Guidebook for Margate
Drinks & Nightlife
It's great for a Sunday morning walk from No 9, along the beach or cliff top all the way from Palm Bay Bandstand. Takes about 30 - 40 minutes. They have a lovely sea view and the whitebait is delicious. Staff can be a bit grumpy but the views and beach make up for it!
15 locals recommend
Botany Bay Hotel
8 Marine DrIt's great for a Sunday morning walk from No 9, along the beach or cliff top all the way from Palm Bay Bandstand. Takes about 30 - 40 minutes. They have a lovely sea view and the whitebait is delicious. Staff can be a bit grumpy but the views and beach make up for it!
Lots of bars and restaurants to choose from where you can sit and people watch for hours.
8 locals recommend
Harbour Parade
Harbour ParadeLots of bars and restaurants to choose from where you can sit and people watch for hours.
Cool, old fashioned but trendy. Open fire and live music Tuesdays and Thursdays. It's small and intimate and serves local ales, ciders and wines and has a Kentish menu using local produce.
46 locals recommend
Lifeboat
1 Market StCool, old fashioned but trendy. Open fire and live music Tuesdays and Thursdays. It's small and intimate and serves local ales, ciders and wines and has a Kentish menu using local produce.
My friend's pub! Old fashioned pub with ale brewed by the owner Eddy Gadd. Check opening times, Sunday lunch time is great!
Montefiore Arms
1 Trinity PlMy friend's pub! Old fashioned pub with ale brewed by the owner Eddy Gadd. Check opening times, Sunday lunch time is great!
They say its like a quirky Manhattan style cocktail bar on the seafront. Its cool!
27 locals recommend
The Glass Jar
15 Marine DrThey say its like a quirky Manhattan style cocktail bar on the seafront. Its cool!
Lots of mainstream productions, comedians and musicians. 10 minute walk from the house.
40 locals recommend
Winter Gardens station
Lots of mainstream productions, comedians and musicians. 10 minute walk from the house.
Its just on the next street to us, a small, friendly bar serving real ale. Meet the locals and catch up on the gossip!
46 locals recommend
The Tap Room
4 Prices AveIts just on the next street to us, a small, friendly bar serving real ale. Meet the locals and catch up on the gossip!
Fez
40 High StIts whacky! Great live or vinyl music. We love going there.
Winter Gardens station
Good well know comedians, music and dance acts.
Food Scene
Great and unusual breakfasts. Not been for a while but we like it very much.
65 locals recommend
Fort's Cafe
8 Cliff TerraceGreat and unusual breakfasts. Not been for a while but we like it very much.
Amazing, contemporary Indian cuisine. Indian food prepared very differently than at standard Indian restaurants. It's very popular in Margate
68 locals recommend
The Ambrette
Amazing, contemporary Indian cuisine. Indian food prepared very differently than at standard Indian restaurants. It's very popular in Margate
It's a very relaxed place to go in your walking boots straight from the beach. The pizzas are freshly baked in their big clay oven and are crispy, thin and delicious.
94 locals recommend
GB Pizza Co
14a Marine DrIt's a very relaxed place to go in your walking boots straight from the beach. The pizzas are freshly baked in their big clay oven and are crispy, thin and delicious.
Their homemade burgers and coleslaw can't be beaten. Don't leave Margate until you have been there!
45 locals recommend
The Greedy Cow Cafe
3 Market PlTheir homemade burgers and coleslaw can't be beaten. Don't leave Margate until you have been there!
Stunning location on the harbour arm looking out to sea and back to Ramsgate harbour, We love the calamari with aioli and the king prawns in garlic plus the pianist playing on Sunday lunch times.
61 locals recommend
Royal Harbour Brasserie
East PierStunning location on the harbour arm looking out to sea and back to Ramsgate harbour, We love the calamari with aioli and the king prawns in garlic plus the pianist playing on Sunday lunch times.
Lovely Thai food cooked by Bow and her husband. Lovely food, lovely people. It's above the Wig and Pen pub.
18 locals recommend
Bow's Kitchen
10 Market PlLovely Thai food cooked by Bow and her husband. Lovely food, lovely people. It's above the Wig and Pen pub.
Lively modern Italian / Greek restaurant with excellent food and a great selection of cocktails. Can be noisy in the evenings as popular with groups. Their duck pizza is definitely worth trying!
20 locals recommend
Giorgios
19 Marine GardensLively modern Italian / Greek restaurant with excellent food and a great selection of cocktails. Can be noisy in the evenings as popular with groups. Their duck pizza is definitely worth trying!
Great food (calamari lovely) and great views across the harbour. Sunsets can be amazing weather permitting.
73 locals recommend
The Dug Out
4 Fort HillGreat food (calamari lovely) and great views across the harbour. Sunsets can be amazing weather permitting.
Pan Asian Cusine
10 Buenos AyresGreat food (chef previously at Yamas) and great views.
Just the best fish and chips in Margate, Thanet and even the south east! Great location to have a fish and chip beach picnic too!
63 locals recommend
Peter's Fish Factory Margate
12 The ParadeJust the best fish and chips in Margate, Thanet and even the south east! Great location to have a fish and chip beach picnic too!
Arts & Culture
Why is it there and what is it? Can you find it? An intriguing shell grotto with no answers! 10 minutes walk from No. 9.
171 locals recommend
Shell Grotto
33 Grotto HillWhy is it there and what is it? Can you find it? An intriguing shell grotto with no answers! 10 minutes walk from No. 9.
It's a very special space for displaying contemporary art and works of JMW Turner. Its free entry too. Main exhibitions closes 3 or 4 times a year for a change over. You have to go!
352 locals recommend
Turner Contemporary
RendezvousIt's a very special space for displaying contemporary art and works of JMW Turner. Its free entry too. Main exhibitions closes 3 or 4 times a year for a change over. You have to go!
Fascinating place with lots of photos of Margate in the 40's and 50's and before along with really interesting artifacts - all very accessible and charming!
33 locals recommend
Margate Museum
Market PlaceFascinating place with lots of photos of Margate in the 40's and 50's and before along with really interesting artifacts - all very accessible and charming!
Sightseeing
A special house, garden and museum, farm shop, garden centre and children's play area. The museum is based on a collection of artifacts from Africa and Asia and has the most amazing dioramas.
32 locals recommend
Powell-Cotton Museum
A special house, garden and museum, farm shop, garden centre and children's play area. The museum is based on a collection of artifacts from Africa and Asia and has the most amazing dioramas.
Not been yet but apparently it's an amazing construction designed to shelter the whole population of Ramsgate underground in the war. Will update when we have visited...
80 locals recommend
Ramsgate Tunnels
Marina EsplanadeNot been yet but apparently it's an amazing construction designed to shelter the whole population of Ramsgate underground in the war. Will update when we have visited...
Parks & Nature
The place of our iconic chalk stack on the beach which has been promoted by Visit Kent in London. Looks like Greece! Right next to the Botany Bay Hotel, a lovely walk from our house.
Botany Road
Botany RoadThe place of our iconic chalk stack on the beach which has been promoted by Visit Kent in London. Looks like Greece! Right next to the Botany Bay Hotel, a lovely walk from our house.
A great circular leisure cycle and walking route of 32 miles (51.4km), taking in the coast of Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate before heading inland through the surrounding villages. It's glorious!
Viking Coastal Trail
A great circular leisure cycle and walking route of 32 miles (51.4km), taking in the coast of Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate before heading inland through the surrounding villages. It's glorious!
Getting Around
High Speed 1 to London St Pancras in 1.5 hours or normal service to Victoria. Trains to Ashford for Eurostar to Lille, Paris and Brussels. It's 1.2 miles to the train station from our house.
7 locals recommend
Margate Railway Station
High Speed 1 to London St Pancras in 1.5 hours or normal service to Victoria. Trains to Ashford for Eurostar to Lille, Paris and Brussels. It's 1.2 miles to the train station from our house.
Frequent buses to travel between the Thanet towns - The Loop goes from Westwood - Margate - Broadstairs - Ramsgate (or the opposite direction), they are every 7-8 mins during the day (10 mins on Sundays). They run until late. Day rider tickets available that let you hop on and off all day in Thanet.
Also buses to Canterbury or Herne Bay from Thanet at regular intervals, taking around 1 hour.
Stagecoach In East Kent
Frequent buses to travel between the Thanet towns - The Loop goes from Westwood - Margate - Broadstairs - Ramsgate (or the opposite direction), they are every 7-8 mins during the day (10 mins on Sundays). They run until late. Day rider tickets available that let you hop on and off all day in Thanet.
Also buses to Canterbury or Herne Bay from Thanet at regular intervals, taking around 1 hour.
Shopping
New to Margate The Old Kent Market is an indoor market with a great variety of stalls selling everything from freshly baked bread and fruit & veg to personalised clothes and hand made dog treats. There is also a unique cafe that is within an old London bus!
48 locals recommend
The Old Kent Market
8 Fort HillNew to Margate The Old Kent Market is an indoor market with a great variety of stalls selling everything from freshly baked bread and fruit & veg to personalised clothes and hand made dog treats. There is also a unique cafe that is within an old London bus!
Lots of retro and antique shops plus bars and cafes. Great for a wander round.
68 locals recommend
Old Town
Lots of retro and antique shops plus bars and cafes. Great for a wander round.