Margate based restaurant Barletta has been appointed as the new contractors for Turner Contemporary’s cafe.
Since 2019, Barletta has held residencies across Margate, including at Dreamland, Urchin Wines and the Rose in June. Barletta will take over the café space and launch their reimagined café and restaurant offer when the gallery reopens later this year.
Together, the gallery and Barletta pledge to use locally sourced produce and works sustainably. Founders of Barletta, Jackson Berg and Natalia Ribbe bring over 25 years worth of hospitality experience with them gained from Margate, London and New York.
Jackson has worked at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen, St John, Burnt Ends, Quality Chop House, Hoi Polloi and Bistrotheque.
He opened Xiringuito in 2016, a year long pop-up restaurant. In April 2019, he and Natalia moved back to Margate to open and operate a residency in Dreamland under the name Barletta.
Barletta moved into Cliftonville’s Urchin Wines for the winter season and following lockdown Jackson and Natalia opened Barletta on the roof at the old Ziggy’s site and took over the kitchen at the Rose in June pub in Cliftonville.
Natalia moved to London in 2012 after working her way up from the bar to hospitality manager in Vienna and New York. While in NYC she worked for Michelin star chef David Bouley, legendary NYC hot spot Le Cirque, Union Square beast Blue Water Grill and Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio.
In 2016, whilst living in London, she set up L.O.R., a UK- based initiative supporting women who work in the hospitality industry through events and education.
The café, and gallery’s Foyle Rooms, will be available to hire from when Turner Contemporary reopens for events and weddings which work within government restrictions. Currently, the gallery has availability for events and weddings which can be booked by emailing: [email protected].
A spokesperson for Turner Contemporary said: “We’re pleased to be working with an ambitious, creative and local company who will bring a fresh approach to the café and are excited to see Barletta’s vision unfold. We will ensure that sustainability is at the heart of the café’s offer. Our café plays a key role in enhancing the visitor experience, driving income for Turner Contemporary, but also creating jobs and supporting local suppliers.”
A Barletta spokesperson added: “We have been lucky to be a part of the iconic Dreamland and we are so excited to now be joining forces with another symbol of Margate. We are really looking forward to bringing that same Barletta energy to the space, with a bit more sophistication than you may have seen from us at our previous venues.
“Expect a vibrant and seasonally led menu, an elevated pastry and cake offering, great coffee, delicious and accessible wine all with sustainability and fun at its core.”
For supplier enquiries, email: [email protected] or [email protected]
A reopening date for Turner Contemporary is yet to be announced.
