Margate evenings don’t get more grown-up than at Sète, away from the Old Town on Cliftonville’s Northdown Road. Ever-chatty owner Natalia Ribbe ran another Margate favourite, Barletta, before opening this loving take on the European bistro, with a warmly cosy wine bar in the frontal, with a thoughtful selection of French-leaning wines lining the walls; and an elegant restaurant space out back, where chef Andy Lowe might serve pork rillette or braised lamb with lentils and aioli on his changing menus.   

Another place that leans into Margate’s slightly oddball spirit, no one actually knows how or by whom the Shell Grotto was created. The story goes that a local boy discovered it by crawling through a chalk passage in the 1830s, finding a mad subterranean lair adorned with 4.6 million shells depicting trees, gods, phalluses and more. Whether it was created by pagans or a secret Regency-era sect, no one knows – but it’s good fun, and the gift shop’s a winner. 

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.