Category: Ramsgate

Prawn and Pig pop up on the Ramsgate Riviera

It’s always sad when a much loved Restaurant closes. So we welcomed the chance to re visit some of dishes from the sadly missed Eddie Gilbert’s at Craig Mather and Gareth Olivers 2 Day pop up in The Mariners Ramsgate. So of course we had to order the playful Eddie Gilbert signature dish of Soft Boiled Duck Egg and Smoked Eel Soldiers (Jay Rayner’s starter of the year a few years back), it was just as I remembered it. The menu was Tapas in both food style and plate size. It included some lovely Cured Ham and Cheese Croquettes which along with the Squid, Chorizo, Pork Belly and warm weather made for a very Spanish vibe. The waitress recommended 4 dishes per person so we pretty much ordered all the dishes on the menu which was an excellent approach especially when accompanied by a nicely chilled bottle of Prosecco.

Our favorite dishes were the aforementioned croquettes and the House Soused Mackerel with warm Shallots, Potato and Water Cress. Shame this was just a pop up as it would be great to be able to have this Mediterranean style food on a more regular basis especially when Ramsgate manages so well on a warm sunny day to look very much like one of the better resorts on the Med with its stunning Marina, impressive Architecture and almost cosmopolitan atmosphere enhanced by the local language schools and increasing number of foreign tourists.

Hopefully after the success of this pop up we will see more of this type of event. In the meantime there are the excellent Gala Dinners organized at East Kent College where Craig and Gareth are Chef Lecturer’s to look forward too.

Return to top page

The Empire Room – Majestic (Closed)

The newly opened Empire Room is a majestic and photogenic restaurant located in the basement of the rather lovely Royal Harbour Hotel in Ramsgate. The decor is stunning, it very much achieves the Gentlemans club atmosphere it is seeking to emulate. It screams special occasion venue rather than hotel restaurant. It has a decent wine list and friendly attentive staff. The food is very much in keeping with a hotel restaurant though, it’s all a little too safe for my taste, but it’s new and it will be interesting to see how the menu evolves.

UPDATE September 2022 – Closed.

 

Return to top page

 

Coco Latino – Chocolate & Harbour Views

Chocolate and Christmas are synonymous, which is why the opening of the Chocolate Lounge in Ramsgate Royal Harbour is particularly fortuitous. Just as the sun was setting over the Harbour we took a stroll down to the Marina where the yachts and boats were lit up with Christmas lights, to check out this new addition to Ramsgate’s culinary scene.  Clareys Chocolate lounge is built into the Arches. It is a spacious room complete with comfortable sofas and Chandeliers. They serve a selection of Chocolate goodies including Handmade Artisan Chocolate and “Cake Pops” (truffle cakes on a stick dipped in chocolate) an interesting new trend and a fun alternative to cupcakes. They also do a selection of more traditional Cakes, serve Afternoon Tea and organize chocolate related activities. They have a late license, so you can add some alcohol to your coffee or hot chocolate well into the early hours too or you can book their mobile bar and tour the harbour.

This is an excellent use of the arch space and is possibly the only chocolate lounge in Thanet.  If there is an other please let me know.  Regardless I will be returning to this one to chill out and indulge in more chocolate goodness. Does White Chocolate and Cranberry count as one of my five a day?  Yeah I think it does!

Wishing all our readers a Very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year.

UPDATE 27/12/13 : Returned to try the Hot Chocolate with marshmallows and cream and the Cake Pops, see new pictures above.

The hot chocolate was simply delicious, it’s the best one I have tasted.  The Cake Pops were very good too, you can buy them to eat in or to take away.

UPDATE 1/07/15 : The Chocolate Lounge has been rebranded as Coco Latino and has a stronger focus on the Bar. They also sell as selection of savory dishes, including a small selection of very tasty Tapas.

UPDATE 1/6/18 : Coco Latino is now open only on Friday and Saturday evenings as a Bar.

Return to top page

Dining by the sea

Spent the weekend in Ramsgate. It’s only 1 hour and 20 minutes from London on the High Speed Train, so visiting this seaside town over a weekend is well worth doing, especially if you manage to eat as well as we did.

Caboose Cafe – NOW Rosebud Cafe and Winebar – closed 2017

We had a lovely breakfast at Caboose Cafe, a relatively new Cafe Bar, just off the High Street. The Eggs Benedict and the Eggs Royal were delicious and very reasonably priced at £4.95  – that alone says we’re not in London anymore.

 

The quality of the food and coffee was commendable, this Cafe is a great find, it’s certainly not your typical Ramsgate all day breakfast venue. In the evenings there is a Mexican Cantina menu and even the odd live event, they are working on bringing quality acts to Caboose, with a view to helping make Ramsgate a destination for touring bands and comedians.

UPDATE: 2016 –  Change of management, the Mexican menu is no more, now called Rosebud Cafe and Winebar.

UPDATE June 2017 – CLOSED

Royal Harbour Brasserie

We also made a return visit to the Royal Harbour Brasserie, braving the blustery winds to walk out to the end of the Harbour Arm where the restaurant is located. It’s so worth the trip, not just for the warm welcome at the Restaurant or the above average food, but for the spectacular views out to sea and inland to Ramsgate Marina, what a location to watch the sunset! We arrived just a bit too early to sample their evening menu, and instead had to choose from a  more limited one. The Wine list was also rather basic. First we shared a Assiette of house nibbles, this would have been a pretty substantial starter for one (a steal at £5 and more than enough for 2 people).  Then after that excellent start, we tucked into our main courses,  I had a large fillet of sea bass with bisque sauce and perfectly cooked new potatoes, and my companion had a suitably autumnal venison stew, both dishes arrived on “Alan Partridge” sized big plates.  We had not realized how hungry we were until we miraculously managed to clear them.

Age and Sons – closed 2014

On the Sunday we decided to go to Age & Sons for lunch, as this is a restaurant we have always liked for its reliable cooking and pleasant ambience.  The restaurant was awarded a Bib Goumand in 2009 and it just seems to keep getting better and better. Sunday lunch is served in the attractive main restaurant area on the top floor (they have a French kitchen style area on the ground flour and a Cocktail bar in the basement). I had a beautiful piece of Venison and lovely creamy dauphinoise potatoes and my companion really enjoyed his Pork Belly, braised cheek & fritter with black pudding puree & garlic mashed potato.  We finished our meal by sharing a cheese board served with some rather moreish home made biscuits.

All three of the venues we visited are ones that we would highly recommend, especially Age & Sons, which has grown into a gem of a restaurant that any town or city would be proud off.

Return to top page

Eating and Drinking Guide (Ramsgate)

Updated March 2026

Ramsgate is a picturesque historic seaside town with beautiful sandy beaches and one of the largest marinas on the English south coast. It has the only Harbour in the United Kingdom that has been awarded the right to call itself a Royal Harbour. It also boasts some quite stunning Architecture.

INDEX

MAPS – RestaurantS, Cafés, Pubs & Bars

The following Maps provide the locations of Restaurants, Cafes and Pubs/Bars in Ramsgate.  Additional information and links to reviews are provided in the Guide below.

Eating out – Restaurants

Eating out – Cafés, Ice-Cream Parlours & Kiosks

Eating & Drinking – Pubs & Bars

GUIDE – REVIEWS

Flavours by Kumar

A modern India Restaurant in Effingham Street that produces some beautifully spiced dishes. Good set lunch deals that even include an amuse-bouche. OK wine list and friendly staff. Ignore the decor, this is a great find.

Click here for review.

Take away service available.

Ramsgate Tandoori

A Traditional Tandoori restaurant and take away on Harbour Street. Excellent service.

 

The Hive

A friendly local reasonably priced Cafe. It’s a little out of the way in George Street but worth a visit as the Cafe is a pleasant quiet spot for a quality brunch or lunch.  There is extra seating in the basement and lots of outside seating. It’s a popular Afternoon Tea venue especially at the weekend.

The Falstaff (The Book Hotel at The Falstaff)

A small boutique Hotel with Self-catering apartments.

The Hotel restaurant is open for Sunday Roasts.

The Kitchen café serves a delightful selection of fresh, daily-made treats.

Breakfast & Brunch is served Wednesday to Sunday.

The Bar is a cozy, welcoming spot. It features log burners for winter and a pretty courtyard garden.

Staple

Staple are a local artisanal bakery with cafés in Broadstairs, Westgate, Manston and Ramsgate.  They make handmade breads and viennoiserie pastries. The Ramsgate café in York Street also has outside seating in the courtyard overlooking Albert Court.

Click here for review.

Giant Coffee

A cosy Coffee shop located in Charlotte Court. Serves excellent coffee and plant based savouries and cakes.

Click here for review.

Vincent’s

A lovely little cafe overlooking Spencer Square Tennis Courts with plenty of outside seating. Sells excellent Coffee and homemade Cakes. They also do breakfast & lunch. While your there don’t miss the stunning sculpture of Vincent Van Gogh who used to live & teach in Spencer Square & Royal Road.

Click here for review.

The Bedford Inn

The Bedford Inn has recently been converted into an independent hotel that consists of 4 bedrooms with wet room en-suites, above the rather lovely Pub. The Inn also has a restaurant and an attractive outside seating area (with a sandy beach & deckchairs in the summer). Serves excellent Cocktails.

Click here for review.

Coco Latino

A cafe Bar in a great location overlooking the Marina.  Serves a good range of Cocktails and Beers, and is a regular venue for live music. Opening times vary depending on time of the year.

The Arch Bar

An attractive comfortable bar located under the Arches overlooking the Harbour. Has lots of outside seating. Serves Food including substantial seafood platters that are ideal for sharing.

Ship Shape

A popular Cafe built into the Arches, frequented by harbour workers and tourists. It’s very reasonably priced and serves one of the best full English breakfasts in Ramsgate. It’s much bigger than it looks and if you’re lucky you can grab one of the outside tables and get a good view of the harbour.

Sorbetto

Ramsgate Ice Cream Parlour. The ice cream is made in a small artisan factory below the parlour.  You can order the ice cream to take away or you can choose to sit in the air conditioned parlour or outside overlooking the harbour. They serve generous portions of quality Italian gelato as well as hot and cold drinks, toasties, sandwiches and cakes.

Royal Harbour Brasserie

An interesting place with fabulous views of the Harbour, the Marina, the English Channel and France. Generally delivers some pretty decent fish and seafood dishes and does good Sunday roasts.

Click here for review.

Coasters – Pimms & Prosecco Bar

Bar overlooking Ramsgate Main Sands, does a decent Pimms (even if it is in a Plastic glass), have not eaten here yet but menu includes Sandwiches, Salads, Burgers and other snacks. (Open Summer months only).

Royal Victoria Pavilion

The largest Wetherspoon pub in the UK. The food and drinks range is pretty much what you would expect to find in a Wetherspoon. The building and the views are what makes this place special and worth a visit, especially on a sunny day.

Click here for review.

The Belle Vue Tavern

A popular pub with a large and very attractive beer garden in Pegwell Bay. The sea views from the garden are stunning. It is also known as “The balcony of Kent”. A Shepherd Neame Pub.

Sir Stanley Gray at the Pegwell Bay Hotel

A Restaurant and Bar with a beautiful balcony and view over Pegwell Bay. Part of the Thorley Tavern Group.  The bar and restaurant food is a cut above than most pub grub, excellent service too.

Njord

A Cafe Bar with lots of Scandi style, an excellent spot for breakfast/brunch overlooking Pegwell Bay.

Good drinks menu and a nice selection of cakes from the Beardy Baker in Canterbury.

Click here for review.

REAL ALE TRAIL

Ramsgate has a diverse selection of Real Ale Pubs and its own Brewery. The Map below provides a trail from Ramsgate Train Station to Dumpton Park Train Station 

FISH & CHIP SHOPS

As expected in a seaside town, there are more than a few Fish & Chip shops too.

AFTERNOON TEA & CAKE STOPS

There is also a good selection of places to indulge your sweet tooth.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

To learn more about Ramsgate check out the Visit Ramsgate web site and Food Blogging in Ramsgate.

For information on places to Eat and Drink in nearby towns and villages, see the East Kent/Thanet Guide.

 

Return to East Kent/Thanet Guide

Return to Index for No Expert Guides 

Return to top page

Royal Harbour Brasserie – How dramatic

Locations for a new cafe/restaurant opening don’t come much more dramatic than the newly opened Royal Harbour Brasserie on the extreme tip of Ramsgate Royal Harbour. On a freezing but sunny day there can’t be many venues with views to rival this one with sea on both sides and views of Ramsgate’s Victorian skyline.

As the cafe has just newly opened the menu has been limited. A wise move in order to judge its popularity with the local and visiting clientele. While I was there it had a good turn around of customers and the venue had a cosy atmosphere. The decor has a nautical feel without going over the top. A nice touch was the hessian sacking used to upholster some of the seating.

As a lone diner, I was not in a position to try more than one item on the menu, so I settled for the big breakfast which while not the cheapest in Ramsgate (£6.00) was better than the average with a nice runny egg and savory sausages.

On my way out I was struck by some quirky touches like the toilet signage. Sounds dreadful but I was amused.

The Chef Patron of Royal Harbour Brasserie is Adrian Mowl, formally of the Turner Contempory Gallery Cafe, Adrian has cooked for a few VIPs, like the Queen when she visited the aforementioned gallery and he was also executive chef in the London Olympic Village 2012 catering for the likes of Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt.  Wonder if they would get a kick out of braving the elements trying to get to this remote outpost when the weather gets interesting!

We certainly plan to return again to do a more comprehensive review in the Summer, where hopefully we can take advantage of the large outdoor terrace with great views of the Harbour, the Marina, the English Channel and even France.

UPDATE 2013 – See post titled Dining by the Sea

UPDATE 2014 – We have been to the Royal Harbour Brasserie several times now for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner and have found that the Food and Service has been fairly consistent, the event type menus are a bit dull, but in general the Fish and Sea Food dishes are good.  Personal favorites are Smoked haddock with bubble and squeak, beurre blanc, and poached egg and caviar,  Scallops with chorizo, Fried duck egg and brown shrimps in shrimp butter on granary toast.

I would also say that if you find that they have Lobster on the menu, that  it’s not to be missed. The Lobsters I have eaten here were full of meat and beautifully cooked and presented.

UPDATE 2024 – Still going strong.

Return to top page