Mori Mori is a Japanese restaurant on Northdown Road in the Cliftonville area of Margate, on the Kent coast. It sits at street level close to the town’s Old Town and seafront, with a simple frontage that opens straight into the dining space. The restaurant operates primarily on Thursday, Friday and Saturday for lunch and early evening meals.
Inside, the layout is compact and centred on a single dining room with tables arranged throughout the space. A bar and drinks area sits to one side, and the kitchen is positioned towards the back, often visible from the dining area. Materials and finishes are modest and unfussy, with a light-filled room during the day and a more contained feel in the evening. Seating includes small tables for two and larger tables for groups, arranged to make efficient use of the limited floor area.
Mori Mori’s menu draws on izakaya-style Japanese food and comfort cooking, with a range of dishes that mix noodles, broths, steamed buns and small plates alongside bento-style lunch boxes. Ramen, gyoza, miso soup, bento with rice or soba bases, and steam buns with a variety of fillings all sit alongside other items shaped by Japanese and north-east Asian culinary forms. Desserts such as matcha cheesecake and soy milk ice cream appear alongside savoury plates, and the restaurant’s drinks offer includes wine, beer and sake to match the menu.
The kitchen prepares food to order with a focus on fresh ingredients and recognisable Japanese flavours. Dishes are presented informally and can be ordered individually rather than as part of a set sequence.
Mori Mori is a welcome addition to Margate’s already stacked culinary scene, combining a single dining room, a drinks area and a menu built around izakaya-style eats, ramen and other Japanese-inspired dishes within a street-level setting.