Another Group of London Chefs Is Heading to the Seaside

A group of London chefs will head to Margate, the Kent seaside town, this summer. Cafe Barletta, run by Jackson Berg and front-of-house Natalia Ribbe, will open at Dreamland, the fairground on the seafront, this June.

Berg, who has worked for St. John, Quality Chop House, Hoi Polloi, and, most recently, as head chef at Kettner’s Townhouse in Soho, will be joined by Cavan Power O’Keeffe (Camberwell Arms) and Milo Egan (Brawn) as head chef and restaurant manager, respectively. Barletta follows the news this week that Jolene and Westerns Laundry owners, David Gingell and Jeremie Cometto-Lingenheim will open Fitzroy in Cornwall, itself an increasingly popular path of migration for London’s keenest operators.

Berg, who previously took pop-up Xiringuito to Margate in summer 2016, is working with the “fashionable Margate attraction” Dreamland, as part of the park’s “commitment to the town’s burgeoning food scene.” Ribbe will lead all front of house training as well as assisting with the curation of the wine list and cocktail menu.

The 50-cover Cafe Barletta will take “inspiration from European cafe culture with a focus on seasonal vegetables from the Garden of England and British sourced meat,” a statement shared with Eater today said. Dishes will include Kent tomato salad and oregano; Kent potatoes, celeriac, onions, and aioli; Egg yolk raviolo, ricotta, broad beans, and roasted chicken juices; and smoked brisket ragu, bone marrow, with puy lentils.

The drinks menu will be “concise and fun,” with Mediterranean classics such as vermouth and soda and a Campari spritz provided for refreshment. The wine list will host “something for everyone,” including a selection of natural numbers.

On returning to Margate, Berg said: “I am excited to return to Margate where so many great people are doing great things in food and drink. We are looking forward to getting back into that world. The summer of 2016 definitely planted the seed in me for future endeavours and I am happy to not only be back in Margs, but Dreamland especially.”

CEO of Dreamland, Eddie Kemsley said of Berg’s return: “We loved having Xiringuito on our doorstep and part of the Dreamland family three years ago. Jackson’s food was so widely loved by the community, so we are delighted to be giving him and Café Barletta a home in Margate. This the perfect partnership for us — the creative and flavourful food on Jackson’s menu in the exciting, sociable and wonderfully photogenic backdrop of Dreamland.”

Cafe Barletta is set to open on 6 June.