The Umbrella Cafe Cic

Proper food, community centre, loads going on. Welcomed and given great service. Interesting mix of clients - didn't get a sense that this is a place that is dominated by any one kind of group or person, but honestly felt like a space that any kind of human could walk into and be made welcome. That's not always the case, so this was exciting. Picked up a copy of the local free paper. Just the thought of eating and hanging out in this place has persuaded me to book a hot desk in Whitstable and return here for a few days' remote work. Wish we had something like this in Worthing. Wish every town had a place like this.

Great spot for some breakfast/brunch/lunch or even just a cup of coffee. Tasty home cooked food, good range of options plus some vegetarian and vegan options (BBQ jackfruit was great). Super friendly staff who are very knowledgeable about the local area. Chilled seating area inside and garden with plenty of seating out back. Little tucked away but well worth a visit!

A really lovely gem of a cafe. Wonderful food with great service in beautiful surroundings, with a lovely sun trap garden sheltered from the wind. The bonus is that it’s a community project where people can pay as much as they can afford if they can’t pay the menu prices, or indeed you can choose to pay more to support the venture. I’ll definitely will be back again.

HIDDEN GEM. A genuinely lovely garden cafe serving tasty, good-value food and reliable coffees. Good array of vegan and gluten-free options, really inventive dishes and new specials every day. Big garden for the summer and cosy cafe for the winter. Staff seem really friendly too. Free WiFi if you need to work and only a stone’s throw from the seafront. (Admirable inclusivity with the local homeless population too!)

Went for tea, going back for lunch I found The Umbrella Cafe by chance whilst searching online for a tearoom in Whitstable. As several other reviewers have mentioned; it is hidden but we'll worth the search. I visited on a very quiet afternoon, which gave me and my tea drinking friend plenty of time to enjoy the comfort of the cafe. The food is all made on the premises, which means great cakes however I found the tea options lacking. We ordered two pots of tea and the tea leaves of the second pot had not been stored probably, picking up flavours from something else. Don't get me wrong this is a lovely spot for an afternoon break however where this ethical cafe really excels is in its amazing midday menu, so next time I'll be coming back for lunch.

Fantastic garden in a really lovely tucked away spot off the high street - glad we discovered it as the other options were mediocre at best. This place has character! Inventive menu with house made ice-teas, perfect on a hot summer day. Good people on the staff who don't mind a laugh. We shared green pancakes, she had Huffkins. Plenty of seating and a lovely relaxed vibe. Surely the best cafe in Whitstable.