The 10 best restaurants in Margate

What’s the vibe? A casual Middle-Eastern café-diner born in Stoke Newington, London. This light, bright and super friendly Good Egg outpost opened on an unassuming corner of Northdown Road in 2023 and is open all week for brunch classics and Thurs, Fri, Sat and Mon for mezze dinner – tables are always saved for walk-ins.

Why go? For the colourful deliciousness of the shakshuka with preserved lemon yoghurt or the babka French toast with blood orange caramel. Deep pink pickles are a signature but don’t forget dessert – the chocolate or date, walnut & caramel slices are unmissable.

Price: Mid-range

What’s the vibe? At the heart of Margate’s Old Town is a dinky Italian restaurant with an open kitchen, rustic wooden tables, marigold painted walls and large sash windows. Come for the unpretentious tone and let the superb, home-cooked Italian food do the rest. 

Why go? For impeccable service and recipes and wines from a small village in Southern Italy’s Campania – where co-owner Simona’s Italian family still live. The menu at Bottega Caruso changes all the time but there will always be fresh pasta and no-fuss small plates like Polpette di pane al sugo (ragu with bread-balls) or Sgombro con caponata (cured and grilled mackerel with aubergine caponata).

Price: High-end

What’s the vibe? Countertop seafood bar with high stools and outrageously good sunset sea views. Dory’s is the casual little sister of Angela’s around the corner – the big difference is that here you can often walk in without a reservation.  

Why go? The chalked up menu of small plates depends on the daily local catch but features lots of raw, smoked and pickled seafood and farm-to-table vegetables. Order a vermouth or negroni to kick things off, and let them also tell you all about the Kentish and English wines by glass or bottle.

Price: Mid-range

What’s the vibe? Laid-back New York-style pizza joint Palms Pizzeria is in The Centre, tucked behind Margate’s High Street. There’s just six or so foldable beer tables with benches plus a couple of window counters – in good weather tables spill out into the square (though keep your expectations to 1970s shopping area, not European plaza). 

Why go? For a slice or a huge 20-inch hand-stretched pizza with always-changing meaty, veggie and vegan toppings that think outside the box (like béchamel base, leeks, asparagus, taleggio, chilli oil and lemon zest; or fennel sausage, mushroom and truffle oil). Also, cans of beer and shots. Great pre-live music at next door venue Where Else?

Price: Bargain

What’s the vibe? An inexpensive poke hole-in-the-wall hidden at the back of Old Kent Market (opposite Turner Contemporary). Nut free, dairy free and mostly gluten free, Okie Pokie is until 8pm most days and you can eat at the tables in the market or take it over the road to sit on Margate steps with that Main Sands view.

Why go? Friendly staff help you pile high a healthy sushi salmon, marinated tofu or rotisserie chicken poke bowl with a base of rice or slaw (or 50/50) and topping of a choice of vegan sauces (The Creamy One is a must-try). And they don’t skimp on the portion sizes either; it’s usually a struggle to get the lid on top. 

Price: Bargain

What’s the vibe? Indian small plates and natural wines in a low-key, low lit, narrow café-bar along Cliftonville’s Northdown Road. Music is a big part of the vibe at Streets, and there are monthly DJ sessions. 

Why go? For delectable Indian street food that’s mostly veggie (try the tarka daal and the mushroom mutter curry) – the menu is deliberately kept small and you’re probably going to end up ordering all of it. There’s also cracking craft beers, wine and  hand-crafted cocktails. 

Price: Mid-range

What’s the vibe? Award-winning breakfasts on a 1980s double decker red bus with sea views and great coffee. The whole site has an upcycled festival kind of vibe with outdoor, dog-friendly tables. And did we mention the sea views?

Why go? You won’t find a better breakfast in Margate. The produce for the Bus Café all comes from local suppliers, including the organic sourdough you’ll find in ‘The Hangover’, ‘The Posh’, ‘The Veggie’ and ‘The Vegan’, alongside toasted seeds, homemade pickled onions and homemade horseradish cream. The best. 

Price: Mid-range

What’s the vibe? Owner Natalia Ribbe opened chic organic and biodynamic wine bar Sète at the far end of Northdown Road at the end of October 2022. A year later she opened the dining space with chef Billy Stock, a wine bar and bottle shop, dining room and garden restaurant with discerning Mediterranean dishes on the menu.

Why go? For French-leaning food and wine perfect for friends or dates, plus meet the winemaker evenings and fun collaborations with local chefs (like taco night with DIVE or pizza night with Palms).

Price: High-end

What’s the vibe? Bare brick walls, linen café style curtains and a herringbone-terracotta-tiled floor set the Spanish-Portuguese tone of this open-all-day hotel-restaurant, just a little up the hill from the Turner Contemporary. 

Why go? The décor at Colina is as soothing as the southern European menu. Try the croquettes, the piri-piri mussels or the pork belly, and save space for the delightful desserts (pistachio gelato with olive oil is a surprising winner). Oh, and more sea views.

Price: High-end

What’s the vibe? Soul food, soul music. Olby’s is a long-running creative hub and home of the Soul Café, a bar-restaurant on the edge of the old town with a basement space for music and comedy. A locals’ favourite.

Why go? Quarter pounder burgers, jerk chicken and butterfly mango prawns but the standout classic – and the one you need to book weeks ahead for – is the Sunday roast. The signature mild jerk ribeye beef is a super reasonable £12.50.

Price: Mid-range