New cafe opens its doors in Eastbourne - could these be the best cinnamon buns in Sussex?

Ren’s Kitchen, which opened last Monday (November 20) serves home-baked cakes, bread and daily specials, alongside an extensive and inclusive menu,

The focus on in-house baking and fresh produce means the establishment is ‘everything a cafe should be’, according to owner Ren Esack.

Ren, who opened his first cafe in Worthing in 2008, decided to start his new endeavour in Eastbourne after making the town his home three years ago.

The cafe is a ‘passion project’ for him, and was inspired simply by the desire to have ‘somewhere for my kids to hang out after school’.

Despite opening just a week ago, he said it has quickly turned into a well-loved community hub.

Ren said: “From the moment we opened, everyone’s been coming in. We know everyone’s names in the village.

“It feels like everyone’s coming round your house, it’s lovely.

“This only felt like a cafe when we opened the doors and it was full of people. There’s something really special about it.

“Now I feel like Eastbourne’s my home, now I’m part of the community.”

Ren trained in fine dining straight after completing his A-levels, but lost the passion for it when he found himself ‘just cooking to impress people’.

Following this realisation, he began working only in establishments he wanted to work in, with the aim of learning from other chefs and picking up methods and recipes from around the world.

He considers himself self-taught and is putting everything he has learned into Ren’s Kitchen.

The cafe’s menu includes a wide-range of options for all meals of the day, with many options also available made vegan.

Breakfast items range from buttermilk waffles, shakshuka, and Ren’s take on a full English. There sandwiches, jacket potatoes and salads available, and customers can choose from a variety of freshly-baked bread for their sandwiches – including focaccia, sourdough, ciabatta and gluten-free.

A daily selection of savoury pastries and homemade cakes (which are ‘buy one, get one free’ on Fridays) can also be found on the counter, alongside a full menu of tea, coffee and freshly-made juices and smoothies.

Ren’s Kitchen is located at 54 Meads Street.

See below for a review:

When I heard that Ren’s Kitchen was opening up in Eastbourne, I was very excited, having visited the Worthing branch previously. I knew the food there was amazing, but I had never had a chance to try the famous giant cinnamon buns I’d heard so much about. I’ve been a vegan for a while now, so I’m a little deprived of good cakes and sweet treats, therefore, this is something I get very passionate about. So, when, halfway through our interview, Ren presented a cinnamon bun fresh out of the oven, I had to stop everything to give it a try. And it was better than I ever would have expected. It was gooey, moreishly sweet and contained the perfect balance of cinnamon and sugar. I paired it with an oat milk flat white, which was also delicious and top-qualit y as far as coffees go, for a match made in sweet treat heaven. In my opinion, these may just be the best cinnamon buns in the whole of Sussex.