The Cafe At Needlemakers

Nice for tea and cake. Coffee not very good. But seriously what’s up with the broken spotlights that means the café is constantly in semi-​darkness? I guess the owners can’t be bothered to invest in the infrastructure but it makes it a bit dim and murky for customers…

The Café at the Needlemakers does its job very well. Massive portions of moist cake, a wide selection of teas, savoury options like scrambled eggs with salmon and lunch specials, such as goats cheese and leek tart. Visually the Café is a very pleasant place to be, exposed brick walls, high wooden beams, and large wooden tables are complemented well by artfully mismatched crockery and a few quirky ornaments and artwork. The prices are fairly standard for a nice café in the Lewes/​Brighton area, £5.50 for the lunch special, £3.60 for a cream tea, £2 for a chocolate brownie. The service is not particularly smiley but my food arrived quickly. The fact that you can enter the Café at either end of the room, and people pass through to get to the shops either side does however give the slight sense that it is a thoroughfare.

I went to Lewes recently for what I thought was The Needlemakers, and after confusingly describing it to a few locals I was pointed in the right direction.
It’s a huge bricked building resembling an old mill and houses some of the best vintage and retro shops around. They’re not really shops either, almost like an amazing basement full of cool things, they bleed into one another. Lots of separate entities create the ground floor, which apparently isn’t The Needlemakers.
What I’ve found people associating with The Needlemakers is the café which is upstairs just as you go in. They have lovely cakes and tea, and it’s a very calming place. But if I’m in Lewes, I’m heading straight downstairs to rummage.

The Café at the old Needlemakers in Lewes is a lively and relaxed open space which provides traditional English comfort foods with a twist.
The light and comfortable café at centre of what is essentially an old, country version of a small shopping centre provides a welcome break from the rummaging of the brick-​a-​brack downstairs.
With a wide selection of home-​made cakes, various muffins, double chocolate brownies and their famous cheese scones there are plenty of snackable options to choose from at affordable prices. There is a wide range of teas, and their coffee is deliciously displayed with hearts and feathers. There hot chocolates are also overly luxuriant, making this a great place to take children to. The friendly staff are also very attentive to your needs, and are more than happy to go through the menu with you.
The music is very enjoyable and can be purchased from next door, and there are newspapers and magazines to busy yourself with. Bread, jams and cordials can also be purchaced here.
Overall this relaxed atmosphere is successful, along with the grandiose spectacle which is the old Needlemakers in Lewes. However I though £7.85 was pretty steep for a cheese on toast, the portions were enormous, making it a bit easier to part with my money.
Opening hours:
Monday — Saturday 9.00am — 5.30pm
Sunday and Bank Holidays 11.00am — 4.30pm

The café at the Needlemakers is simply divine.
Set in the heart of central Lewes, this place oozes charm and quirkiness. The stonework walls and the smell of lavender instantly tell you you’re not in Brighton any more. The young staff are friendly and the homemade cakes are delicious. The coffee is freshly brewed and also, very delicious.
I don’t really have a bad word to say about the Needlemakers. I have been there a number of times and love it. In fact, I get excited about going to Lewes just so I can go to this place. It is a fantastic antidote to the chains and greasy spoons that fill Brighton. Don’t get me wrong, I am a sucker for greasy spoons, but I also like to have an enjoyable coffee and cake in charming and sophisticated surroundings.
Fantastic!