Dairy and egg free travel: Ramsgate & Margate holiday

Our guide to a dairy, egg and soy free family break in Ramsgate and Margate!

We love an English seaside holiday and the Kent coast is one of our favourites. Deckchairs on the beach, retro amusement arcades, ice lollies and paddling in the sea – you can’t beat it! This year we based ourselves in Ramsgate, combined with visiting nearby Margate. 

With two children who have multiple allergies (dairy, egg and soy), travelling in the UK is appealing as it means we can easily take the car with lots of food. Plus we have a good idea of what will be available in the supermarkets. But – I do love eating out, and a break from cooking makes it much more of a holiday for the grown ups! 

After much research, we found a few restaurants with dairy, egg & soy free options, and happily ended up eating out for most meals. Read on for all the details! I hope it helps anyone else with similar allergies planning a break to the Kent coast x  

Ramsgate restaurant recommendations for dairy, egg and soy free diets

My little seaside town, Ramsgate

First up, I have to give a very big shout out to My Little Seaside Town. This is a play cafe on the high street, and it’s really so lovely. It has a big play town and is all about encouraging imaginative role play. My 4 year old was in heaven and even my 7 year old son was spotted getting into character 😂. 

Because we had booked an early afternoon slot I decided to call to see if there would be any dairy, egg & soy free options at the cafe, without any particular hope that there would be. I was so pleased when the owner told me that they have vegan versions of everything – and they really did!

They use vegan spread as standard on sandwiches. They had Violife vegan cheese, various dairy free milks and ice cream, plus plenty of suitable crisps and snacks. My son had a Violife cheese and pickle sandwich, and my daughter had vegan cheese and Marmite. The kids’ meals came with crisps (we chose pom bears), a drink and a pot of fruit or sliced veg & hummus. Plus they even made us a vegan chocolate milkshake! 

There were also a range of jacket potatoes, toasties and pizza – all of which could be made dairy free.

It turns out the owner is dairy free, and some of her children are also. It was refreshing to have so many options for the children, and owners who really get it. Five stars from us!

The Royal Victoria Pavillion Wetherspoons

Whether or not you are usually a Wetherspoons fan, the Royal Victoria Pavillion is worth a visit! It is right on the seafront, and there are loads of tables with a lovely sea view. I haven’t eaten in a Wetherspoons for many years, and when I checked out the menu I was pleasantly surprised to see the sheer volume of dairy, egg and soy free options – and how clear all the allergy info is. 

It had such a welcoming family friendly atmosphere and varied menu that we had dinner there twice! On the first night the kids had spaghetti bolognaise, and the second they had grilled chicken breast, chips and peas. The kids’ meals also came with a choice of sliced apple or a banana. Plus crayons and activities! 

The portion sizes were generous, the food was tasty, and the price was very reasonable 👍

Shakey Shakey fish and chip shop

When researching the best fish and chip shop in Ramsgate one name came up time and time again – Shakey Shakey! Alongside their regular menu, they have a separate and extensive vegan menu and a gluten free menu. They also have separate vegan and gluten free fryers.

The standard batter is dairy and egg free, but it does go in the regular fryer so there is a cross contamination risk there. I would suggest having a chat with one of the owners (3 sisters) about your needs, as they were very clued up. 

The meal was absolutely delicious. Just be aware that the portions are enormous – truly enormous. I had a lot of leftovers and trust me, I can eat a lot of chips 😂. Have a chat with them about volumes before ordering. They did warn me! 

Margate restaurant recommendations for dairy, egg and soy free diets

Vegan ice cream at Ramsey and Williams

This stylish ice cream bar is also home to a small gallery and vintage shop, and I highly recommend a visit!  It’s in Margate Old Town, set just back from the beach, and close to the Turner Contemporary gallery. They had a really good range of dairy and soya free ice cream for the kids to choose from, and they do an extra small size for the littlest customers! They also  do a split flavour single scoop if the pressure to choose is just too much.

On the subject of ice cream, we also heard a lot about Morrellis. It’s a classic nostalgic ice cream parlour in nearby Broadstairs, open since 1932. We didn’t get a chance to visit, but I did check out their menu, and they had a few vegan options which looked nice. One for next time!

Bus cafe, Margate

For a kid, there could hardly be a more exciting place to eat lunch than a bus turned cafe right on the beach! This was the perfect place for us to refuel after a morning at Dreamland over the Road.

I knew we were in safe hands when I looked at the menu, which stated “We only cook with Dairy Free, Vegan and Gluten Free spreads. Our Kitchen is Nut Free but not Seed Free”.  This is the kind of information allergy parents love! They were clearly very allergy aware, and there were a number of options the kids could have. They both went for a delicious bacon sarnie. 

Nearby Supermarkets

For when you want to eat in, there is a well stocked Waitrose in Ramsgate Town. We also visited an absolutely next level enormous Tesco Extra in Broadstairs. You will have no problem getting whatever allergy friendly food you need in that mammoth store! 

Accommodation and things to do

We stayed at a really lovely coastal cottage. About 10 mins walk from the main beach and town, with easy parking and glorious sea views! The owner gave us loads of good recommendations for things to do and places to eat.

If the weather’s nice, then you will be able to happily spend most of your time on the beach. The main beach has a few attractions like trampolines to supplement the sand castle building and paddling! Over the road is a family amusements arcade, and I had a nostalgic time playing the 2p machines. And no, I didn’t win 😂. 

Further along towards Broadstairs there were some great rock pooling opportunities when the tide was out. There’s also a promenade perfect for scooting or bike rides.

On one very rainy day, we visited the Ramsgate Garden Centre which has a great & good value little soft play. The kids made some friends and they were well entertained for the whole 60 minute session. It cheered us all up after getting completely soaked attempting an optimistic rainy beach walk that morning.

We also had a day in nearby Margate. The majority of time was spent at Dreamland – we loved it! It’s a restored seaside amusement park, with rides galore, games and even a roller disco! The range of rides means that there is something everyone can enjoy. It’s free to enter and you pay per ride.

The beach at Margate is very family friendly. It is a large expanse of sand, with various amusements on the beach and good facilities. We enjoyed some sandcastle building, but unfortunately it was way too chilly for the sea this time!

Have you visited Ramsgate or Margate?

If so, share your own tips in the comments below x

Are you here because you have a child with cow’s milk protein allergy?

If so, you might find the following articles helpful;

• The basics of cow’s milk protein allergy
• Where to find support as an allergy parent
• Our favourite cookbooks for dairy and egg free recipes
• Getting started with weaning dairy free