Margate, Italian Restaurant Guide

Herald of the new, cool, foodie-friendly Margate scene, this Old Town venue (Grace Dent is a fan) showcases the produce of Foglianise, where co-owner Simona Di Dio’s family runs a farm; the food (meatballs, caponata, gnocchi, etc.) is “delicious as are the wines” – and if you want to learn to pimp your pasta, they also run the next-door Margate Cookery School.

“Outstanding fresh seafood at a reasonable price” and a full range of “authentic Italian dishes” including pizzas and pasta are served by “cheerful, incredibly helpful staff (often Italian)” at this “very well run and authentic” Kent-based operation – launched 30 years ago by life-long friends Vincenzo Esposito & Espedito Tammaro. These days they have a trio of Neapolitan-style venues in Broadstairs, Faversham and Canterbury.