Where to go and places to try in Broadstairs - 2026 Edition
Discover places to eat, drink, shop, relax and stay!
A picturesque bay, bustling high street and shining example of why independents make a town, Broadstairs has it all. From the literary history of Charles Dickens and retro ice cream parlours to thriving cafe culture and award-winning cuisine, it’s a coastal gem that allows you to stumble across community and quality with every step you take.
DISCOVER
A day out in Broadstairs is all about finding your own pace - whether that means getting active, settling in for a film or heading to the coast.
At Revolution Skatepark, a Broadstairs institution has been nurturing Kent’s skating scene for 25 years. Founded by Dan Chapman, it was Kent’s first indoor skate facility and has grown from a single idea into a destination for skaters from across the county and beyond. Spread across several warehouses on the Oakwood Industrial Estate, the park now features a Street Room, Mini Ramp Room and newly-refurbished Flow Room. Whether you’re picking up a board for the first time or have been skating for years, it’s an energetic way to begin the day.
When it’s time to slow things down, head into town and take a seat at The Palace Cinema on Harbour Street. Housed in a distinctive Grade II-listed building, the intimate, independent cinema has been part of Broadstairs life for generations. Since Corinna Downing and Simon Ward took over in 2016, The Palace has balanced popular releases with their passion for independent film. With just one screen and a little more than 100 seats, it offers a wonderfully personal alternative to the multiplex experience.
Then make your way down to Viking Bay, where Kent Surf School offers a chance to embrace the sea. With Broadstairs’s sweeping sandy bay as your backdrop, a surf or SUP lesson is an invigorating way to round off the day, whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to improve your skills.
The Best of Times
RETAIL THERAPY
Broadstairs’s creative spirit is easy to discover - it’s right there in the high street. From thoughtfully-curated vintage finds and sustainable children’s clothing to contemporary art, independent books and beautifully-made clothes.
At Abbie & Pearl, a love of interiors translates into joyful collections of vintage homeware, art and lighting. With a background in fashion, colour and trends, its curator takes a considered approach to finding pieces that give character to a home while giving existing objects a second life.
Kinder Collective
For families, Kinder Collective offers a more sustainable way to shop for children. Founded by local mums Rebecca and Fran, the consciously-curated store specialises in high-quality preloved clothing for newborns to nine-year-olds.
Art lovers should make time for Gallery @37, a colourful and contemporary space showcasing work from more than 25 local, national and international artists and makers. Painting, photography, ceramics, jewellery, sculpture, textiles and more sit alongside regularly-changing exhibitions.
Literary-minded visitors can settle in at The Best of Times, Broadstairs’s independent bookshop and cafe - a fitting addition to a town with such strong literary connections. Inspired by Charles Dickens’s association with the town, founder Gavin Boyter created the shop as a place to browse, read and write. Across two floors you’ll find a curated selection of new books alongside coffee, snacks, free Wi-Fi and a delightfully spooky ‘book nook’. The programme of events, book clubs and writers’ groups adds to its welcoming, community-minded feel.
The Workshop by Nova Clarke celebrates the craft of clothing. Broadstairs-based seamstress Nova Clarke offers alterations, bespoke dressmaking and tailoring alongside her handmade NOJO clothing label - perfect for anyone looking for something individual, carefully made and designed to last.
FOOD & DRINK
From Friday 2nd - Sunday 4th October, Broadstairs will once again turn its attention to the pleasures of the table with the Broadstairs Food Festival, a free, family-friendly celebration of food, drink and the people who make it. Set beside the sea, the festival brings together independent producers from Kent, the wider region and beyond, offering visitors everything from freshly-prepared hot food and artisan produce to specialist drinks.
There is plenty to keep food enthusiasts occupied throughout the weekend, with live music providing a soundtrack at the Bandstand and a packed Kitchen Theatre programme featuring cooking demonstrations, author conversations and talks from food and nutrition specialists.
The chef line-up includes Allister Barsby of two-Michelin-starred Hide and Fox; acclaimed chef Stephen Harris of The Sportsman; Margate-based MasterChef: The Professionals finalist Mark O’Brien; and local Broadstairs chef Ben Wood, formerly head chef at Barrafina, where he retained its Michelin star. Also appearing are Snack Hacker George Egg, who will entertain with his rule-breaking recipes, and renowned food writer Niki Segnit, who will show audiences how to understand recipes and get creative with them.
Two ticketed tastings will help visitors sharpen their palates: a beer-tasting masterclass with Jona Jewitt and a selection of local ales, plus a blind wine-tasting with wine educator Alex Prymaka.
The festival may provide a concentrated taste of the food scene, but the town has plenty to offer beyond the October weekend. For coffee and something sweet, there are several independent cafés worth seeking out.
Giant Coffee
At 35 Albion Street, Giant Coffee takes a specialist approach to the daily cup, with Brazilian single-origin roast coffee at its heart. The café also caters for those looking for something alongside their drink, with plant-based pastries and baked goods.
In the heart of Broadstairs, Salt combines the feel of a neighbourhood café with a broader all-day offering. By day, the menu covers barista-made coffee, healthy breakfasts, lunches, açai and juices. Later, the venue shifts towards natural, organic and English wines, Canterbury beers and cocktails.
Forts Coffee is one of Thanet’s established independent café names, and its Broadstairs branch on Dundonald Road carries the same all-day spirit. Coffee and breakfast lead into an expansive brunch menu before the offer moves naturally towards beers and small plates later in the day.
Little Wave has evolved from café to deli, a change that has allowed the small shop by the sea to put local and artisan produce firmly centre stage. Now two years old, it brings together speciality cheese and charcuterie, sourdough, coffee and Kent products.
The New Old Bakehouse
At 15 High Street, The New Old Bakehouse is one of Broadstairs’s most loved independent businesses, offering a warm, welcoming stop for everything from a morning coffee to a traditional cream tea. The menu is firmly rooted in homemade favourites, with cakes and bakes, freshly-prepared sandwiches and lunches, breakfasts and freshly-brewed tea and coffee. There is also speciality spelt bread, baked fresh for those looking to take a little of the experience home.
The Magnet Micro Pub
The emphasis is as much on community as food, with the bakery championing the independent high street and encouraging visitors to support the local businesses that give the town centre its character. Dogs are welcome, too, making it an easy-going spot for a coffee, catch-up or something sweet.
When it comes to going for a tipple, there are multiple options, but we have picked out our favourites. At 37 Albion Street, The Magnet Micro Pub is a destination for real-ale and cider enthusiasts, with a changing selection of Kentish brews alongside ciders, craft keg beers and drinks from further afield. The atmosphere is relaxed and sociable, with comfortable spaces that suit friends, couples and families - and dogs are welcome, too.
Community is central to The Magnet’s appeal. The pub hosts its semi-legendary monthly jam sessions and is closely involved with Broadstairs’s music scene, including organising the Broadstairs Jazz Festival, which returns for its third year from 9th – 11th October. Away from music, there are Mag-knitters knitting club gatherings, as well as Subbuteo and backgammon nights, plus many more fun-filled events. Inside, the large picture windows fill the room with light, while a striking beer-bottle chandelier adds a playful touch. It is an alehouse with a distinctly community-minded character.
Sonder
For a taste of one of Kent’s better-known smash burgers, Please Sir! has been serving its signature 'One Bite' experience since 2020. The award-winning burger business now has three locations across Broadstairs, Whitstable and Canterbury, with more than 2,000 five-star reviews behind its reputation.
Of course, there are many other places to seek out and try, from the celebrated small plates at Fifteen Square Metres, Bar Ingo and Twenty Seven Harbour Street to the sourdough creations of Staple and the craft beers and fun atmosphere of Sonder. But it wouldn’t be a seaside town without ice cream.
On the Broadstairs seafront, Umibo Drinks Lab brings together artisanal gelato, speciality drinks and Japanese-inspired mixology. Its gelato offering goes beyond familiar flavours - on our recent visit, the coconut, mango and sticky rice gelato proved a standout, alongside the more unusual hibiscus lemonade gelato.
Few places in Broadstairs combine food and history quite like Morelli’s. The family opened their first UK ice-cream parlour above Viking Bay in 1932, establishing a seafront institution that has become synonymous with the town. Today, it remains a destination for gelato lovers, with much of its character preserved through the decades.
The Old Curiosity Shop
Tucked beneath an old stone arch just two minutes from Harbour Street and Viking Bay, The Old Curiosity Shop is more than a café, it is a community hub. A café for two decades, it has recently passed into new hands, with a vision of welcoming everyone from young families and to older residents seeking company. Visitors can enjoy homemade food, coffee, cream teas and local art, while children have their own play area.
Backyard Chicken at Neptunes Hall
Neptune’s Hall has long held its place among Broadstairs’ best-known pubs, combining traditional hospitality with a calendar of live events and entertainment throughout the year.
The Grade II listed venue, a short stroll from the sands of Viking Bay, is perhaps at its busiest during Broadstairs’s famed Folk Festival, when music and festival-goers help give the pub its unmistakable buzz. But the entertainment continues well beyond the summer crowds, with bank holiday parties, Record Roulette open-deck nights and Mr Teds Drag Quiz nights among the attractions.
For those seeking something more relaxed, Neptune’s Hall also offers the essentials of a classic town pub: friendly conversation, a proper pint and a choice of Shepherd Neame lagers and ales, guest beers, ciders, wines, spirits and soft drinks. A spacious, sunny patio provides an inviting spot for alfresco drinking in warmer weather.
Food is part of the appeal, too, with weekend backyard chicken, chips and homemade slaw, alongside popular Sunday roasts.
