Soon after I got back from Belize, it was time to visit some specialty coffee spots closer to home again. And I have the couple I met while snorkelling in Belize to thank for putting Taith Coffee on my radar. They clearly have great taste because Taith really puts the 'special' in specialty coffee, from the welcoming staff and well-stocked bookshelves to the impeccably brewed coffee.
Several of my university friends are from the Lewes area and I used to spend a lot of time there. After a long absence, I've been back a few times in recent years while visiting family nearby. By happy coincidence, a family lunch was bringing me back to Lewes soon after my return from Belize. And I allowed plenty of time for a coffee stop at Taith.
But I was on a mission and that mission was coffee. So, after exiting the train station I headed straight up the hilly High Street to Taith. It was a chilly December day but there were a couple of people sitting on the bench outside and it was bustling inside the café.
Taith is set across several rooms, with a variety of seating options. The large wood-panelled counter takes up most of the space in the first room, with a few tables by the front windows.
As you head further inside, you'll first reach a room with a well-curated collection of books and then another whose huge windows let the sun stream in and offer splendid views over the Downs. It's a beautiful space!
Taith started as a roastery back in 2021 and then opened the café, which showcases their excellent coffees, in 2024. Espresso-based drinks and hand-brewed filter coffees are available featuring an ever-changing selection of single-origin coffees.
There were seven coffees on the pourover menu during my visit and I wanted to try them all! In the end, I opted for the Bait Sel – Best of Yemen No. 3. I always like to sample Yemeni coffees when I get the chance and the flavour notes were right up my street.
A pourover was £15 (the other coffees ranged from £8 to £12), but for an extra £2, I could also get a single-shot espresso and single-shot cortado. I love to order coffee flights when I have time: they're a great way to experience the full range of flavours a coffee has to offer.
If you're feeling adventurous, you can also try a freeze-distilled flat white (which I very much enjoyed at Nostos) or a 'waved' coffee, which uses a 'wavemaker' to create vibrations that alter the extraction, balancing the acidity and adding sweetness. I will have to try this next time I visit!
My order placed, I went to find a table, stopping on the way to browse the gorgeous ceramics and books. The attention to detail is superb, from the mid-century modern décor to the relaxed atmosphere and soothing music.
Before long, my coffees arrived, served in the aforementioned ceramic cups, nesting on circular wooden saucers atop larger wooden trays. There was also a card with further information about the coffee and the farmers in Bait Sel village who produce it.
I started with the espresso and cortado, which were perfectly brewed. The sweet, plum notes came through, both with and without milk. The filter coffee was right up my street too. I could smell the blueberry aromas as soon as the barista placed the coffee on my table and it tasted just as good, especially as it cooled.
Before heading out, I paid a visit to the 'sweetie shop' shelves bearing pottery and coffee beans. Enticed by the delightful strawberry Chupa Chups illustration, I bought a natural Panama coffee produced by Priscilla Gonzalez. This was my Christmas coffee and each brew flooded my small kitchen with juicy berry aromas.
Taith Coffee. 84 High Street, Lewes, BN7 1XN. Website. Instagram.
Looking for more Sussex specialty coffee recommendations? Check out my guide to the best coffee shops in Brighton and Hove!
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