Margate Restaurant Guide

“A lovely new addition to Margate”, “this light and airy bistro tucked off the High Street has wonderful views out over the Sands and out to sea (and a great balcony terrace for fine-weather dining)”. It’s family-run by the “passionate owners”, who use “high-quality ingredients” – “go for the deceptively simple-sounding fish dishes”.

“Simply amazing”, agree fans of Dev Biswal’s Margate flagship: “the best Indian/Asian fusion restaurant ever”, which has now moved from King Street into roomier premises on Fort Hill, near the Turner Contemporary gallery. The “beautifully crafted, quality spiced food is not at all like a bog-standard Indian” – and represents “astonishing value”, especially for lunch. Founded in 2010, it now has offshoots in Canterbury and Rye.

“Inventive toppings on a super crust” result in “expertly created pizzas” at this “superb” small operation on the sea-front. It’s not super-comfy though: “amenities are basic” and some of the seating is “cramped and awkward”.

“Tiny” and “quirky” this cupboard-sized eatery and gallery may be, but no one doubts its “delicious food”, not least the “terrific fresh fish” it specialises in.

It’s hard not to admire the ambition of this swanky newcomer – the conversion of the town’s former, listed post office into a glossy, contemporary brasserie that’s at odds with the slightly downbeat milieu of the location. It got off to a rocky start (“a beautiful room let down by poor cooking, indifferent service and outrageous prices”); post-survey, they dropped the ‘Old’ from the name (i.e. it was formerly ‘The Old Post Office’) and simplified the formula.

Margate's famous amusement park gained a new restaurant in summer 2019, from chef Jackson Berg (formerly at Kettner's) and Natalia Ribbe; it serves local produce and features an eight-foot olive tree.