How to spend your time in Margate

Margate is no stranger to regeneration, with the seaside town welcoming tides of change since its days as a small fishing port. 

The coastal spot is once again in the throes of a facelift, with restaurants, bars, galleries and creative initiatives opening up in once shuttered-up shops, luring in visitors for the town’s DIY-creative spirit and chilled out vibe.

A popular day-trip from London or an easy weekend away, Margate has plenty of things to do, whether you want to spend your days in the sand and sea, eating and drinking your way around town, or getting stuck into the local art scene, there are many ways to sample the good life - and here are some tips and suggestions to get you on your way. 

Things to do in Margate

Main Sands

A short stroll from the train station, Margate’s main beach pulls a crowd, thanks to its sandy shoreline. Expect a quintessential British seaside experience here, with deck chair hire, a tidal pool, rides, and a string of amusement arcades running along the main drag behind it all. Head straight into the Old Town for fish and chips. Nearby there’s also the Walpole Bay Tidal Pool, where locals hang, or Kingsgate Beach several bays around towards Broadstairs.  

Turner Contemporary

Built on the site of JMW Turner’s preferred guesthouse and with an unfettered view of the sea from the main hall, the opening of this major regional gallery in 2011 was a turning point for the town and its cultural industry. Free to visit, you’ll find exhibitions by local, British and international artists, as well as makers markets, and a programme of kids activities too.
Rendezvous, Margate CT9 1HG. turnercontemporary.org

The Crab Museum

Perhaps one of the best museums ever, The Crab Museum, is one of a kind. It is a sharp, witty outfit that offers impressive insight into the lives of crabs, as well as using humour to discuss some of the big issues, like climate change and the nature of truth. Also, you'll find the Carb Museum in the bogs.
9 Broad St, Margate CT9 1EW. crabmuseum.org

Where Else

The first grassroots music venue to open in Margate, Where Else pulls in an eclectic programme of events and music. You’ll find comedy, poetry slams and emerging indie artists, as well as the likes of Wet Leg, Yard Act, Jeffery Lewis and Bodega. The snug basement band-room gets sweaty quickly, but cool off with a game of pool upstairs after.
21-22 The Centre, Margate CT9 1RL. whereelse.live

Restaurants in Margate

Palms Pizza

Out of all the pizza joints in Margate - and there are a lot for a small town - Palms is a contender for the best. American-style pies come with thin crusts and generous cheese. Pizzas come by the slice or in a humongous 20 inch wheel. The pesto broccoli is strongly recommended. Dine in, order out or take away.
Unit 16 The Centre, Margate CT9 1JG. palmspizzeria.com

Sargasso

In a rustic brick venue on the Harbour Arm, wine bar and restaurant Sargasso has become somewhat of a destination and institution. It’s bougie for sure, but unfussy and low-key. The menu of creative seasonal small plates reflect its Kentish seaside location and features fresh ingredients that sing, while the wine lists gets pretty expensive fast. Look out for Sargasso Sunday, which comes with special menus, tunes and party vibes.
Harbour Arm, Margate CT9 1AP. sargasso.bar

Pomus

Another effortlessly sublime wine bar and kitchen, Pomus, in The Centre, has swiftly won over town folk since it opened in 2024. Inventive menu feature refined small and large plates, and changes regularly. The restaurant has just opened a sister venue, POM on the Harbour Arm for fancy bar snacks and wines on tap.
9 The Centre, Margate CT9 1JG. pomus.co.uk

Bars and Pubs in Margate

The Shakespeare 

Designed by Fleet Architects (the team behind Fort Road Hotel), The Shakespeare is a good-looking but casual boozer. A hop and a skip away from the station, and with windows looking right across main sands, it’s a perfect spot for a sundowner. It doesn’t do food, but you can order in a Palms Pizza. Has board games and events during the evening.
1 Canterbury Rd, Westbrook, Margate CT9 5AQ; instagram.com/theshakespearemargate

Margate Off Licence

Up on the clifftop, Margate Off Licence is a gem of a place that is half pub, half bar. Another unpretentious but well-styled venue, there’s a fridge full of carefully selected plonk you can drink in or take away, and pisco sours on the menu. Check opening times on Instagram before you venture forth.
1 Ethelbert Terrace, Cliftonville, Margate CT9 1RX. instagram.com/margateofflicence

Fez

A quirky little joint on the High Street, Fez is filled with memorabilia, vintage weirdness, rockabilly vibes and strangers up for a chat. If you’re lucky, you can catch a band or musician playing in the corner.
40 High St, Margate CT9 1DS. instagram.com/fezmargate

Hotels in Margate

Guest House No. 42

A big ol’ swanky thing looming over Main Sands and right in the thick of things, Guest House No. 42 is homely yet grand and comes with a whisper of art deco grandeur. Smart rooms come with seaside views, and the hotel’s restaurant, the Pearly Cow has a cavernous Victorian dining room which is a perfect place for a sundowner. The rooftop bar is also a great choice to watch the sun go down with a drink in hand.
42 High Street, Margate CT9 1DS. guesthousehotels.co.uk

Fort Road Hotel

Found opposite Turner Contemporary with some rooms boasting sea views, this design-led hotel by Fleet Architects, was once a Victorian-era boarding house. The hotel’s 14 rooms are light-filled and furnished with vintage and smart, contemporary finds, and works by local artists such as Tracy Emin and Lindsey Mendick are peppered throughout the joint. A cave of a bar is at basement level, which plays host to book-talks and on occasion music, while at street level, restaurant Colina plates up breakfast plus an all-day Mediterranean-inspired small plates menu.
18 Fort Road, Margate CT9 1HF. fortroadhotel.com

The Reading Rooms

An elegant boutique B&B, The Reading Rooms is a small guest house perched just outside the Old Town. There’s only two rooms, each covering an entire floor in the Grade II listed Georgian town house and overlooking Hawley Square, with breakfast delivered to your window-side table at a time that suits you. No animals, except guide dogs, or children allowed at this place.
31 Hawley Square, Margate CT9 1PH. thereadingroomsmargate.co.uk