Gastronomic Guide to Thanet

Harbour Cafe-Margate

It was the day after the saddening news of Chas and Dave’s demise that I ambled down to the Harbour Café. I marveled at the Turner Centre or more precisely the fact that some work had been done. Paid a man lurking with a dog 3 quid to park and then swiftly made my way across the harbour for a well-deserved lunch. It was just a tad too cold to sit outside so we opted for perches inside the perfectly decorated café. Higgledy-piggledy tables are watched over by fairy lights that adorn exposed brickwork. It feels homely and cool at the same time. No mean feat. There’s a good daily menu that includes the perfectly seasoned Harbour burger with home made chips (£8.20 TBC), a great BLT (£4.60) and a good range of properly packed paninis that include chorizo, honey roast ham and mozzarella, tomato & basil (£4.80 or £5.80 with fries). They also have a vast specials menu that, on our visit, contained lamb kebabs, moules et frites and wild salmon fishcakes to name a few. All were less than a tenner. They really are only too happy to attend to your every wish.  A pleasant change. They may have forgotten the small plate of scrambled eggs for my daughter but one can forgive this when everything else is so right. Coke in glass bottles. Quality mayo. Smiling faces. What’s not to like? I was lucky enough to have enjoyed Chas and Dave play the Winter Gardens on numerous occasions so I’m rather pleased to have another great reason to go Down to Margit!….
Royal York Mansions, 10 The Parade, Margate, CT9 1EZ, 01843 290110

It was the day after the saddening news of Chas and Dave’s demise that I ambled down to the Harbour Café. I marveled at the Turner Centre or more precisely the fact that some work had been done. Paid a man lurking with a dog 3 quid to park and then swiftly made my way across the harbour for a well-deserved lunch. It was just a tad too cold to sit outside so we opted for perches inside the perfectly decorated café. Higgledy-piggledy tables are watched over by fairy lights that adorn exposed brickwork. It feels homely and cool at the same time. No mean feat. There’s a good daily menu that includes the perfectly seasoned Harbour burger with home made chips (£8.20), a great BLT (£4.60) and a good range of properly packed paninis that include chorizo, honey roast ham and mozzarella, tomato & basil (£4.80 or £5.80 with fries). They also have a vast specials menu that, on our visit, contained lamb kebabs, moules et frites and wild salmon fishcakes to name a few. All were less than a tenner. They really are only too happy to attend to your every wish.  A pleasant change. They may have forgotten the small plate of scrambled eggs for my daughter but one can forgive this when everything else is so right. Coke in glass bottles. Quality mayo. Smiling faces. What’s not to like? I was lucky enough to have enjoyed Chas and Dave play the Winter Gardens on numerous occasions so I’m rather pleased to have another great reason to go Down to Margit!….

Royal York Mansions, 10 The Parade, Margate, Kent, CT9 1EZ, 01843 290110.

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