Our seaside home of Margate has been a traditional holiday destination for Londoners since the 19th Century; with its sandy beaches making it a leading holiday resort, especially for those wishing for an escape from the city. Today, Margate has been dubbed ‘Shoreditch by the sea’ and rated by The Times as the third trendiest place in the UK, beating cities such as Bristol and London! If the art galleries, retro shops and vintage rides at Dreamland aren’t enough to persuade you to visit, the food certainly should. Especially for those who are giving Veganuary a go! Margate has a huge foodie scene, home to a handful of award-winning restaurants, you’ll find this seaside town to be incredibly vegan-friendly. From the all-vegan Seaside Kitchen & Cake Parlour to the ‘Taste of Kent’ award winner (and vegan friendly) seafood bar Buoy & Oyster, there really is something to please everyones tastes!
Mar Mar, CT9 2RE
A super-trendy cafe and houseplant shop located in the up-and-coming area of Cliftonville. This cafe boasts clean, minimalist decor and a small range of healthy snack options as well as a curated range of gifts and beautiful houseplants. Expect matcha lattes, botanical soft drinks, herbal teas and the some of the best coffee in Margate. Not only is the whole place totally Instagram worthy, it also offers great value for money. Think hip east London cafe, only by the sea!
Master Foody Moody's, CT9 1 HD
Located in the quirky and eclectic Old Kent Market, Foody Moody’s boasts one of the best ranges of vegan food for the health-conscious. The unique little cafe boasts a range of fresh, handmade salads that change daily. You can build your own salad box, giving you more of what you love and less of what you don’t. They also serve one of the best falafel wraps (a high accolade indeed in the vegan world!) as well as pakora, frittata and curry. For those with a sweet tooth, they also make their own versions of many popular desserts, including a gorgeous sticky toffee chai pudding.
Seaside Kitchen & Cake Parlour, CT9 1QA
It would be impossible to talk about vegan options in Margate without mentioning the gem that is Seaside Kitchen & Cake Parlour. Kent’s first 100% vegan cafe does not disappoint, with an extensive menu including savoury ‘bubble wraps’ filled with homemade seitan, delicious burgers, and even an all-you-can-eat Sunday Brunch buffet! But what makes Seaside Kitchen & Cake Parlour special is their extensive range of artisan cakes, pastries and desserts. There is a constantly changing selection of sweet treats, but you can expect to see such creations as banoffee pie, viennese whirls, marzipan croissants, filled donuts and a whole host of unique gateau flavours. There’s also a wonderful selection of ice cream sundaes, milkshakes and they have even started serving freakshakes! A definite Margate must-see.
The Mad Hatter Tea Rooms, CT9 1EJ
This cosy, quintessentially British tea room is a wonderful place to relax in Margate’s retro Old Town. Though they are not an exclusively-vegan establishment, The Mad Hatter Tea Rooms offer a good range of vegan cakes as well as a number of milk alternatives for your tea or coffee. If you’re looking for friendly, attentive service alongside an authentically vintage feel, this tea room is certainly worth a visit.
The Greedy Cow, CT9 1ER
This family-run cafe offers simple, tasty meals made with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients in a trendy yet relaxed atmosphere. Despite their small menu, The Greedy Cow offers a good range of vegan options including salads, a mega breakfast toastie and our personal favourite – the hot dog! They also offer soya or oat milk for hot drinks and have a very tempting range of milkshakes, all of which can be made vegan. Everything on the menu is also palm oil free – bonus!
Ministry of Pies, CT9 1HH
Operating out of the kitchen at the incredibly welcoming New Odds Club, Ministry of Pies is the only fully gluten free restaurant in Thanet. Using a unique blend of polenta and oat flour, these lovingly home-made pies certainly don’t disappoint, even if (like me) you’re usually not a fan of gluten free. Their vegan options always include at least one pie as well as a range of other options such as roast kashmiri loaf, cauliflower cheese tartlet and vegetable curry. They also serve a delicious vegan breakfast as well as a Sunday roast that comes complete with yorkshire puddings! The changing dessert options are also always vegan.
Other honourable mentions include Ty-8, an Asian-fusion restaurant serving a wide range of mock meats including crispy chilli beef and duck pancakes and GB Pizza Co, who offer vegan cheese on their pizzas as well as changing vegan desserts. Another honourable mention is Proper Coffee House, who offer a small daily selection of homemade vegan cakes as well as toasties and a fantastic vegan sausage roll. We also want to mention The Grain Grocer who serve a delicious range of organic salads and smoothies. We also love Scissortail for fantastic coffee as well as vegan quesadillas, savoury filled croissants and the best carrot cake around!