Frequent readers of our Eat My Words reviews will hopefully appreciate this feature is (more often than not) a celebration of Kent’s food scene.

So this week we’re in what is arguably the county’s foodie capital… Margate.

You may disagree and have your own opinion or personal favourite town for dining out.

But as a Deal chef recently interviewed by my colleague about the growing reputation there pointed out: “We’re not quite Margate, yet.”

So there’s the feeling that it’s the one to beat at the moment.

And when you consider it has a higher concentration of venues in the Michelin Guide than any other Kent town - four to be precise - and another in the 2024 Good Food Guide, he may have a point.

It’s not just fine-dining options at your feet though. There’s a host of more humble options - from cafes and, ice cream parlours to burger joints, Caribbean or fish and chips.

But tonight, we’re here for pizza and a slice of the action Margate has to offer.

The sun is setting over the town’s sweeping sandy bay and harbour arm as we arrive.

It might be the end of the summer holidays following a Bank Holiday and a Tuesday evening but the first thing that strikes me is just how packed places are.

It seems the town’s draw is not exclusively for a scorching weekend on the beach or when there’s a big name taking to the stage at Dreamland.

After passing the busy bars along the harbour wall, we are greeted at GB Pizza by a cheerful waitress who shows us to our table in the window with a sea view just as the sun begins to disappear over the horizon.

The pizzeria has been a long-running fixture in the town since being launched by two friends in 2012.

But two years ago, it almost all came to an end when an arson attack saw the restaurant destroyed. Yet it has risen from the ashes back to the forefront of Margate’s food scene.

The team are back serving what they do best - thin and crispy pizzas with sometimes slightly unusual toppings. Pear on a pizza anyone? (We’ll come back to that!)

The first thing that strikes you is the energy and buzz with a mix of couples, friends and families all taking in the atmosphere.

Pizzas are coming out of the kitchen past your table with impeccable speed and regularity and you find yourself craning to get a glimpse of what looks good.

But then, one look at the menu and there’s a host of options.

I’m particularly excited by the focus on Kentish produce - such as local cheeses and cured meats - and the use of seasonal ingredients on a regularly-changing menu.

First things first: drinks. There’s a great choice of Kentish beers, wines, ciders, spirits and coffee beans from a Kent-based roastery.

But something in particular takes my eye: Hush Heath Pink Fizz - produced by Staplehurst winery Balfour - in a can (£9 for 200ml).

“Sparkling wine, in a can, what sacrilege,” I hear you shout! And I would normally agree but I’m feeling so swept up in the trendiness of the restaurant that I’m in the mood to try this Kentish drop with a ringpull rather than a cork.

The verdict: excellent. Full of fruit and not overly fizzy, it’s a really refreshing drink for a balmy summer evening.

Now the main event and we pick a trio to try - the meat feast (chorizo, ham, nduja and salami, red pepper and aioli at £14.50) and two veggie, the Spanish-inspired special (red peppers, padron peppers, artichoke, paprika and manchego at £13.50) and pear and ricotta (£11.50).

When they say thin and crispy on the menu, the walls and on the backs of the staff’s t-shirts - you kinda get the impression that’s what they’re going for.

And it certainly lives up to the billing.

The dough is so thin and light and has absolutely no grease whatsoever. It almost melts in the mouth and then the punch of the quality toppings shine through.

Starting with the meat feast, there’s warmth from chorizo, pepperiness from salami and heat from nduja hitting you from the first bite - with the different cured meats brought together superbly with sweet peppers and cut through by the aioli.

Next up, the Spanish special - the menu always carries something super seasonal and we could have opted for the heritage tomatoes and basil pesto - giving an almost bitterness from the green padron peppers, smokiness from the paprika and red peppers and then creamy nutty flavours from the manchego and earthiness from the artichoke.

As a meat-lover (hence the meat feast to sample all those excellent Kent-produced cured slices), I would never usually order pizza without a meat topping. I may well have to revisit that thought process in future!

And then the curve ball - a bianco pizza (white base) of ricotta cheese with pear and blue cheese. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it - there’s the salty and savoury cheese and then pear cutting through with sweetness.

I wasn’t convinced reading it on the menu but trust me it works!

Oh, and don’t forget to order a dipping sauce for those crusts (£1 each) - the garlic butter is everything you want it to be and the sriracha honey adds an awesome punch of sweet heat.

This is purely a personal preference but normally, I love cheese falling off my pizza in every direction… the more mozzarella the better, usually.

But these aren’t what you’d call traditional Italian pizzas (which are usually more doughy too) - after all we’re at GB Pizza and they are writing their own rules.

Honestly, though, these pizzas don’t need all that mozzarella - the toppings are full of flavour and absolutely speak for themselves.

Quality ingredients, a fun vibe (even if you don’t mind being stared down by Sarah Lancashire and Tom Holland while going to the loo) with excellent, attentive and friendly staff and a food offering that will give you something different, what’s not to love?

Margate has an absolute gem here and long may it continue. I’ll certainly be going back again and again.

Scores:

Food: Amazing variety of quality ingredients for toppings and the perfect light base ****

Drink: Brilliant range of Kentish offerings as well as from further afield. Pink fizz in a can is a bit Shoreditch-y but there’s nothing wrong with that ****

Decor: Clean and minimalist with plenty of colour and sense of fun including the celebrity mural in the bathroom ****

Staff: Super friendly, cheerful and attentive *****

Price: With most pizzas priced around £12-£13 - it’s certainly cheaper than your average trip to a big-name chain ****