Radio Margate Cafe in Thanet

Visited on Saturday and was absolutely blown away by the excellence of the chef. Coupled with a relaxing and super friendly atmosphere, we will definitely be back Forget Sargasso or Dory's and give Jules a chance. You won't be disappointed

Really good. There are some excellent restaurants in Margate now but I would say this is my favourite. I would thoroughly recommend. All the dishes are excellent but the tortilla, and jamon croquettes are particularly good.

We loved our meal at Lilies. Lovely relaxed vibes and delicious food. Thank you.

Had a gorgeous evening and experience at Lillies! We turned up without a booking at around 8.50pm on a Saturday and the wonderful staff squeezed us in. All of the food was delicious, the staff friendly, personable, chatty, and really made us feel warm and welcome. Croquettes were a highlight. Atmosphere warm. Would definitely come here again and recommend. Feel like we found a hidden gem.

What a great establishment - staff were epic, food delicious and draught Alhambra beers were a real touch

Fantastic lunch at Lilie’s - Jools and his team are world class hosts and served up delicious fresh plates of great food which just kept rolling in! Would highly recommend if you’re in Margate.

My first visit! I have wanted to visit this establishment on a number of occasions over the past year or so but for one reason or another the opportunity hadn't presented itself. Today was the day and I was not disappointed. A great menu with plenty of 'special' options. The staff were lovely and very attentive despite being very busy. The atmosphere was also great. Without any hesitation I can thoroughly recommend Lilie's and will most definitely be visiting again 👍🏻

Lilies was the perfect place to celebrate our Valentine’s Day. With the perfect atmosphere, wonderful waiting staff, delicious food and attentive service we had the most wonderful evening. Thank you for accommodating and we will definitely be returning!

Lilies is wonderful, I’ve eaten there twice now & will definitely be going back. The passion Jools has is reflected in the deliciousness of his food & we always leave fully satisfied 😊

Awesome tapas and great service. Just fab

I was not expecting to have one of the best patatas bravas in Margate, but this is what happened… and I am half Spanish! Most of the dishes were absolutely spot on. Will be back here in a flash.

I booked on a Sunday with my partner, we were the first table to arrive of our booking slot. The initial welcome was quite warm but sadly went very down hill from there. The Sunday menu only consists of a beef and veggie roast, we love beef so was no issue for us and given the few choices we were expecting the quality to greatly exceed the quantity. I had a wine for myself which was served in a regular glass, still a decent wine though. Generally the place looked quite nice, it was nice to piece together the art on the wall to local attractions. The music selection was ok, it would cut out/music would be switched around quite often that did start to spoil the atmosphere. The Chef’s whistling was quite loud as well and we were sat well away from the kitchen. There was a dog present in the restaurant as well Hazel I believe I was not informed of this when checking the website or when we rang up, she was pretty well behaved however whilst we were eating she did come to our table begging, I found this quite strange as given they have breaks in between table bookings I dont see why she couldn’t be fed then. Now onto the food, I feel there were a few good ideas but the major issue for the both of us was our food wasn’t hot mine was luke warm in parts whilst my partners was stone cold. Her plate sat for maybe 2 min whilst she was in the toilet. I was there when mine arrived and can confirm it’s not the case of that it was sat out to get cold. Keep in mind we were the first table to receive our dinners, in a relatively quiet restaurant two tables of two had arrived after us and a table of 5 later on so orders would shoot to the kitchen at a steady pace. We were not asked if we needed any condiments or more drinks when our food arrived but we were offered more gravy which was very watery, some salt and pepper was already put on our plate and in our opinion it was distributed poorly. We both had an excessive amount of pepper on our Yorkshire puddings with a minuscule amount on our meat. They forgot to put potato’s on the side, which is forgivable but as they were cold too they were also tough and ultimately unpleasant. We were eating for maybe 30 minutes and we weren’t checked back on at all, don’t even think anyone glanced in our direction. Our bill arrived and in total for 2 roasts and a medium wine it was roughly £46, I paid the entirety whilst still letting them know our issues as on a better day with more attentive service I think it would’ve been ok. I’ve seen a lot of the replies other reviewers have been left and I hope when you see this you just take our feedback and do better.

Had another great lunch today at Lilie's today. Lovely menu and the specials were fantastic. Would highly recommend. And it was very reasonably priced

Son took me and my wife here for Sunday lunch he use it a lot wow what can I say best Sunday lunch ever service was excellent and the food perfect great atmosphere don’t pass this place by give it ago thank you will definitely be back

Sensational food every time. My wife and I have now made this a regular stop when visiting family in the local area. Authentic tapas with a wonderful atmosphere and lovely staff (including Hazel the dog). Already looking forward to our next visit.

Delicious tasty dishes, can’t pick a favourite

Will continue to rave about this place. No where quite like it 🙏🏻 best place in margs

Jools and co opened for us on a Tuesday for a private birthday dinner. Delicious food and outstanding vibe. Many thanks from everyone.

The most incredible tapas! Super cool place with amazing atmosss and great service. A must visit if you’re anywhere near Margate. Can’t wait to go back in the summertime! ✨✨✨

Had an epic Sunday roast at Lillies- quite possibly the best I’ve ever had! Tons of food and everything was absolutely delicious. The atmosphere and hospitality is cozy and friendly, and it was wonderful to take our time and not feel rushed- you could sense how relaxed other diners were there as well. Looking forward to going back again soon!

One of the nicest meals I’ve ever had - they stayed open for us late on a wintry Thursday and we had an absolute feast, be sure to get the boquerones. Special shoutout to Hazel the dog who was an absolute sweetie - we will definitely be back !

What a fabulous find! Amazing cocktails, mouthwatering food and such a friendly vibe. Definitely will be back - if you are visiting Margate don't miss this place and they have a soringer spaniel!

Lovely friendly staff and great atmosphere. Nice food but not very authentic, after living in Galicia I could tell the difference but others won't.

Another fabulous evening, courtesy of Jools 👏! Tasty tapas, classy rioja, musical treats , and great company. Keep on keepin’ on, Jools 🙏🏼.

This place is a great find. Good vibe, friendly service and tasty food. It was a little slower than you might be used to but it seemed to be family run with one chef and the vibes were fun and service was friendly so we didn’t mind. Favourite standout food was Croquetas, and the Tigres. Devine. Price was super reasonable for a bottle of wine and a big meal we paid under £100 Worth a stop if you’re in Margate for the weekend

Excellent food...great atmosphere...amazing service. I highly recommend it!

This is as good tapas as I have had anywhere, you can tell the ingredients are really high quality, great cooking , great staff and great atmosphere.

We visited Lilie’s whilst in Margate for a couple of days last week and were blown away! The food was all delicious and the service was friendly and generous. We particularly enjoyed the octopus and the chorizo, but everything was superb! Prices were very reasonable and we enjoyed meeting Hazel, who is an exquisite maître d. We will definitely be back when we next come to Margate.

We had a brilliant meal at Lilie's on Saturday night - we were a group of 12 and the team were so accommodating with our booking and pre-order. All the staff were so friendly and welcoming, and the food was all delicious. We were given a private table downstairs where we could play our own music, so it was a great atmosphere. It was also great to meet Hazel!

We came for dinner on a hen do weekend - a group of 10 of us. Delicious food, great service - they even gave us the whole downstairs and a speaker to play our own music. 10/10.

Can't wait to visit again! Tapas with a twist! The crab meat is a must try!

Delicious food from the chef! Pleasantly surprised with the quality of Spanish dishes out of this Margate establishment. Very friendly staff and even friendlier Hazel made the weekend in Margate one to remember! Will definitely be coming back next time I'm in town.

Literally didn't realise we had a Tapas restaurant so close by, so had to try it. Food was gorgeous, the portion sizes were excellent and the atmosphere was chilled and relaxed. Ate WAAAAY too much but definitely worth the wobble home afterwards! Would definitely recommend this place, we'll be going back for more!

Holy smokes! It is delicious. There isn’t a single thing on the menu that isn’t a 10/10. And the people are 10/10. Would go to Margate again just to have that octopus dish again.

Came with a big group for a work trip, the absolute loveliest people. Amazing food, service and everything else. Will definitely come back again and would recommend anyone visiting Margate stops by.

Came with a big group from work had an amazing time such a good atmosphere the staff were more than accommodating the food was AMAZING we loved it so much, thank you guys

Very tasty! We especially liked the Tigres and the prawns

“To know how to eat well, one must first know how to wait.” The above quote sets the scene for their amazing tapas menu and, as any tapas fan knows, that if it's great there's a wait. But, taking time is what's so good here. Delicious dishes, portions that extend over the borders of some smaller tapas plates you may get in certain tapas bars. Creative twists and combinations in each tapas, excellent 'the real deal' sourdough, and a very good choice of wines & beers / cocktails. Plus, a fabulous chef... We were so well looked after by Lilie's lovely granddaughter in wonderful decor and adjacent to views to the sea. What's not to like. Faultless, Fun and we'll be back again fer sure 😉👌🏼🙌🏻 thanks for a super evening! Highly recommended...

Nice atmosphere and decor, with the staff being super nice and friendly. Suggested a few dishes. Food was great, I particularly liked the tortilla.

In a nutshell, magnificent. After coming here having read great reviews, high expectations were exceeded. A must if you're visiting Margate.

Went for a weekend away in Margate and our dinner at Lillie's was a highlight. The staff were absolutely lovely and ended up talking to all of them individually at various points throughout the evening. The restaurant dog, Hazel, was a clear winner for everyone's favourite and deserved all of the attention. The food and wine was delicious! Would highly recommend making the trip to Lillie's if in Margate.

Love coming here. Food is amazing and the waiting staff are so attentive and friendly. Being dog friendly is an added bonus! Definitely worth the drive down!

Music a bit loud for us but very friendly waitress did everything she could to improve for us. Enjoyed tapas. Nice not to have to walk all the way into town

Amazing food! The croquettes and chorizo al vino were personal faves. The pomegranate + date negroni also deserves a special mention !! Super relaxed atmosphere, friendly service and a great menu

Delicious tapas, I wanted everything on the menu

A lovely tapas bar in Margate! Service is spot on and everyone is really nice. Really recommend

Absolutely phenomenal food, incredible flavours, beautiful vibes and gorgeous staff. Would recommend to anyone x

The gem on The Cliff. Brought here by a friend with local knowledge. Incredible food with a chef who prioritises a smaller menu rather than that of one that caters to the masses. Always a promising sign for me. The location offers a different perspective of the seafront and of Margate itself with a quieter and less touristy environment with far better ocean views than many offer across the way. Patatas bravas the best I’ve had in the uk, the crab winning over my previously non-shellfish eating friends and some very interesting fusion introductions in the menu which showcases and adventurous side of this small independent for the road ahead. Highly recommend for anyone seeking views, amazing food and drink in its the service to match without being drawn in to a tourist trap.

Amazing tapas food with amazing service. Opposite the beach too! Props to the chef

First time of dining at lilies and it was absolutely delicious. One of the best Tapas I’ve ever had. The dill butter was something else. Every dish was 10 out of Ten .

We arrived very late to Lillie’s without a booking and the staff were super friendly and accommodating especially for a group of 7! The hosts recommended some dishes for us to try and we chose some of our own, every dish was super tasty and left us wanting more. At the end of the meal the chef came out and said hello and had made us some amazing cheese and tomato filo pastries to finish of our meal! We were all raving about the food for the whole night and will be recommending to anyone who visits Margate! 10/10 I’m sure we will back.

Well this isn’t quite what it once was. Bit of a shame.

Super tasty. Super service. Super fun super duper. Worth 4.9 + every time. Thank you for such a great evening of tapas

Cracking beers, great tapas. A Margate staple.

Lilie's hosted me and my friends for lunch for my hen do this weekend and it was amazing!! They closed the restaurant for us so we had the place to ourselves. They made sure we were really well looked after and the food was absolutely delicious. Couldn't have asked for a better experience, thank you!!

We booked Lillie’s a fortnight. Fire travelling to Margate and boy are we glad we did. The restaurant was fully booked but they kindly let us sit outside for 90 mins before the reserved table showed up. We eat out a lot, love Spanish Food and wow - Lilie’s chef can cook! Amazing crab, chorizo in red wine with a sweet honey taste I’ve not encountered before, empanadas with tuna and capers, a tortilla like no other! The service was great (thank you), the wine recommendation amazing. Five star!

A total gem. Outrageously good food! ❤️

Delicious food at fantastic prices. Jules and the team are amazing and Hazel is a superb mascot for the restaurant. Never had a bad meal here and never left hungry- a must visit!

It was excellent. Food is tapas-adjacent but tastes much fresher and has more flavour than most tapas. Thoroughly recommend. Plus the sound track included CCR, the Doors and Black Sabbath, you don't get a lot of th at in your average tapas bar.

Absolute Gem of a tapas bar.. very impressed.. we will certainly be back .. highly recommended

Best tortilla I’ve ever had, and I’ve been going to Spain for 50 years

Fantastically accomplished Spanish cooking in a really easy going, comfortable restaurant. Can’t wait to go back!

Rudest owner…Had a lovely friend’s birthday meal and then asked for the bill, waited 30 mins for it and then were shouted at by the owner saying we were overstaying our welcome, despite our only reason for not leaving yet was waiting for the bill. Such a shame and way to ruin a lovely evening, especially given that the food was great and the other staff members were fantastic and really nice.

Absolutely love this brilliant little restaurant. We love coming to Lilie's - the restaurant is cozy and fun, the tapas is the best around and there's a top notch drinks menu. Jools has created something truly excellent. I recently hosted my birthday party at Lilie's and it was perfect. Jools and his team were so accomodating and worked so hard. Fully recommend. Thanks guys and we'll see you soon.

Amazing in every way! Felt very welcome and the food was so fresh and tasty. Really impressed, best meal out in a very long time!

Loved our dinner at Lillie's. Great food with very generous portions and lovely hosts. Meeting Hazel the dog was an added bonus

The best prawns I’ve ever eaten! This was such a find, amazing food, lovely friendly staff and great value for money. We’ll definitely be back! 🌟

Jules is a true gent at Lilie’s! The restaurant was fully booked due to incredible weather, but he opened up for us to have lunch. And what an awesome experience! The venue, Jules and his food is pure colour & flavour. We immediately felt at home, taking to a good N chilled bottle of white, menu regulars and specials very telling of the incredible produce Kent offers. Croquettes de Jambon came beautifully perched on top of saffron aioli, accessorised with green dressing that’s telling of a chef with wicked character making every plate a photo shoot. Chorizo Al Vino was juicy, rich and the chorizo almost soaked up the quince, garlic and red wine that we dived into with local bread from Staples and dill butter. Being with my Madrid partner, we were keen to try the Tigres. Bechamel, dill and green lip mussels bubbling away in the shell and crisped off. Yummy! The Octopussy was another work of art with tender octopus and potatoes that gave freshness to a hot day, bathed with crisp sea air from outside. A picturesque setting for two, but I bet a great place to party too! One of the specials was crab beignets that were stunning and like every dish, required all sauces mopped up with hearty wedges of bread… the true Spanish way! We finished with Raspberry Muscavado and lemon curd brûlée. A super cute journey, with Jules playing great tunes in the background, dancing and singing. You can’t cook good energy like Lilie’s without the character as a key ingredient Jules brings. We had great chats and totally resonated with how some people and places are politically correct, rather than being themselves. The head boy and girl at school, when who you really want to hang out with is the drama class, listening to tunes and geeking out over comic books. Thanks Jules, you and Lilie’s rock!

Wow, just wow. The best restaurant we've been to this year so far without any doubt. Every dish was delicious, the service was great and it was impressive how he managed waiter, barman and chef with several tables at once. Absolutely go and try this place if you like Tapas.

The food here was amazing! Generous portions for being tapas, in my experience. Service was great as well, one person was doing all the cooking and serving on the night we went but somehow he managed it all!? We liked the music and vibes as well, and getting to hang out with Hazel the dog was a great bonus.

The best food in Margate! What a treat flavours are insane! We are real foodies and I am telling you the flavours in every dish are unbelievable! If these guys don't get a Michelin next year I will be very surprised! Homey vibe and Spanish feels...you will not regret it 👌🏼

We had a great dinner for 18 of us in the basement, the ladies who looked afterwards were so attentive and fun. And the food was spot on!

Firstly, big thank yous to the whole team at Lilie’s! They were able to accommodate all 17 of our party downstairs with ease. Drinks were delicious, service - prompt & attentive, and the food was packed with flavour. 10/10 would re-visit

Hugely surprised and impressed at the quality of food. Has all the classics on offer but with some really authentic items. The Chorizo in Quince and red wine sauce should be bottled. Lovely staff, great decor, felt right at home as soon as we stepped in. Viva la Lilie's

Some of the best tapas we’ve ever had! And we’ve eaten a lot of tapas all over the world. The hospitality was amazing, the margaritas outstanding, and Hazel, the most adorable dog. 1000% recommend. We’ll be back soon!

Better than Barcelona! Great for a casual evening with friends and family. Service was amazing and staff really friendly and welcoming. The food here is exceptional and the croquettas de jambon and patatas bravas was better than I have had in Spain. An absolute MUST place to eat.

A really lovely place to eat. We made a reservation to make sure we got in, we knew we'd be arriving late-ish and wanted something near where we were staying. As we both love tapas this was an obvious choice. It was a lovely introduction to the "feel" of Margate. From the minute we walked in to the moment we left we were made to feel welcome and comfortable. Our waitress (apologies, I forget names quickly) was lovely. The atmosphere was casual and warm. While, initially, the food selection felt limited it really isn't when you get down to it, there's plenty of choice with a variety of things to suit most people plus additional specials. What we had was cooked well and delivered quickly with dishes arriving when ready. I particularly liked the peppers - they seemed to be simply roasted with salt and pepper but were just lush. I would absolutely recommend this place, it's a shame we don't live closer so we can visit more often. Thank you!

What a great place 100% will return loved it.

Lovely spot in margate! Owner is soo lovely, charismatic and an amazing chef! Enjoyed every bite, portions are massive. Highly recommend visiting when you're here :)

Amazing sushi, best in town, the tahini nigiri was the highlight of the night!

Outstanding! Can’t recommend this place enough. The atmosphere is always lovely, the tapas Jools makes is heartwarming and soul healing, Charlotte’s pop up sushi is also killer. One of my favourite places in town.

Attended the sushi pop up 12Mar2024 Great atmosphere - especially liked Hazel the dog. Service could have been a little quicker and portions a little larger considering the price. Food was very nice but the cocktails were what let it down marginally; this the average review. Atmosphere was admittedly great though! Aka Hazel the dog and and the fact it was rather full!

Fit us in before a reservation which was lovely of them. Food was amazing, recommend the potato bravo and the frittata for sure!!

Wow, this place is great! Some of the best Tapas I've had and a really relaxed atmosphere. It's also the most dog friendly restaurant I've ever been to..... Love it!

Superb roast lunch. Very reasonable £. Quick service.

Wow. Simply stunning tapas. The locally sourced scallops in chilli and garlic butter available on the specials menu were unreal. We also thoroughly enjoyed the tuna puffs, pisto and padron peppers. Definitely a gem in Margate.

Fabulous, cosy, friendly- the warmness inside of this unassuming, tucked-away seaside spot makes it feel like you've gone to an old friend's home for a dinner party- delicious food, clearly made with a love of great ingredients, flavours and personal style, with an inviting and familiar atmosphere. A really wonderful little place to eat and have a drink in Margate, with a super little team running it all- Will make sure we head back in soon!

The absolute nuts of a restaurant and love the Sushi night !.

1st time of visiting with our son for Sunday lunch really enjoyed the meal the lamb was perfectly cooked veg was delicious couldn't fault it worth a visit.

Great food, great guy, great Thai dye

Fantastic restaurant. Buzzy vibe on a Saturday night, bright colours and a restaurant dog - bonus. The croquettes, delicious, in a wonderful saffron sauce, excellent chorizo, and lovely peppery pardon peppers. A short but sweet wine list, ideal. Only let down by kitchen being awkwardly slow - we received one dish at a time (as normal) but with far too long gaps in between, finishing the meal somewhat oddly with our bread and butter. This restaurant has so much potential, a little extra help in the kitchen and it'd be a dream.

Wow! The most amazing tapas. Everything was cooked to perfection and the service was great too. We'll definitely return when back in Margate.

Jools, the staff and Hazel (the dog) are just fantastic. The food is incredible and the choice of music is excellent; absolute gem of a place. I’ll be recommending this to my friends and family. See ya all again soon!

Look , the review score already speaks for itself so let's just say that if Anthony Bourdain was around this is a venue I feel he would have spent the whole evening at. Please make time for Lilles it's worth it . I promise .

Why are you reading this and not booking a table? They fitted us in at the last minute and served up an absolute banger of a meal. Fresh, tasty, catered for allergies and the service was incredible. This is a gem of a place.

Awesome evening here. The chef worked tirelessly all evening knocking out plate after plate of amazing fare. We loved every thing. Full or flavour and colour. Great atmosphere. Highly recommended.

Had a great night at Lilie’s. The food was delicious, service friendly and a really lovely atmosphere. Can’t wait to come back.

Food was a bit disappointing, given the other great reviews. Not much flavour. EDIT following their response below (which they’ve now deleted) - you’re right, it did have flavour, if you love all your dishes to be covered in chopped tomatoes

I had the most amazing tapas last night. The food is perfect, the atmosphere and the music are lovely and the staff are very friendly. If I were to live in Margate I would visit this restaurant every week.

A lovely and surprising evening at this fun spot between Cliftonville and the town center -- tremendous Spanish tapas, not your usual `small plates' that are so prevelent in London. + dog friendly, like just about every place in Margate. Don't miss it. (they only do dinner, not lunch).