Places to eat in Margate

We’ll begin with a beaut. The Buoy and Oyster was named Kent Restaurant of the Year in 2018 and continues to wow its patrons with exceptional food, stunning terrace-views of Margate Beach and an open plan theatre kitchen that lets you watch the delicious drama of your dinner being prepared. Its two AA Rosettes are well earned. The restaurant sources only the finest of local produce. Often it means if you order fish or shellfish, it will have been landed by local fishermen that same day. Our top tip: The devilled whitebait is a delight.

Angela’s is another excellent seafood restaurant on the corner of High Street and Market Street. Sit near the window and you’ll enjoy a great view of The Parade, with the Turner Contemporary, one of the top activities in Margate, as an impressive backdrop. Angela’s has a welcoming neighbourhood vibe with a commendable approach to ethically sourcing ingredients and reducing waste where possible. Whatever they’re doing, it’s working; the food is fantastic. The wine list largely comes from English vineyards but it’s seriously, surprisingly good.

Go to Broad Street and make a beeline for Bottega Caruso if you want to try our favourite restaurant in Margate. It’s a fantastic Italian deli with a supper club-style kitchen that’s open for lunch Thursday to Sunday and dinner on Fridays. Ingredients are straight from Italy, the pasta is made fresh every morning and the cuisine largely hails from the southern regions of the country. Southern cuisine is less well known, which is a travesty as the food is sublime. Honestly, Bottega Caruso serves some of the best pasta we’ve ever put in our face. After dessert, you’ll want to give the chef a standing ovation, especially if you’ve just had the tiramisu.

Lastly, Secret Spices is one of the best curry houses in the UK. It’s won heaps of awards thanks to owner Raj’s secret recipes, sublime curries, and exceptional service. It’s a real hidden gem away from the town centre on Ramsgate Road. It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but my oh my it’s worth hunting down. Guests come back to our Margate hotel to tell us it’s the best Indian food they’ve ever eaten. On top of that, portions are big and prices are more than reasonable.

Mala Kaffe is a cool café on the end of the harbour arm, which serves some of the best coffee in Margate. Sip it from the outside seating area which boasts banging views looking back on the town across Margate Harbour. If you’re feeling naughty, treat yourself to one of their sweet treats. You won’t be disappointed.

An important part of the local community and an incredible café to boot is Cliffs on Northdown Road. To call it a café does it a disservice. It’s also a record shop, yoga studio, hair salon and roastery (with a collection of retro video games to boot). You’ll see there’s something happening pretty much every day. It’s extremely cool and serves extremely good coffee and extremely tasty food.

You can’t beat a scoop or two of gelato on a sunny day. Melt Gelato Parlour has a great home just off the sands of Margate Beach. The staff are friendly, the prices are reasonable and it has a fantastic array of delicious flavours. What better way to treat yourself on a summer day or after an evening’s meal while watching the sun set over the sand?

The nearby Bus Café is a vintage double decker bus parked up on the Royal Crescent Promenade. It’s been beautifully converted into a café and, yeah, it’s a lot of novelty, but it’s also serving some of the best breakfasts in Margate.

Last but by no means least, is the Dalby Café off Northdown Road. We’re not going to sugarcoat anything: It’s a greasy spoon. It’s well loved locally, but made headlines further afield when Libertines frontman Pete Dohert was photographed after finishing the cafe’s Mega Breakfast challenge of four eggs, four bacon, four sausages, chips, hash browns, onion rings, bubble and squeak, beans, mushrooms, two slices of toast and a cup of tea all in under 20 minutes. Only a few people have conquered the beast. If you think you can, you’ll find your name written with the indie superstar’s on the Wall of Fame. The Dalby Cafe also makes delicious breakfasts for people with more modest appetites too.