Testimonials

The place is lovely, the service fast and friendly, all the dishes that came out of the kitchen were beautiful. We would have liked to try them all, so we will definitely be back soon!

Simply delicious food - love the fact that the ingredients are locally sourced to a huge degree. We had a lovely lunch in the daytime cafe - good coffee, too. Will be booking in for dinner soon as the place transforms into a restaurant on Friday and Saturday evenings

Had lunch here today and was absolutely delicious, would highly recommend. Will be back to try the breakfast & dinner menu. Thank you Mandy, Bea & team, fabulous food & service with a smile xx

A favourite for breakfast (but great anytime of day!) Mandy and her team welcome everyone with a smile and Sheppard’s is brilliant for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The French toast with crispy bacon and maple syrup is (I’m told) to-die-for, and the full English and the veggie / vegan version is absolutely perfect. I love to go on a sunny day and sit outside chomping on a veggie sausage bap :) Date of visit: July 2022

We live in East Dean and are thrilled by Sheppards. It’s a delight. We’ve become regulars. Great food, great coffee, good prices, and genial hosts in the great Mandy and Bea. Enjoy! Date of visit: July 2022

Fantastic food! Wow...what a find! We visited for brunch today and our meals were fantastic. Spoilt for choice by the menu and wonderful to see some creative vegan and vegetarian options alongside traditional meat dishes. Great quality ingredients and little touches that made all the difference, such as the three types of fresh herbs on my meal and the flake with my partner’s coffee. What really stood out for us was that the food was prepared with genuine care and attention to detail. So many good reviews on here, totally deserved. Our only disappointment was when our plates were clear and it was all over. We’ll be back! Date of visit: July 2022

What a gem! We just love the warm welcome and excellent, local food served at Sheppard’s. If you’re here for breakfast, lunch or dinner, it’s well worth a visit - by far the best place to eat! Date of visit: May 2022

Lovely coffee Lovely creamy coffee, mandy and bea both so friendly. spotless place and meals look gorgeous and very reasonably priced. I’m only in area for the week but will definetly return, if you want a treat pop in here, you won’t be dissapointed. X Date of visit: May 2022

If you are out walking over the Sussex Downs around Eastbourne I do recommend a visit to this quaint little village in East Dean Sussex. This small out of way village for walkers who want a hearty Full English Breakfast, you must try Shepherds Cafe (you wont regret it) The English Breakfast is amazing local sourced produce, especially the sausages which are out of this world. I have for several months now eaten breakfast in various places around East Sussex but by far this the best so far. The staff are amazing very helpful with big smiles on their faces telling you they enjoy what they are doing. The premises are clean, simple and smart. Date of visit: May 2022

Rueben Heaven We regularly walk the Downs through East Dean and normally pack a sandwich, having been disappointed by the bland fare generally available in the area. Spotted Sheppards on Tripadvisor and motived by the positive reviews decided to give them a try for lunch. So we pleased we did! My Rueben sandwich was absolutely delicious, took me back to my days living in New York. Wonderfully balanced layers of sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and pastrami in perfectly grilled bread, created the most authentic and mouth watering Rueben. Yum! My wife had the Macaroni Cheese which was equally tasty. Accompanied by a generous pot of tea for two. A really pleasant quirky environment and friendly staff, looking forward to returning. Date of visit: March 2022

What a place! They stayed open for us to arrive late for dinner and were charming and friendly. Dogs were also very welcome. Steaks, burger and haddock pie were universally excellent. We then visited for breakfast the following morning and again were made very welcome and they served up cracking food. Delicious beer from local brewery worth a mention. You get a real sense of care in the choice of locally sourced ingredients and fresh preparation. Highly recommended. Date of visit: February 2022

Fabulous food, fabulous coffee, fabulous service! Turned up here having only just learnt of its location. Warm greeting by very friendly staff. The place was clean and welcoming. Staff were efficient and fun to chat with. The food was excellent - a great salad with my toasted sandwich - not just a pile of lettuce - and the best latte I’ve tasted in the area. Prices very reasonable. Thank you to Mandy and staff for a great experience. We will be back. Date of visit: December 2021

Hidden gem I recently learned about Sheppards and it is with some reluctance that I write this review. Why? Because once the word gets out, this tiny cafe is likely to be full every time I want to visit! Firstly, I need to mention this is the only place I’ve found (perhaps in most of England) that really does blueberry pancakes right. I’m married to an American, lived in the US and had my share of breakfast pancakes. Since moving back to England, however, I’ve never been able to duplicate the deliciousness of an American pancake -- until now. Mandy’s plate of hot, fluffy pancakes, stuffed with fresh blueberries and swimming in a pond of buttery syrup sated my taste buds and convinced me I need look no further. And there’s more. The delightful owner (Mandy) has taken it upon herself to feature local produce (from coffee to meat to cheese to pastries) and designed an interesting menu to incorporate them. I’ve only had breakfast and coffee so far (twice in one week) so can’t comment on the rest of the menu but I’d be willing to bet everything is as carefully prepared and tasty as those heavenly blueberry pancakes. Date of visit: September 2021

Peach of an evening Fabulous evening! Communication was excellent on making the reservation, and it was a real pleasure to meet Mandy in person. She cares so much about what she serves. The menu is an excellent mix of traditional and modern dishes, and caters for a variety of dietary requirements. We do not usually have 3 courses, but the portions are spot on, the food tasty and the prices enticing, therefore we simply couldn’t resist! Date of visit: August 2021

On The Friday of the 6th of August, I visited Shepard’s Caffe for a bite to eat with a friend. And was blown away by this hidden gem. Picture being in the lanes of Brighton but in the scenic village of East Dean. Food was on point staff were incredibly attentive, attention to detail was thorough, and the all-around experience was exuberant. If you are taking a stroll along the berling gap or simply looking for a bit of brunch, take a minute to stop and go to shepherds. You won’t regret it. Date of visit: August 2021

A perfect experience at this wonderful cafe. Starting with my drink, it was a fantastic Mocha and the added touch of a flake was a lovely surprise. My fry up breakfast was possibly the best I’ve ever had. The ingredients were clearly of a high quality and it was cooked to perfection. Everything was an absolute delight. The staff are very welcoming and friendly also. I cannot recommend this place enough. To be honest, I want to go back tomorrow. July 2022

Superb local spot. Staff are so friendly, food and drinks are so good and so reasonably priced. Every trip has resulted in a next visit! Great selection of dishes, cakes and drinks. The pizzas on a Friday and Saturday evening have been a fantastic revelation in recent weeks. So reasonably priced and so moreish. Cannot wait for our next trip. August 2022