Ryan Jacovides to open Pomus Folkestone this summer

Ryan Jacovides outside Pomus Folkestone
Ryan Jacovides will open Pomus Folkestone this summer (©Saltwick)

Ryan Jacovides, the restaurateur behind Margate’s acclaimed Pomus and its seaside sibling Pom on The Pier, is expanding his Kent footprint with a new opening in Folkestone this summer.

Set to launch on Tontine Street in the heart of Folkestone’s Creative Quarter, Pomus Folkestone will take over the former Brewery Tap pub site.

It will have space for a total of 80 covers, with 50 inside across banquette seating and a kitchen counter bar, and an additional 30 on a garden terrace.

In keeping with the brand’s ethos, the new site will double as a cultural space, hosting art exhibitions and events, continuing the legacy of the building, which has remained dormant since the late 1990s.

The kitchen will be led by Keiran Golding, a Kent-based chef whose CV includes The Blue Pigeons, Wyatt & Jones, and No.9 at Chapel House Estate, alongside time spent under Gordon Ramsay in London. Golding will collaborate with Pomus Margate head chef Aaron Costen to develop a menu of bar snacks and sharing plates, with a strong focus on local seafood and Kentish produce.

A daytime deli and sandwich counter - a new addition for the brand - will offer eat-in and takeaway options.

The wine list, curated by Jacovides, will span classic labels to natural and low-intervention bottles, designed to complement the food offering.

Jacovides, who is overseeing the design himself, promises a space that feels both fresh and familiar, drawing on mid-century influences and sustainably sourced vintage furnishings. Expect repurposed library shelving, a retro Formica bar counter, and restored stained-glass windows, all designed to create a relaxed, lived-in atmosphere.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Jacovides says: “We’re thrilled to bring Pomus to Folkestone. The opportunity to take on such an iconic site came earlier than expected, but it felt right. We’re bringing the same Pomus spirit, with a few new twists tailored to the town.”

Pomus Folkestone is set to open this summer.