments we all thought they delivered.

Very Disappointing ! We’ve been waiting to visit this cafe who used to serve amazing breakfasts pre lockdown . Today it was chaotic with takeaway breakfast Bering served in polystyrene containers outside in the newly built garden space . Out order was completely wrong ! & we saw lots of people going back to the counter with the same Problem! My breakfast came in 3 polystyrene cartons ! How to eat breakfast like this ? Well really you just can’t , Nothing at all enjoyable about it & I will Never ever go back ! To what was my favourite breakfast venue .

I've been coveting this cafe's position for the last 25 years and now a local firm has taken it on. The food on the menu is extremely good. Also, It's refreshing that it's not completely overpriced like so many of the establishments in the area. We had the bubble and squeak with friend egg - yum. Very efficient operation going on with ordering and collection, and the service was friendly and smiley. Love the pops of matching red everywhere from the signage and umbrellas to the bins and even red geraniums!

Lovely cafe along the seafront with a green area for young children. Dog friendly. Good food. Range of ice creams and to quote my mom the best flat white she’s ever had.

Very well equipped, new and stylish.Freshly prepared food, with good ingredients - and very hygienically presented to suit the present situation.We had the breakfast bloomers which got a poor review elsewhere....ours were excellent. Could not be faulted.Prices very reasonable in contrast to what you find in Rye and Winchelsea itself.So get away from the towns and enjoy the sea air and good quality food at this cafe, where service is as cheerful as the food is good.

I have never reviewed before but had to.I ordered a breakfast bloomer expecting something to fill me up a little. Had 2 choices of 3 so had egg and bacon. First thing , it is not a bloomer it's a medium sliced sandwich.1 rashers of bacon which was cut in half.And a hard egg.Can of coke was 1.40. So I paid 5.40. What a RIP off.The service personnel were really polite and that was the only good thing.

Lots of work done recently. Great outdoor seating area now installed. Food is great. COVID secure and have really made this a place to keep coming back. Well done. Brilliant. Get yourselves to this place and support local business 👍

This cafe is now serving vastly improved good quality home cooked food. Very good reasonably priced menu and fantastic outdoor space.

New management 2020 It’s the place to eat in Winchelsea. Great selection of food. Huge free car park. Lots of outside eating spaces. Excellent COVID safety.

The cafe has been reopened with new owners.The scenery was appealing to the eye but the portions are very small considering the prices and I feel as if we got more food for our money before the cafe was reopened, quite disappointed really. But I’ll give the benefit of the doubt as it’s just opened and under covid circumstances.I paid £5 for one sausage and one egg in a sandwich & a cup of tea.

Fab location, lovely staff, right by the beach.They’ve clearly invested loads to make a very clean and attractive outside space during the COVID restriction period. The garden and benches look brand new. There are no toilets, but there is a public disabled toilet a short walk away.They have plastic screens and a serving section, and take contactless.I had a breakfast box and tea.Very nice.

Winchelsea is a small undeveloped town with one cafe serving the beach . Was sad to see this was closed . Let's hope it can recover and re open at some point as when visited a couple of years ago was a very busy cafe