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. Margate is a foodie's dream, with new and exciting restaurants, cafes and pop-ups opening up all the time. Fellow vegetarian's will find themselves absolutely spoiled for choice! From trendy cafes to traditional fish & chips, Margate has a huge foodie scene, home to a handful of award-winning restaurants, you’ll find this seaside town to be incredibly veggie-friendly. Looking for vegan options? Have a look at our previous round-up here.
Cliffs, CT9 2QN
(images via @cliffsmargate & @uk.feedmelikemichelin on IG)
If you want to know where all the cool kids of Margate hang out, it's right here in Cliffs! Located in the up-and-coming area of Cliftonville, this cafe-come-record-shop boasts some seriously cool decor as well as a delicious, curated menu. Whether you're there for the trendy hipster vibe or the best coffee in Costa-del-Margate, you're sure to want to stay for the incredible food. With a very vegetarian-friendly menu, Cliffs also sells records and has a yoga studio as well as a hair salon. We LOVE the halloumi salad bowl and of course their veggie breakfast (the tamari mushrooms are incredible.) They're always adding new & interesting items to the menu and are very accommodating when it comes to making things veggie-friendly.
Ralphs, CT9 1EN
(images via @ralphsmargate & @bitetwicepizzareviews on IG)
Located just around the corner from our store in Margate's vibrant Old Town, Ralphs is home to the best pizza you will (probably) ever eat! Serving up unique and flavourful sourdough pizzas made fresh to order, their entire menu is vegetarian so you can rest assured that there is plenty of choice for us herbivores. Everything is handmade and every little detail on the menu is highly considered. Our favourite pizzas have to be the Nutty Date & Smoked Filetto, but having made our way through the entire menu, we can assure you that they are all excellent. They also have a small but delicious cocktail & wine menu that we highly recommend trying out. Plus, they can make almost everything vegan for your plant-based friends!
The Grain Grocer, CT9 2QY
(images via @thegraingrocer on IG)
This natural organic food store is every herbivores dream! Located in the middles of Margate's ever-popular Northdown Road, this colourful, creative space is your one-stop-shop for every organic ingredient you could possibly need. All of their produce is thoughtfully sourced, supporting local where possible, and always organic. Not only that, they also have a wonderful array of zero-waste, refillable options. And the best part? Their incredible plant-based cafe! Serving up wonderful coffees, refreshing juices, delightful smoothies and some really damn tasty salads and sweet treats. Check in on their Instagram for the latest plant-based menu offering as it rotates all the time!
The Greedy Cow, CT9 1ER
(images via @thegreedycow on IG)
In the heart of Margate Old Town lies one of our favourite places to eat when we really want to indulge! The cafe boasts a seasonal menu of fresh, locally sourced food and good coffee in a cool, contemporary, yet family-friendly atmosphere. For breakfast, you simply have to try the egg & harissa bun (complete with pineapple!) and for lunch we cannot recommend their glorious cheese toasties enough. Their malted milkshakes are another must-have, and the gingerbread one is just perfect for this time of year. Here, vegetarian food is anything but boring and the staff are very accommodating to any dietary requirements you might have. Simple, comforting food with a little bit of a twist that is just so satisfying, you'll be coming back again and again.
Barletta, CT9 1HG
(images via @barlettamargate on IG)
Looking for something a little bit special? Barletta have taken residence in the kitchen at Turner Contemporary and we couldn't be happier about it! Barletta is the perfect place to tantalise your tastebuds with some truly unique, thoughtful dishes for us veggies. Run by partners Jackson & Natalia, Barletta is a celebration of the couple’s travels, taking inspiration from all around the globe. The menu is small and changes often, and although they may not have as wide a range of vegetarian dishes as other restaurants, what they do have is guaranteed to be delicious. They are also very accommodating to dietary requirements and the creative chefs are often happy to whip something up just for you. Plus, their carrots are legendary in Margate.
Other honourable mentions include Ty-8, an Asian-fusion restaurant serving a wide range of mock meats including crispy chilli 'beef' and 'duck' pancakes for vegetarians & vegans alike. Gina's Old Kent Bakery have the best range of pastries, breads and other treats plus their Chelsea buns are infamously huge and delicious! Zen By The Sea is an oasis of calm on Margate high street, offering some tasty veggie meals as well as massage treatments in their wellbeing studio.
Looking for vegan options? Check out our guide here.