A review of The Needlemakers Cafe

I like to go to the Needlemakers’ Cafe on wet or gloomy days. The eaterie is in the centre of an old factory in Lewes so while you’re eating your lunch, you have no idea how bad it is outside. All you can see are the cakes, the coffee machine, and the lights of the jewellery shop next door.

I often order from the specials board. There’s usually soup, quiche, and other cheese- or egg-based dishes. These are made from scratch in the cafe’s (very small) kitchen, and tend to be seasonal. The portions are unfailingly generous, which always goes down well with me. 

Recently, I’ve had a cheddar and ham quiche, a chorizo and potato tortilla, a welsh rarebit, a fruit scone, a slice of carrot cake and many excellent cups of coffee (not all in one sitting, you understand).

The ceiling is high with sturdy wooden beams running horizontally and vertically. It could feel cold or industrial, yet the exposed red brickwork on the floor and walls somehow make it seem cosy. That said, don't sit too near the doors. It can be a little draughty in winter. 

The cafe is flanked by small shops, nestled inside the old building. There’s a sweet shop, a haberdashery, two jewellers, several vintage clothes stores, an excellent little book shop, and a new Asian deli.

It’s Lewes’ answer to a mall, in miniature.