It’s worth the jaunt up the hill to this slightly hidden Cliftonville pub, overseen by long-time publican Deke Eichler, who also runs the cool Off License bar on the sea-facing Cliff Terrace. The vibe here is cosy and timeless – think beautifully aged wood, antique mirrors and vintage movie posters – and the smash burgers, buttermilk fried chicken and rosemary fries from local brand Hay’s make for the most reliable comfort food in town.   

The Turner Contemporary will likely be on your itinerary anyway, but it’s worth a detour to the crisp white Carl Freedman, which feels even more connected to the Tracey Emin vision of Margate as an art leader. Local artists often get their first big shows here – like the ethereal dream scenes of Laura Foote or the sexualised female Edens of Vanessa Raw, another artist who completed a residency at Tracey Emin’s TKE Studios down the road. Locals quietly covet the limited edition posters. 

Ex-London music industry types Kelly Love and Dan Williams reopened the Grade II-listed George and Heart in late 2019, and have created a much-loved pub with rooms that happily sits somewhere between cosy and anarchic – laying on Sunday roasts, pumping Pride events and quizzes over Pink Palomar cocktails with similar panache. Each of the six rooms and two suites is an artful one-off, like the warm-toned, 70s-inspired Poodle and Blonde suite by the design duo of the same name.