Angela's — Restaurant in Thanet

Nothing special - mediocre seafood restaurant. Decided to have dinner at Angela’s based on the top reviews but unfortunately experience fell far short of expectations. Fresh ingredients yes definitely but mediocre presentation, size, service and ambience which in no way justifies the pricing. We had as starters the prawns (9 GBP) and the scallops (10 GBP). The prawns were the very small ones, around 10-15 pieces, still in their shells and which seemed not to have been cleaned properly as most of them had significant amount of roe still within their shell. This made not only peeling them unpleasant but also eating them as whatever roe was left on the meat delivered an ugly texture and taste. No at the table hand wash provided. The 3 scallops were cooked nicely but accompanied by too much sauce, which overpowered them, and a lot of unnecessary carrot shavings. As a main we shared one portion of bass (26 GBP without a side!). As the usual accompaniment was not to our taste, we were offered an alternative with a lemon butter sauce. As mentioned no side included so ordered some grilled potatoes at GBP 4. The bass was cooked beautifully. The sauce was good, perhaps a tad too much lemon but that is personal taste. Again, however, too much sauce on the plate, which overpowered the fish. The potatoes arrived about 5 minutes later and a bit burnt. The overall nagging point throughout our meal was, however, the dish sizes to their prices. We have been to many fish restaurants worldwide and in comparison found these dishes not to be up to par and overpriced. To top it off on receiving the bill a GBP 2 extra was listed as donation and a 12.5% discretionary service charge. Neither of them being mentioned before anywhere. The donation, based on the card the bill was presented in, turned out to be towards supporting unemployed youngsters to get jobs. Usually fully supportive of such things but was not impressed with the sly way it was just added to the bill and justification presented. The same with the service charge. The meaning of word “discretionary” lost somewhere. In the end we paid nearly 66 GBP for two starters (20), 1 main with one side (30) and 1 glass of wine (5.5), rest service charge. Sorry but the experience delivered did not in any manner justify this grand total. Oh yes one more thing, the toilet is outside like a sort an attached toilet shed. This gave us the opportunity to see the back dining room of the restaurant, which we concur with the comments of other reviewers looked dingy and run down. So despite the fresh ingredients we simply could not recommend eating here without any forewarning and bringing expectations in line...

If there’s one thing worse than a big restaurant, it’s a big restaurant that thinks it’s small. You know the ones – open kitchen clatter, faux-distressed brick, a fig tree potted in a bin, and a menu longer than War and Peace rewritten by Jamie Oliver on coke. That’s not a dining room; it’s a cry for help.

Angela’s in Margate is the antithesis. It’s little. Properly little. Not “intimate” or “bijou” – it’s just… small. Like someone’s front room, if someone’s front room had a daily chalkboard menu, impeccable fish, and staff who talk to you like they want to befriend you, not upsell you.

The menu – God bless it – is written in chalk. Because that’s all you need when you know what you’re doing. There’s no burger section. There’s no QR code. There’s no meat. There’s just fish. Wonderful, fresh, honest, beautifully prepared fish, with vegetables that taste like they’ve never seen the inside of a supermarket.

And crucially, there’s no clutter. No lavender-scented wankery, no statue of a Tuscan shepherd boy peeking from behind a yucca. Just clean walls, clean tables, and a dining room full of people who want to be there. Not because it’s been algorithmically recommended by some faceless app, but because it’s good. And word gets around.

Our waitress (who I’d follow into battle) recommended half the menu, casually, sincerely, like she’d eaten it all for lunch and was still thinking about it. We listened. We changed our orders. She was right. It was glorious. A gurnard dish so delicate it could have written poetry.

Angela’s knows what it is. A fish restaurant. A neighbourhood restaurant. A lovely, living, local place run by people who care. It exists because it should, not because someone needed a return on investment.

If I lived in Margate, I’d eat here every week. Possibly every day. I’d bring people I love here. I’d bring people I hate here, just to show them what they’re missing. Angela’s is the real deal. And in a world of...

Exceptional ingredients and cooking, with chefs who truly understand how to prepare the freshest produce and bring out its unique flavours and characteristics. The staff are extremely friendly and welcoming. The decor is tasteful, and despite its compact size, the ambiance is outstanding, offering views of Margate's beautiful beachside right from your table.

However, I encountered a couple of displeasures during my visit. Firstly, the semi-open kitchen design, coupled with poor ventilation, filled the dining area with cooking odours whenever certain dishes were being prepared. If opting for a semi-open kitchen, more consideration should be given to an effective smoke extraction system.

Additionally, a mandatory £1 "donation" per person and a 12.5% service charge were added to our bill without prior consultation. While I'm willing to tip for good service, I believe tipping should be at the customer's discretion, not automatically assumed - especially in a bistro, not a Michelin-starred fine dining establishment.

Regarding the donation, I understand the high unemployment rates in Margate and the efforts charities are making to assist newcomers to the culinary field. However, whether to donate should be based on the customer's support for the campaign, not the establishment's. A [direct addition] of a donation to the bill is uncomfortable and kind of rude; it would be preferable to inquire if customers wish to contribute, rather than assuming.

I reluctantly leave a one-star rating, hoping the restaurant team realizes that minor details shouldn't mar the excellent food, superb cooking, and front-of-house...