Cafe Nucleus Chatham

Cafe Nucleus Chatham

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+44 1634 406971+ Add website
Hours
Sun
11:00 - 15:00
Mon
9:30 - 17:00
Tue
9:30 - 17:00
Wed
9:30 - 17:00
Thu
9:30 - 17:00
Fri
9:30 - 17:00
Sat
9:30 - 17:00
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What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Does this restaurant allow dogs or considered pet friendly?
About
At Café Nucleus we are an oasis on the High Street, you’ll be welcomed with a warm smile, a great atmosphere, fantastic food and good service. Not only do we serve delicious coffee but we help promote and support the works of the Halpern Charitable foundation which founded Nucleus Arts. We believe it’s important to support not only local Kentish economy and the vulnerable people in the Medway towns through the dedicated work of the HCF and Nucleus Arts. We help raise the profile of the arts in Medway by offering a friendly, approachable face in three of the five Nucleus Arts locations in Medway. A coffee isn’t just a coffee… At Café Nucleus it’s an Experience! From field, boat, herd or flock we at Café Nucleus work with our suppliers and our supply chain to ensure we deliver the very best produce from traceable origins. Working with local suppliers we source some fantastic products from our vegan cakes from Peck & Strong in Rural Devon to Kentish milk from Hinxden farm dairy.
PRICE RANGE
£6.00 – £25.00
CUISINES
Cafe, European, British
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch, Drinks
FEATURES
Takeout, Reservations, Seating, Street Parking, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, American Express, Mastercard, Visa, Accepts Credit Cards, Dog Friendly
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles453 reviews
Excellent
365
Very good
55
Average
14
Poor
5
Terrible
14

Laura250493
4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 friends
As a local, I visit here more than anywhere else in Chatham if I’m looking for a nice sit down breakfast/brunch. The staff are by far some of the friendliest yet professional that I’ve ever come across. The food and drink are all local produce so the pricing is correct for the quality of food you’re getting. The atmosphere and decoration of both inside and outside are amazing, the outside space has the nice touches of the blankets for the chillier times and even heaters above you. The fact we were visiting to celebrate my birthday was mentioned and the staff gave me a goody bag with a birthday card and some truffles which goes above and beyond expectations. This is the place to go for a warm, welcoming experience with the best food around.
Written 6 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joe Penney
Hi Laura250493, Thank you for visiting us for your birthday at Café Nucleus Chatham, we loved reading your review and your comments regarding the friendly, professional staff, local food and drink with good quality and price and the atmosphere and decoration on the inside and outside of the restaurant are very well received, as are the 5 / 5 ratings you have given us across the board. We shall pass your comments onto our whole team at Café Nucleus Chatham who will appreciate receiving such good feedback about your visit, we're delighted that you enjoyed birthday goody bag and chocolates and we greatly look forward to welcoming you once again to any of our Café Nucleus restaurants in the near future.
Written 10 May 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

BenLilyTegan
Faversham355 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 business
An amazing oasis hidden away from the high street. I visited for a work meeting and we had lunch beforehand. The food and drinks were incredible and the staff were attentive, polite and good humoured. The setting was really nice and felt like being on holiday. I really recommend this to anyone who wants a great meal with a great atmosphere. The prices were quite high, but they do some great work with the money they raise.
Written 2 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joe Penney
Hi BenTeganLily, Thank you for your lovely review. We're thrilled to hear that you had a fantastic experience at Café Nucleus, and we're grateful for your kind words. We take pride in creating an oasis away from the high street, providing a serene and relaxing atmosphere for our guests. It's wonderful to know that you felt like you were on holiday during your visit. Once again, thank you for recommending Café Nucleus to others and we look forward to welcoming you back soon at any of our Café Nucleus restaurants.
Written 3 August 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Laura G
11 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2021 friends
I have visited here lots of times with friends and family and always tell people to go. The food is affordable, tasty and the menu has a huge range. Felt the need to write a review today after visiting with friends for my Birthday. The staff went above and beyond to make it amazing : with a gift, signed card from staff, bubbles, a happy birthday song and candles in my delicious millionaire's shortbread (with gold leaf). I can't recommend it more. In addition to this the updated outside area is beautifully cosy. It has all the extra touches which make you feel spoilt.
Written 16 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

mooremore
Canterbury4 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 family
Have been to both this and the Rochester venue and have always been impressed with the service, food and ambience. Sadly this wasn’t the experience myself and two other family members had when visiting yesterday. we waited a touch longer to be acknowledged than I’d of expected. We were offered to sit in smoking area, which I agreed to as there was a table further up with no smokers near by , however did think the non smoking didn’t look busy but accepted that was the only free table. Initially when looking through menu thought wow prices have gone up a considerable amount ! But reasoned with myself that of course they have its good quality produce and everywhere has, but £26 for a roast does seem steep and sandwiches around £15 , we chose what we wanted and our drinks were served . Iced coffee served no coffee just milk ( clear mistake) two ciders one warm , one colder . Ice in the glasses , didn’t ask for ice. Explained to waitress about the iced coffee and cider being warm . She said that would be rectified, food came looked well presented, did think the ham wasn’t the carved ham described on menu and didn’t taste like it but convinced myself it wasn’t packet ham . Took considerable amount of time for new iced coffee to come , I was then told they had added more ice as there wasn’t a cold cider available, I asked if money could be deducted. Waitress checked and came back to explain that wasn’t possible and more ice was offered or chose a different drink. Waitresses were pleasant but appeared to be stressed and overall the visit was disappointing. We did not want to pay the discretionary service charge that is added and I felt she understood that was reasonable so deducted this.
Written 18 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Keep It Twisted
9 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 couples
Great to get away from it all, and have a nice coffee at this Oasis is Chatham, BUT come on guys ! - I have paid less to eat in the west end of London. If you fancy lunch at one of the 4 Cafes, you better bring a "lot of cash". We had two £26.50 Salmon & Scrambled Eggs and a tiny sliver of truffle and shared a bottle of Merlot Reserve at £43 Our 2 little lunch time snack's and a couple of glasses of Red came to £96.
Written 2 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Claire L
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023 friends
Visited as we'd heard good things about it and we were given vouchers as a gift. Inside was decorated nicely only one shared toilet with little towels in the toilet! I'm glad that we had vouchers as EVERYTHING was very over priced. I paid £14 for a prawn sandwich which was ok although the sauce wasn't to my liking! Chips cost £5 and were very salty and not that many! My friend chose a wrap from the specials which they adapted for her but oil dripped out of the wrap and the wrap was toasted although no mention of this! Bottles of coke were priced to other places. We did not complain as we had vouchers but if I was having to pay I would have complained! Whilst there another group came in, ordered hot drinks then looked at the menu, when the waiter came over they mentioned the prices of the food and finished their drinks and left! We asked for the bill and was told how much. Without thinking I paid the extra and it wasn't until after that I noticed £2 was added for a charity. There was no mention of this when being told the final cost! We won't be going back and won't be recommending it I'm afraid!
Written 11 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ChathamCafeNucleus
Dear C5637Pclairel, It's always heartbreaking to read a review such as yours, our team works tirelessly to delivery an amazing customer experience and clearly we didn't meet your expectations. We'd like to answer each of your points and to explain our evolution over the past 11 years we have operated in Chatham. Toilets - We have 1 fully inclusive toilet in the cafe, we do indeed provide individual Egyptian cotton hand towels accompanied with the white company hand soap/cream. If your concern is the lack of facilities, we would like to highlight that there is a further 7 across the sites. Prawn Marie rosé sandwich - It's so disappointing you didn't enjoy this dish, at Café Nucleus we are all about provenance and sourcing the very best quality ingredients, our large prawns are Icelandic and we have full traceability down to individual trawlers. We work directly with our prawn supplier, not only paying a fair price but ensuring that they follow a strict sustainability and environmental policy. Our Marie rose sauce is homemade to the classical recipe including us adding a generous glug of Cognac, it's normally a big hit, so it's incredibly disappointing it wasn't to taste - Had you let your server Monica know she would have happily offered a dish more to your liking. It's a shame when she checked with you none of these concerns were highlighted. Tex Mex Wrap - We're are very surprised there was oil dripping out of the wrap, as it's not something we add to our wraps, we adapted the wrap as per your request removing the chipotle mayonnaise and coriander, leaving just the chicken breast, fresh tomatoes and onions. We do toast our wraps, as they're served as a hot dish so we can only apologise if this wasn't clear. Chips - Our triple fried chips are a huge hit with our guests, with us serving a portion to nearly every guest who dines with us, we're sorry if you found them too salty, we do light salt them when they come out of the fryer for the third time. Our price, is very similar to other venues locally who serve triple cooked chunky chips but it's worth noting that we have seen our high quality British Rapeseed oil increase to nearly £90 for 20 litres, electricity increased 4 fold and the cost of potatoes double. We change the oil weekly, this is a huge cost to us and unfortunately some of it needs to be passed on, in reality we have increased 50p in three years. Charity Donation - All of our café restaurants raise money for the Halpern Charitable Foundation, we have raised nearly £60k in the past twelve months. Your voluntary donation has helped HCF deliver community outreach to tens of thousands of vulnerable, lonely and socially isolated individuals in the Medway Towns. During Covid, the donations helped the charity to delivery 10,000 magazines a month, to keep in touch with those who would increasingly become further isolated, to assist individuals living with metal heath issues. Furthermore it helps make the arts accessible in Medway Towns. Since our inception 11 years ago we have continued to go against the grain, we have committed to being a living wage employer, paying considerably more than most other businesses like us in the area. Since our reopening after covid we have struggled with capacity over the peak periods, with 6 out 7 days a week being fully booked in all our café restaurants. We continue to invest in our cafes, gardens and are staff by continuing to up skill our teams. Unfortunately, we aren't immune to inflation and have seen the cost of our raw ingredients increase by over 50% on average but I'm sure most will agree this is the same up and down the country and is clearly evident in supermarkets. We do hope you give us another try and note that we really are trying to do something unique and different in Chatham, Rochester and soon Rainham. Kindest Regards, Aaron
Written 12 April 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Laura H
6 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022 friends
Was really disappointed by the food to be honest. Avocado and eggs on toast was completely unseasoned and very bland. Eggs were also poor quality. We l shared pancakes after that which were very expensive and were drizzled with some cheap, fake ‘chocolate’ sauce. Style over substance unfortunately.
Written 17 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CafeNucleusJoe
Good morning B4736ZAlaurah, Thank you for your recent visit to Café Nucleus Chatham, we're disappointed that you found your experience lacking. Our advocate and eggs on toast are usually well received and we rarely receive poor comments regarding them. If you found them to be unseasoned and bland we would have been happy to either prepare you a new dish or something alternative from our menu. Our eggs are local to a farm here in Kent and are usually of a high quality, we are disappointed that you thought they were of poor quality. We are also disappointed that you found are chocolate sauce to be fake and cheap, with style taking precedence over substance, if we were notified of any issues whilst you were dining with us we would have been more than happy to sort it out for you at the time. We hope to welcome you warmly to any of our Café Nucleus restaurants in the near future, where we will have another chance to show you our best. Many thanks, Joe.
Written 22 December 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Tim B
Chatham26 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 couples
My Wife and I discovered The Cafe Nucleus Lounge in Chatham, an offspring of the brilliant shop in Rochester’s High Street. With the brilliant and ever customer centric team of Alex and Anthony looking after us, we were welcomed into a Bohemian style vibe, with the sweetest sounds and tunes to harmonise a full restaurant. The service was impeccable and the food simply top class. An outstanding oat milk latte to crown it off and we were instantly rendered disciples of the institution! See you again. And again.
Written 27 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joe Penney
Hi timborland, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience at Cafe Nucleus Lounge in Chatham. We are thrilled to hear that you and your wife discovered our café and enjoyed the style and ambience of the café. This TripAdvisor listing is for our other Chatham Café Nucleus, but we will certainly pass your comments onto Alex, Anthony and the whole team at the lounge. We are delighted to know they made you feel welcomed and took care of you during your visit. The oat milk latte is indeed a fan favourite, and we are pleased that it crowned off your dining experience perfectly. Thank you for your kind words, we look forward to seeing you soon at any of our Café Nucleus restaurants in the near future. Many thanks, Joe.
Written 28 July 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Isha Q
Chatham1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2025 family
My disabled son and I have been going to cafe nucleus for a while. One of the staff members Lillie-Rose, as always provided an exceptional service today. Lillie-Rose is always so thoughtful of my son’s complex needs and happily accommodates his needs to ensure we have a positive experience. Lillie-Rose even remembers my son’s name and she always greets us with a warm welcome. Thank you Lillie-Rose. You are an assert to the team. I look forward to seeing you in the near future x
Written 25 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sam S
Rochester5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021 none
Excellent food and experience at Cafe Nucleus in Chatham. My whole family were impressed with our dishes and the service.I particularly liked the the eggs Royale which hit the right spot and my children really enjoyed the pancake stack. The gardens are absolutely beautiful, if you do anything this summer make sure it is to visit this hidden gem.
Written 14 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Natalie G
4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022 friends
As the title suggests, a totally unexpected find in the heart of Chatham High street! Tucked away behind hoardings and easily missed if you haven't got your eyes peeled....a little secret garden with outdoor seating that leads into a cozy indoor area, means you can hide from the hassle and bussel of everyday Chatham life, true escapism! The food is excellent, if not a little on the pricey side!! Will visit again on special occassions......if meals dropped by region of £2/per dish, it would make it a more frequent destination,.at least for me. Bonus about the place: very clean Loo, which at the time played Harry potter on audio book, a novel idea...!
Written 30 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CafeNucleusJoe
Hi Natalie, Thank you for visiting us at Café Nucleus Chatham recently, we greatly appreciate your exceedingly kind comments. Café Nucleus Chatham is know as the 'Oasis on the High Street' and it seems like you have described exactly what that means. Our prices reflect that we try our hardest to deliver the very best produce, with as much as possible sourced from farms and businesses in the local Medway and Kent area. Unfortunately we are not exempt from rising costs but we always try our hardest to keep prices down where possible. We look forward to welcoming you to any of our Café Nucleus restaurants in the near future, and throughout 2023.
Written 31 December 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

emmagat
25 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 family
Always a pleasure to visit here. Walk out of the high street and its a completely different environment. It may be a bit hard to find if you dont know the area and its right next to some construction work being done but is worth the effort to look for it. Beautiful surroundings to stop and have a coffee. Always so clean, including the toilets. The staff are just wonderful, friendly, eager to help and can see they all enjoy their work. Yes it is more expensive than other places but they respect their staff and pay them a decent wage and it shows. The food is also much better quality than you're getting anywhere else in Chatham. Worth a visit if you're in the area either for a nice leisurely coffee or an indulgent lunch
Written 9 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joe Penney
Hi emmagat, Thank you for visiting us again recently at Café Nucleus Chatham, we're delighted that you had another enjoyable experience with us. We loved reading your kind comments regarding the beautiful surroundings, cleanliness, the wonderful, friendly team, food quality and your recommendation to others is always very well received. Unfortunately due to the building work directly outside Café Nucleus Chatham it may be easy to miss us but we're happy that you were able to find us and have a pleasurable time. We shall pass your feedback onto our whole team at Café Nucleus Chatham and we greatly look forward to welcoming you to any of our Café Nucleus restaurants in the near future. Including the new Café Nucleus Rainham from the 1st of September, many thanks, Joe.
Written 10 June 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Kane Wainwright
Gillingham1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023 couples
My partner and I have been coming to this cafe for a while now. We have always had a very pleasant experience and cannot believe how nice the venue is even with its location in the middle of Chatham high street! The staff are all very friendly and seem to have a good rapport with each other. The experience and food are definitely well worth the price! Come here for a nice time.
Written 2 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CafeNucleusJoe
Hi Pioneer23014383408, Thank you for visiting us recently at Café Nucleus Chatham, as well as visiting us multiple times in the past, we're delighted that you had another enjoyable experience with us. We greatly appreciate that you have taken the time to leave us a review of your visit and we loved reading your comments regarding your pleasant experiences, friendly staff with good, value for money food. Your 5 / 5 review is very well received and we greatly look forward to welcoming you to any of our Café Nucleus restaurants in the near future.
Written 5 April 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

customer8882017
Hove14 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 none
Food was below average at a very high price. We asked for gluten free sandwiches take away and they didn't get the order right. It was a simple sandwich request that had missing ingredients and essentially was two pieces of bread thrown together with a pathetic amount of filling shoved inside (didn't bother to add lettuce). I would not recommend this place - waste of our money.
Written 27 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ChathamCafeNucleus
Dear customer8882017, We're sorry to hear you were disappointed however we are struggling to find your visit during August. We keep comprehensive records of all takeaways and orders, we had no gluten free sandwiches taken away from our Chatham Cafe during August. We believe you didn't visit us and this has been posted to the wrong business. We do hope one day you'll give us a try.
Written 6 October 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Stevemcgregor1
Rochester3 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2024 friends
Always loved this place , lovely vibe and decor etc , but i was lost for words yesterday, we had 1 burger and chips , 1 tuna sandwich, one small coke and a small cider ……..just over £43!!!! Thats a complete rip off !! Safe to say we won’t be going back again, shame as this was always the go to place , don’t mind paying a little extra but this was unbearable for what was nothing more than a sandwich and a burger with 10 chips
Written 29 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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CAFE NUCLEUS CHATHAM - Updated 2025 Restaurant Reviews, Menu & Prices - Tripadvisor

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