Winter dining deals in Thanet and East Kent
Winter is biting and so are we. Restaurants and bars in Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate have some great offers to get you through the colder months
We get it. It’s cold, it’s dark, you spent too much on Christmas, and someone convinced you it was a good idea to do Dry January. The last thing you want to do is go out for dinner somewhere. Sure, fine. But let us present a counter-argument: This is the best time to go out for dinner somewhere.
Reasons? Oh, we have reasons. Going out means you don’t have to crank up the heating in your house, thus saving you money. It’s a way to brighten up these most miserable of months. And you’re much less likely to face disappointment when there are fewer tourists selfishly booking up all the tables.
That last point works for both sides of the transaction. These are the difficult months for hospitality businesses, especially in an area so reliant on tourism. The other good news for you, is that in an effort to get people through the doors, many local bars and restaurants are offering special deals over the winter months - the extra big reason to make a break for freedom from your living room that we were holding back.
We’ve compiled as many of the great deals on offer around Thanet and beyond as possible. So fill your diary and your stomach. And remember, if you don’t see your favourite place on this list, don’t let that put you off booking a night there. Here though, are the many great offers you could be taking advantage of right now.
Margate
Margate Restaurant Week
The gravitational centre of winter meal deals is the newly announced Margate Restaurant Week. For one week only - February 3-7 - a troop of Margate eateries will be serving up three course meals for £20.25 a head. Amazing. Taking part are Sète, Snake Oil Barbecue, Streets, Pomus, Dive, High Dive, Colina, Dory’s, The Good Egg, Bottega Caruso, Lilies, Mori Mori, Little Swift, Sargasso, Forts, Mullins, GB Pizza, Thao Thao, Buoy & Oyster, and Angela’s. Tables are going to go fast, so book right this second.
Sète
The chic French-style bistro and wine bar has one, two or three courses of rustic yet modern continental grub for £15, £18 or £21 Tuesday to Thursday for these grim wintery days. From 4pm to 6pm Tuesday to Saturday it’s £5 wine by the glass.
Bottega Caruso
Margate Old Town’s excellent Italian restaurant Bottega Caruso is serving up a winter weekday lunch menu. Wednesday to Friday, you can get three courses for £27.50. A perfect opportunity to sample their fresh pasta and dishes made with ingredients imported from southern Italy.
Mori Mori
A firm favourite of ours, tucked away in Cliftonville, Mori Mori serves exquisitely cooked Japanese comfort food. Right now, you can grab a lunchtime deal on Thursday and Friday, 12-3pm. It’s £12 for ramen or a don bowl. Add a drink or dessert for an extra £3, or both for £17.50 all in. Not in the deal, but we also recommend their amazing okonomiyaki.
Angela’s
One for the seafood lovers. Throughout January and February (and possibly longer if it goes well), this popular spot will be offering a set lunch menu from Tuesday to Friday. It’s £24 for two courses or £28 for three.
Northdown Brewery
Northdown Brewery’s tap room is open Friday 3-7pm and Saturday 1-5pm over the winter (and Sundays when the Six Nations rugby is on). Pull up a stool and they’ll give you pizza and a drink for £13. If you’re there this month, they’re also doing a sale on 12 can cases of beer, knocking £10 off.
La Trattoria
Margate’s newest restaurant, which takes over Cliffs once the cafe has shut down for the day, La Trattoria is already very highly regarded. If you’ve not yet tried its delicious Italian menu, book a table in January and you’ll find there’s 20% of all wine. Once you’ve eaten, pop down to the basement speakeasy Bar Nicoletta for another glass or two.
Casa Pizzeria
Not that we ever really need encouragement to get a pizza from Casa - what is it they put in their dough to make it so tasty? - but right now they have a great Saturday lunchtime offer. Pizza and a soft drink for £10. Yes, thank you.
Broadstairs
Posillipo
All the way through to March 1, Broadstairs mainstay Posillipo is offering a set lunch menu between midday and 4.30pm. Two courses for just £14.50 is one of the best offers on our list. If you fancy something sweet to finish, you can add a dessert for £4.50.
Partenopei
Neapolitan restaurant Partenopei is also offering a great set lunch deal. Available Tuesday to Friday, midday to 3pm, there is a good range of options to choose from. Two courses are £14.95 and three are £18.95.
Albariño
Wednesday night is paella night at Albariño. Who doesn’t like paella? Tables are available from 6pm where you’ll get a pan of the stuff filled with enough for two people for £28. In the event that you actually don’t like paella (we don’t believe you, but whatever) the regular menu is also available.
Neptunes Hall
If you’re in the market for a mid-week pint, pop your head into Neptunes to get fed as well. Wednesday nights they’re doing two for one pizzas. Take a friend, a date, or eat them both yourself. We make no judgements.
Reign Bar & Lounge
Cocktails are two for £18 from Wednesday to Friday between 5pm and 8pm. Take advantage of this on a Wednesday and you’ll also find yourself in the venue on steak night. Order two steak dinners for £35 total. Again, your choice if you share or just double up on everything for yourself.
Ramsgate
Royal Harbour Brasserie
Fancy an excellent Sunday roast but also feeling the January pinch? Rock up to the Royal Harbour Brasserie on Ramsgate’s harbour arm after 4pm and they’ll serve you up exactly that for half price. The perfect end to a wintry walk, or early start to a night out. Good for dramatic wave watching too. You can decide if it’s you or the waves that are dramatic.
A La Turka
Throughout the winter months, this Turkish restaurant is offering 20% off your total bill if you dine in, or 20% off your food order if you go and collect a takeaway yourself. The offer’s available every day, although there’s a cut off of 5pm on Friday and Saturday.
Perico Lounge
Pop down to the Perico Lounge for a bite and grab two cocktails for £12.75 in total. And when might you get this deal? Every night of the week from 5pm until closing. That, friends, is a good cocktail offer.
Queen Charlotte
The last time we were at this pub a couple of wayward punters had to be kicked out. ‘Do-gooding’ punters got involved, and we, along with about eight others, were stuck in a forced lockdown as the ejected parties tried to smash their way back in through the tempered glass windows. Not a typical night at the QC, we should stress. It’s a sweet pub and it’s now under new management, which was the old management, who were in charge when this place was at its best. Also, £10 for a fresh Thali plate - what a steal.
Further afield
The Ship Inn, Sandgate
If you’ve got time to travel to the far side of Folkestone, then The Ship Inn over in the village of Sandgate is offering a bowl of mussels and a glass of beer or wine for £15, Monday to Thursday between 6pm and 9pm. They promise to have the fire going too.
Finbars, Westgate
With amazing sea views, Finbars also earned itself two AA rosettes last year, deeming it one of the best local restaurants assessed by the reviewers. You can test this out for yourself without breaking the bank this winter with the set lunch menu. Available Thursday to Saturday, you can get two courses for £25 or three for £30.
The Fordwich Arms, Fordwich
This Michelin Star gastro pub has a great set menu offer running this winter that we’d highly recommend checking out. Available for lunch on Wednesday to Friday and dinner Wednesday and Thursday, for £45 you’ll get three courses plus bread and snacks.
The Pig at Bridge Place, Bridge
Pig Hotels is running a winter weekday lunch offer across its various venues around the UK, but the closest to Thanet is Bridge Place. Until February 28, you can get two courses for £28.50 or three for £32.50. A great place for a special occasion and a great price. Just use the code KITCHEN when booking online.
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