13 best restaurants in Margate for a seaside feast

Address: Dory’s, 24 High Street, Margate, CT9 1DS
Book now

Seafood is in the spotlight at Angela’s.

Angela’s

Unlike sister restaurant Dory’s, which welcomes walk-ins only, reservations are key at Angela’s. The proud holder of one of the UK’s first ever green Michelin stars, this small seafood restaurant just off the promenade puts provenance front and centre, meaning you are only ever going to find seasonal, sustainable and wherever possible local fish gracing its changing, daily blackboard. Led by chef Rob Cooper, the team is friendly and unfussy, just like the beautifully cooked plates they serve: think grilled squid with garlic aioli, red mullet with roasted peppers and aubergine, and whole Dover sole served with cockles in a golden, buttery pool of deliciousness. Eating here feels like a celebration of the British seaside, and of the potential to eat well without destroying the planet in the process – an ethos Angela’s carries throughout, from its stylish bottle-green tabletops made from compressed plastic to Carly Breame’s ceramic dishes, themselves made from fish by-products.

Address: Angela’s, 21 The Parade, Margate, CT9 1EX
Book now

Peter’s Fish Factory

Okay, fine – Peter’s Fish Factory isn’t a restaurant, per se. The only place for perching is a huddle of tables outside, which, needless to say, only sees much action on balmy days. However, it’d be criminal to omit this legendary chippy from a tried-and-tested guide about Margate’s dining scene. There’s no website because there’s no need for one. The Instagram account hasn’t seen any action in years, but the queue still snakes down The Parade. The chippy’s collaboration with London’s Fortnum & Mason cemented its legendary status outside of Thanet, pulling ‘Down From Londoners’ and foodies from further afield to Margate’s shores for crispy chips doused in the store’s special sauce. The family-owned store doesn’t reinvent the wheel; instead, it celebrates a quintessentially British tradition. Salivate while flaky battered cod, generous portions of chips, plump saveloys and sides of gherkins are boxed up ready to be whisked away into sunny afternoons or nippy nights – you’ll be back in no time, we promise. Connor Sturges