Seabird flies the nest to Margate

Ramsgate neighbourhood café, wine bar and restaurant, Seabird, is moving to a larger site on Margate’s seafront this month.

Founder Stuart Langley is moving his business to Margate old town within a Grade II listed double-fronted site overlooking the Turner Gallery and Margate’s Harbour Arm.

Seabird’s new Margate home offers a much larger space than the Ramsgate site, with 26 covers inside and a further 60 outside on the terrace.

A brand new kitchen and café bar counter have been installed, with the restaurant offering guests breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week.

The all-day menu will be overseen by Seabird head chef Chloe Dolbear and Langley’s chef-partner Fred Bolin.

“All of life can be found in Margate,” said Langley. “And Seabird is here for everyone and anyone who wants to enjoy good quality food and drink, served up in a relaxed and friendly environment, with great music and easy, unfussy vibes.”

Breakfast will offer smashed avocado on toast, eggs Benedict and buttermilk pancakes. Lunch will feature dishes such as ‘Seabird Crumpet’ – with wild mushroom pâté, pickled oyster mushroom and watercress, ‘Plaice Schnitzel’ – a breaded plaice schnitzel, with curried tartare sauce and pickled red cabbage, and ‘Bookmaker Toast’ – with medium-rare steak, horseradish and fried egg, on sourdough toast.

Seabird will also offer a mix of freshly-prepared sandwich options, served to eat-in or takeaway.

Coffee is sourced by east London speciality roastery pioneers Climpson & Sons, while organically farmed matcha is available from Lalani & Co.

Come the evening, bar snacks and small plates will be served, including steak tartare with egg yolk and matchstick fries, sea bass ceviche with lime, avocado and tortilla chips, and an asparagus, chicory, cherry tomato and walnut salad.

The wine selection includes bottles sourced from natural and low intervention wine importer Les Caves de Pyrene, alongside ethical wine distributor Uncharted Wines, plus Ramsgate family wine merchant Page & Sons and Kent-based winery, Westwell.

Music is a key part of Seabird, with Langley designing the sound system himself, and the music inspired by his time working in bars and restaurants in London, Ibiza and Melbourne.

He added: “We want to fill Seabird with warm, inviting and vibrant sound, so our guests can enjoy listening to the music, without having to raise their voices to chat with friends.”