Bills Produce Store

Avoid!   highly over priced food, coffee OK as long as the place is not heaving  Lewes has much more to offer, try walking just over cliffe bridge or round into malling street into the old electricity storeyard

I had a disappointing, annoying, time consuming and expensive experience at Bills. I have learned that Bills does not do take out food, it's unfortunate that, when asked, the waiting staff seemed to think they do.  

I needed some food for supper, I needed to buy it a couple of hours early.  I ordered Chicken Cesar, a bacon salad and a brownie.  I told three different people that I would be eating the food a couple of hours after buying and asked them, if possible, to ensure it was prepared in such a way that it would last without having to be refrigerated.  I was assured that would be fine, they would keep any hot meat separate for cold salad, and the brownie would arrive sans ice cream.  I had ordered salads and a brownie to be on the safe side.  Unfortunately the chocolate brownie was warm and served with ice cream (I specifically asked for it to be cold and served without ice cream, and was told that would be okay), the chicken Cesar salad had a piece of hot chicken with the salad leaves (I had asked for the chicken to be separate if it was likely to be hot, and told that would be okay), the bacon salad had a similar problem, hot bacon was mixed in with leaves (I had asked for the bacon to be separate if it was likely to be hot).  Now, hot meat turns salad into a slimy mess pretty quickly.  Finally the take away boxes were much too big for the portions, this meant that food was sliding around inside the boxes which made the food look really unappetizing before I'd even left the shop.

It would be great if Bills had a take away menu, if they had fewer really gormlous staff, if the staff understood the menu a bit better, if the front of house staff were capable of understanding and then, communicating to me that the kitchen wasn't going to be able to produce the food I needed.  I would have saved £25 and everyones time.  I was so surprised, disappointed and annoyed by the food I was given that I left the shop without talking to anyone properly about it, I didn't know what to say, I'd already done so much explaining about my situation that it seemed clear I'd be talking to myself!

I live in San Francisco and may not get time to call the store directly, but will call and complain if I can.  

Bill’s is always busy when I go past, which must speak for itself! However, there have been conflicting reviews on this place. Personally, we don’t mind it here. We have always had good service, food and courtesy but it is true to say that it is overpriced for what you get.
It is right in the middle of the busy Cliffe area so attracts attention due to it being so unique. There is plenty of competition should it not suit your taste. Parking is good close by, (near the The Dorset), through the twitten.

Tried this place out of curiosity, always looked busy, looked at the breakfast menu and could not believe my eyes, never seen such expensive prices . We opted for the cheapest, expecting it to be good stuff. However when it came our hearts sunk, a tiny piece of streaky bacon and a tasteless scrambled egg on dry bread. We were charged £17 50 pence for two eggs on toast and two teas. Never again. The only good thing i can say about this place , the lovely girl waitresses were very pleasant. If you go there for lunch take your American Express.

Excellent food, always feels very homely staff are very pleasant. Fantastic produce and lovely meals. Only thing I would put it down for is how busy it is and the way you are seated means you are on a huge table with many strangers. Although this wasn't a problem for me I'm sure it would be for some people.

Wanted to treat myself to a nice breakfast so went to Bills. The eggs Benedict were a disaster - the eggs were hard boiled and the ham very cold, straight out of the fridge (which made the sauce cold too). I did get the eggs replaced, but the cold ham made it all pretty unpleasant. On the other hand the cappuccino was so hot I burnt my tongue. Obviously no longer the place to go - too successful?

I have been to Bills twice now. My first visit was a disaster. My daughter in law and I were ushered to our table, were given menus. We ordered drinks and food and were enjoying the ambience and the other lovely items that Bills has on offer. We waited and waited and waited......no drinks came, no food came. When we finally got the attention of a waitress, she came back to tell us that our order had been lost and would we mind re-ordering. As we had sat there for at least 30 minutes, we refused the offer and decided to leave and try somewhere else.

Today I went there again thinking that this time would be a better experience. Our waitress came promptly and took our order, drinks came after a few minutes wait. My son ordered a breakfast and me a bacon sandwich. And then it started again......we waited and waited and waited. After sitting and watching other customers, we saw an elderly couple come in, sit down and they waited and waited and waited. eventually they gave up and walked out. Our breakfast came at long last. My son is a chef and was becoming increasingly vexed at having to wait so long for breakfast. The food was standard. We finished and wanted to pay and go. It took another 30 minutes to get our bill and to try and pay was another 15 minutes.

I can honestly say this is the worst service I have had to endure for a long time. I will NOT go to Bills ever again.....

I can't say whether the Lewes Bill's is good or bad as regards food as I wasn't able to get any.

I turned up not knowing whether you had to be guided to a seat, or whether you could just plonk yourself down. Although there were seats free, I was being very correct and hung around for a few seconds trying to detect what their system was.

After telling a staff member I wanted a meal, she ordered me to the counter, where another staff member approached asking what I wanted. I told him I'd been sent here to get a seat, and he looked quite baffled, saying something like "go, um, no, just, um, er...wait here", and he wandered off and I stood there like a lemon.

While I was waiting, I saw other people wander in off the street and plonk themselves down at an empty table without being ordered to wait. The baffled staff member seemed to have disappeared, so I wandered out and then saw other people seating themselves at some of the remaining free tables. There was still one free table, but I wasn't sure whether I'd get ticked off for daring to seat myself, so I gave up.

I am still none the wiser about whether you are allowed to seat yourself at an empty table. If you are allowed, then why did two staff order me to wait out the counter? If you're not allowed, why don't they simply have a "please wait to be seated" sign to stop people doing the wrong thing?

Are you hungry and in Lewes? Forget fish and chips or a panini from the numerous coffee shops. Get a decent meal down you at Bills. Wonderful cafe, serving delicious food, and you can buy the ingredients to reproduce your meal in the in-cafe shop. Fabulous. Pick up a bunch of flowers or bakery delight as a gift for whoever you know who has missed out on the experience-they’ll soon be down there!

Bill’s is rightly an institution without peer. Since it was established in Lewes after the devastating floods of the early noughties, there is no other place like it. The secret is in combining exuberant, colourful presentation of fresh food, with tonnes of fresh herbs and green things, with a comfortable informality. The breakfasts are fantastic and excellent value, and now they’re doing evening dining too, and the place is transformed with candles and more subdued lighting. Putting a grocer in the front and selling imaginative own-brand preserves as well as high-quality Spanish and Italian deli-type products is an excellent idea. Bill’s is legendary already and for good reason. There’s also another very popular one in Brighton, but Lewes is the “original”.

Bills Cafe is the a must for anyone who enjoys their food. In the heart of Lewes, opposite the Harveys brewery, the half store/half cafe is always bustling away. Customers sit on long benches that are shared, there are tables too, but you have to take what you can as I have never seen Bills not busy. Choices range from a hot drink and cake to a full lunch and the food is as exciting to see as it is to to eat. Always loads of staff to help you out, and a great place for people watching. Best to chose a day when you’re not in a hurry as Bills is a place you want to take your time.

Great shop selling organic fruit and veg. Also excellent cafe attached which is a very good lunch venue, particularly in the summer when you can sit outside.

For those of us who care about where our food comes from, this place is dream. They have a great selection of seasonal organic fruit, veg, cheese etc. lots of it local. I always buy lots more than I intended every time I visit. They also have a cafe that does a great selection of breakfasts and lunches The food is very good often worth the wait when it is busy. They also have seating outside. They even deliver fruit and veg boxes.

This place is amazing! I definitely recommend eating here, its great for breakfast or lunch, especially in the summer, when you can sit outside and watch the world go by. And if you don’t want to sit and eat, they do an amazing range of fruit and vegetables, lots of which you wouldn’t find in a supermarket. They also do lots of jams and chutneys, and plants and flowers. The staff are friendly too, So its well worth a look.

This store is bursting with fresh produce and people. It s a bit dark inside. There is a cafe inside in which to eat after buying fresh fruit & veg. There seems to be hundreds of staff who are only too willing to assist a shopper with any questions. Well worth a visit after going into the Riverside indoor market.