Welcome to The Runaway Café

The Runaway Café has always been a popular watering hole with travellers. The bacon sandwiches are legendary, once being ordered specially by the late Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales. The coffee shop is a forum for discussion and debate, as travelers argue and gossip to a background of classical music. It is well known for the lively conversation, and friendly service.

Everyone knows The Runaway - from years of waiting for a train or even the shortest one-off visit.There's an interesting and wide variety of customers pass through - pop stars, writers, journalists, politicians, civil servants, bankers, station porters and just ordinary folk.

The Runaway has been part of Lewes train station since the 1980's and has been a keen hot spot ever-since. The Café bases it's foundations on tradition, and traditional values.

Such care is put into the taste and presentation of our food and drink. In our tea we use pure leaf tea which is specially blended for the sussex water. This obviously needs care and attention with every teapot that is prepared, and there are many prepared each day -- but the end result proves it's worth it.

Although an innovative range of sandwiches are produced, we never forget to include the traditional and much loved ones that are often so hard to find in national retailers. Call orders and bespoke sandwiches play a major part in our service.

Consideration is always given to locally sourced foods, and organic products include soya milk and fair-trade coffee beans.

And of course a friendly, personal, attentive and high quality service is paramount.

Opening Times

Mon-Fri 05:10 to 18:50
Sat        07:10 to 17:50
Sun       08:10 to 17:20

Extended opening when there are Albion home matches at the weekend