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    The Mock Turtle

    4.3 (62 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 6:00 pm

    The Mock Turtle Coffee & Tea Photos

    THE MOCK TURTLE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - The Mock Turtle

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    Cream tea was FAB
    Fiona D.

    What a splendid place for vintage tea & cake. For one, the customer service was just right. We weren't waiting, we weren't overly waited on and the staff were very happy to grab an extra run of soya milk and a few glasses of water for us. (Previously spent the day shopping in the south lanes, about a 2 min walk away, and it's thirsty work.) what makes The Mock Turtle less 'commercialised' as other tea shops, are their prices. They charge fairly - £6.00 for a tea for one and 2 scones, that are presented with excessive amounts of jam & cream to satisfy every sweet tooth. I polished all the jam in sight. It's one of the most wonderfully decorated places you'll come across in Brighton, with original 1940s décor, willow pattern plates and tea sets dotted everywhere and the lines are walled with every colour of home made jam jar (available to purchase I think!) if you're paying a visit to the centre of Brighton any time soon, and you're looking for a place to rest your weary legs, skip the touristy haunts and drop into this vintage tea parlour for a really unique (and well priced) experience :)

    Sarah-Jane B.

    Living with a baker, I'm lucky enough to sample heavenly cupcakes, cheesecakes and layer cakes on a regular basis. Right now for instance, I know there's a tub of fresh brownies with sour cherries and white, milk and dark chocolate pieces sat on the kitchen counter waiting for me! What does this have to do with The Mock Turtle? Well, unfortunately I find The Mock Turtle's cakes disappointing compared to the ones I'm used to. I know they specialise in more traditional English fayre like scones, flapjacks and sponge cakes but I've yet to eat anything there that's really tickled my tastebuds. On the positive side, they know how to make a good pot of tea and the kitsch decorations make it a unique and old fashioned tea room. Ideal for taking your mum, great aunt or grandparents too!

    Not even all the cakes and crockery in this little gem on a side street.
    Natalie O.

    The amount of cake on offer is almost over whelming but what we sampled was very tasty. The savoury food was good too. All cooked in house by the friendly staff. Only a little place upstairs but there is a downstairs which is used by tour groups every day - that is how good it is! Bring plenty of cash as they don't accept cards.

    Aisling B.

    If I'm looking for a place based on tea and atmosphere, I love to bring friends here. The china around the walls is so cute, and everyone likes to see the really old 1940s cash register, of course. They always have lots of cakes and whatnot which look very good... unfortunately there isn't a gluten free option, so I've never tried anything. And that's the main reason I don't come here very often.

    Fruit scones with plenty of cream and jam! Must-try banana cake (left) and meh hazelnut cake (right) in the bottom corner
    Jess W.

    I was really excited to try The Mock Turtle. Unfortunately, the first time, our group of 3 ran late and didn't make it in time before closing. But after catching a glimpse of the cute tea cups, delicious array of homemade cakes laid out, and Insta-worthy wall decor, we knew we had to come back. The second time we came back, we had a larger party of ~6/7 people. The girl in front seated us immediately, and we spent around 10 minutes deciding which teas and cakes to order. I ordered the Mock Turtle tea blend, 1 white scone, 1 fruit scone, and the banana cake. I also sampled my friend's hazelnut cake and almond cake/bar. The tea was great! Tasted like mild black tea. The scones were mediocre. They were a little too dry for my liking, and only tasty after topped with a good helping of cream and jam. I did like how they weren't too sweet though. The banana cake is also a must try for all banana bread lovers out there! Not too sweet, but SUPER moist with that subtle banana flavor in the background. I could not taste the hazelnut at all in the hazelnut cake, and the frosting was WAY too sweet. It straight up tasted like there was granulated sugar mixed in....it was even kind of crunchy/not smooth. The almond bar was average; if someone ordered it again, I'd take another bite, but I definitely wouldn't pay for it myself. I was originally going to give Mock Turtle 3 stars (cute decor/lighting, nice homemade cakes, best tea blend), but the service I experienced was terrible. First of all, the girl who came to take our order didn't greet us. She didn't even ask to take our order. She simply walked up, pulled out her notepad, and looked at us. Not a single word. After, when our scones were brought out, they messed up our order and gave us ONLY fruit scones. (We ordered half white, half fruit, aka 4 of each kind). We didn't notice at first since they brought it all out already. Someone walked up to the front to ask - (the manager was super nice and offered to correct it immediately!) No one came to bring the scones. 10 minutes later, the same rude girl who took our order came back and asked what was wrong. We told her she messed up our order. She looked at us with a frown (someone of us had already started eating the scones) and responded, "Well....it looks like you guys are eating it already....what do you want me to do..... Her unfriendly attitude and lack of customer service skills dampened the atmosphere of an otherwise really cute tea room.

    Josephine U.

    I knew nothing about the Mock Turtle nor have I ever heard of it when I first came. This happened because the tea place we wanted to go to turned out to be close, and Mock Turtle was a short walk from here, according to one of my friends. I was decently surprised as I walked into a dainty room and fresh aroma of cakes. After being offered a menu, I couldn't make up my mind about which cake I wanted out of all their choices. There's also the option of getting two large scones and a pot of tea for 6 pounds! I ended up getting coffee cake and jasmine tea, which was great, while the rest of our group did the scones/tea offer, and they were delivered in large places with excessive amounts of jam and cream. The only con would be that the service was terrible. We were about to ask if we could get a glass of water but the waiter stopped us midsentence and said "NO, HOLD ON" in a rude tone, went to serve another table, and actually did not come back. The place is by the pier and amongst other thriving eateries/entertainment, and I did enjoy my time here despite the service. And for all you instagrammers, definitely instagram-worthy.

    Daniela R.

    Americans wanting to try afternoon tea so we stopped in. Good service and generous portions. We could only finish one scone each. £6.50 for two scones and a pot of tea. Gorgeous china! Overall will be returning.

    Maria G.

    My friends and I decided to pit stop here while we wait for Day's to open for lunch. We were welcomed by friendly staff and ushered us to a table. Straight away I felt the need of tea and a need of having some cake looking at what they have on display by the window. They all look yummy! I'm afraid I didn't have cake but my friends did. We all had Japanese green tea and it was served English style and an extra pot of hot water. They have seating downstairs too so there's plenty of room for busy times. The customers started to flood in just before we left and that just means people like the place. The price was quite reasonable and I will come back and try some of their cake.

    Laxmi K.

    A favorite tea shop of mine while studying abroad in Brighton. The perfect place to come for an afternoon tea break with a group of gals. They have a lovely selection of teas, and the best scones and cakes. I usually got a cream tea and a fruit scone heaped with clotted cream and fresh jam, all for less than six pounds. This was one of my absolute favorite places in Brighton and some of my fondest memories of English tea and scones were in this lovely little nook in the wall. Can't wait to go back and visit!

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    16 years ago

    I loved this place! It feels like you stepped into a story book. Staff is very nice. The scones are to die for!

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    11 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Best coffee/ tea shop in Brighton. The scones are absolutely delicious and the staff is friendly. Lots of charm. A must visit.

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    18 years ago

    This is as good as tea and scones could possibly be. With huge dollops of fresh cream.

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    17 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Get for morning tea with fruit scones, jam and clotted cream - Yum! Charming little place close to the pier.

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    Page 2 of 2

    The Mock Turtle Reviews in Other Languages

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    Forfars Bakers

    Forfars Bakers

    3.7(6 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    £

    I like Forfars a lot. Like Jack put it, its not Greggs. Instead, its a fantastic bakery café combo…read morethat happens to be a small Sussex chain. They offer great cakes, sandwiches and hot bready goodness as well as hot drinks to warm you up on those nasty, cold days. This one is particularly good, as it stays open into the afternoon for a decent amount of time, rather than closing at 2 as seems to be all the other fresh stores habit. You'd be forgiven for thinking this has nothing to do with fresh, as its the only Forfares bakery that I've seen that hasn't been converted to the new style that is fresh. Its big and spacious inside, but not particularly pleasant, so I'd recommend stopping off at La Vida or Bystander on the opposite side of the road if you fancy a sit down coffee or meal. But for someone looking for food to eat on the move, or to take back home, its ideal. If it gets knocked into shape in here, I'll definitely bump it up a star!

    This is my local Forfars and the fact that it is local means that I get tempted inside very often,…read morebad times or good times depending on which way you look at it. I love bakeries and this isn't one of the better forfars I have been in mainly due to it being quite small and not being able to offer what some other forfars do. However, it does have your favourites which include doughnuts, cheese straws and gingerbread men. Don't forget Forfars does some nice salads and sandwhiches for those wanting something reasonably healthy. I always like how clean these places look as this always makes you feel like you get better value for money.

    Photos
    Forfars Bakers

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    Silo - Silo, Brighton, UK

    Silo

    4.8(9 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    ££

    Cool concept and a must visit when in London area. Food is creative and delicious. Great chefs and…read morestaff.

    Brighton is all chic, vegan, hipster, quirky. After recommendation from the awesome kiwi at…read moreCrosstown Doughnuts, he said check out Silo. Silo are the first UK Zero waste cafe. They choose local food sources that avoid processing and create everything on site, with the extent of having their own flour mill. We were served their homemade complimentary sour dough bread with home made butter. This bread was so incredibly soft and moist. They are served on these rubber looking plates which the chef informs us is made from recycled plastic bags. The menu is simple for lunch. One - fish, plant, meat, dairy, and wild. We were given one menu to share between two of us, but if ya can't share the menu is projected on to the wall in two places for everyone - I guess their way of saving paper. The fish was cod and you can't get any better. The fish had been caught that morning! It was so soft and velvety and served on a delicious seaweed and poached leek mash. The menu is so light and innovative and nothing is soaked in oil or butter. The produce is well cared for and served accordingly. If your on the run, they have a selection of baked goods and takeaway sandwiches. I think the concept for Silo is exceptional. No waste and recycling is a great example to set for other restaurants. The wait for the food was a bit long but the standard of food is so high its well worth the wait. The staff are very informative and the chefs explain the dishes whilst serving and are very proud for the concept they produce. Rating Food: 10/10 Service: 8/10 Value for Money: Very Good 39 Upper Gardner Street, Brighton BN1 4AN Opening Hours: Mon-Weds 9am-5pm Thurs-Sat 9am-830pm Sun 11am-5pm

    Photos
    Silo - Beetroot risotto at Silo, Brighton, UK

    Beetroot risotto at Silo, Brighton, UK

    Silo - Sandwiches at Silo, Brighton, UK

    Sandwiches at Silo, Brighton, UK

    Silo - Silo, Brighton, UK

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    Silo, Brighton, UK

    Our Cornish Pasty Shop

    Our Cornish Pasty Shop

    4.0(15 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    £

    Having just written a pretty glowing review for the West Cornwall pasty company, I have to say this…read moreplace does just beat it. They've got a great range of flavours, almost too many as it's too hard to decide, so I ended up going for the standard 'traditional'. I wasn't disappointed - the filling was tasty and the pastry perfect, the right mix of flake and stodge. They do have other stuff here too - sandwiches, paninis - but I can't imagine I'll ever get past the pasties to try them.

    You can take the girl out of the West Country but you can't take the West Country out of the girl…read more Like Tasha S., I too am a Somerset lass and it takes a lot to impress me, pasty-wise. I'd say my grandma probably makes the best pasties in Devon, but I suppose I'm biased... I often find that shop-bought pasties are a bit of a let down, too-thick pastry filled with lots of potato and not enough of anything else. This was not my experience of Our Cornish Pasty Shop. I went for a classic steak pasty and it quite literally knocked my socks off! The meat was tender, the pastry was just the right consistency...watch out granny, you've got new competition!! The range of pasties is just right...not so many that you're left confused, but enough that you aren't left with a simple meat or veggie decision. I'm a bit scared of some of the more unusual ones, like Chicken Tikka...I am of the opinion that a pasty should stick to the original rules! The shop itself is nice, the staff friendly and they have a few tables outside. This is the best place to go if you want a little piece of the West Country in Brighton!

    Photos
    Our Cornish Pasty Shop
    Our Cornish Pasty Shop
    Our Cornish Pasty Shop

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    Bangers

    Bangers

    3.6(9 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    £

    Worst experience ever super rude on the phone treated me with no respect not too sure what there…read moreproblem is but hated the experience

    2 stars might well seem a bit harsh, especially as I can well imagine that some people may have had…read moresome amazing pie shaped experiences at Bangers, when all the variables are right. Let me explain. After a relatively hard days scouting around the Lewes Road reviewing and taking pictures, I walk down Baker Street, and spot what looks like a shop, which could turn into a favourite of mine. It's small, it's obviously not a chain, it's beautifully simple, only selling pie, it's cheap and best of all it's all made on the premises and infront of you, in the same room. YES... Great. In fact on top of this, and undoubtedly a deal breaker for why I decided to plump for a pie, is that it's bitterly cold outside, I'm also cold, and the idea of a lovely warming pie is just too good to resist. I go, after some deliberation, for a Leek and Bacon, which looks great. I hand over my £1.30, and admire my pie and myself for such an astute purchase, then I bite into the beautiful looking thing. WHATTTT???IT"S COLD. WHAT?WHY? Why would a shop that only sells pies.ONLY PIES. Sell cold pies.WHY? Surely they should invest in some sort of machinery to keep a pie warm.Please. I genuinely was very disappointed by this, nay, I was devastated. Everything up until that point had me excited, and then the damn bubble burst, spewing cold, leeky pie all over my face. The pie tasted alright, but to be honest the coldness didn't make it that appetising, and I was simply to grumpy too try and make the best of the flavour anyway. I don't know if they can put them in the microwave, but I wasn't given the option, so I guess not. What a shame. Could have been a great pie.

    Photos
    Bangers - Taken by me

    Taken by me

    Bangers
    Bangers

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    Small Batch Coffee Roasters - Interior

    Small Batch Coffee Roasters

    4.5(4 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    £

    Brighton boasts a diverse café culture that caters to the needs of locals and visitors alike from…read morethe waffles to the Wi-Fi. Your Brighton and Hove coffee experience isn't complete until you've visited one (or all!) of the six conveniently placed Small Batch Coffee Company sites dotted around the city. Pop-up pitches greet the commuters at Brighton and at Hove railway station and both areas boast two café's a-piece on busy central thoroughfares. So do take the time to sample some beans from these enterprising Brighton baristas. My local SBCC sits on the corner of Norfolk Square and is a welcome addition to one of the less grand regency squares currently undergoing a transformation. All the sites have a distinctly hip interior that you'd expect from a seriously cool coffee house. Personality can be found in the nod to local attractions, such as the pavilion domes in the shop signage and the beach hut mural on the Norfolk interior. If you're after a speedy verdict, THE COFFEE IS AMAZING. You can now move on. I had a cappuccino that came in a generously sized cup and finished off with a heart motif. The heart did look a bit like an onion, but that's ok. I love onions. The taste was rich and warm and a cut above your regular coffee on the go. The reasonably priced drinks come in at around £2-£3 and the tea is just as lovingly brewed as its flavoursome coffee brother. If you fancy a nibble there is an array of cookies, cakes and hot snacks for between £1.50-£3 that are fresh and tasty. I opted for a slither of brownie. I've been tricked by brownies in the past. It's hard to talk about, but they've been deceptively brown yet distinctly lacking in choccy goodness. I'm happy to report that this sweet treat was moist and rich. Phew. So whether you're a connoisseur or after a quick quench, be sure to stop here and have a cup of the hot stuff.

    Lovely spot recommended by a friend. It was too early for a coffee for me so I ended up having a…read morematcha. Excellent matcha flat white, the best I've had I think. Also had some toast which was great but perhaps a tad dehydrated?

    Photos
    Small Batch Coffee Roasters - Branded cups...

    Branded cups...

    Small Batch Coffee Roasters - Interior from one of the small round tables in the back

    Interior from one of the small round tables in the back

    Small Batch Coffee Roasters - Toast outside

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    Toast outside

    The Mock Turtle - coffee - Updated June 2026

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