Felons is a stalwart in the Brisbane scene. On Howard Smith Wharves, it’s known for on-site brewing and a vast tap line-up (it’s pushing 50) for its award-winning brews. Now, Felons is taking over Manly Wharf Bar. But don’t we already have local breweries aplenty?

The Felons point of difference? “Food is a focus,” Corey Costelloe, Rockpool’s former culinary director, tells Broadsheet. “[At] most breweries, the food is the second thing to the beer. If they’re going to use the best hops and ingredients in the beer, then [they] need to be ordering the coral trout that comes from a line-caught boat, the oysters to come in daily from the South Coast, only [Australian] prawns on the pizzas.”

“That’s what [co-founder Adam Flaskas and the team has] done in Brisbane. I was blown away the first time I went to Brisbane and saw it. I was like, ‘Wow, this is why you’re really busy’.” Costelloe’s jumped aboard to oversee the menu, which – if we’re keeping score – is where Sydney really competes with Brissy.

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Fresh from nailing Wagyu-fat-roasted potato wedges at his new Marrickville restaurant 20 Chapel, the celebrated chef’s delivered a menu of all sorts – but he hasn’t touched Felons’ “outstanding” pizza program, with its 36-hour-ferment dough (with Felons pale ale in there, too).

“I’ve just put a bit more emphasis on the different environment. So [at] Manly you’re looking at the beautiful harbour … if you’re sitting here, looking out, seafood’s your big game. We’ve put NSW octopus onto the menu, tossed with chilli and lemon, and a beautiful little South Coast tuna dish. And, coming from my background, they [had to have] some banging steaks on the menu.”

That includes a 650-gram dry-aged bone-in rib eye from Copper Tree. There are parmies too, and an oyster shucking bar. Plus, lobster frites is incoming. “Half a grilled lobster with some curry butter, shoestrings on the side. Just things you want to eat sitting by the harbour.

“When you’re on Sydney Harbour, it’s very difficult to find somewhere that’s making [everything] themselves. It’s usually a frozen product from Indonesia or Vietnam. Adam’s really passionate about serving Australian seafood.”

The beer’s being ferried down the freeways from Brisbane at the moment, but on-wharf brewing is coming. “I’m just watching the pipes get laid,” Costelloe says. “All the pipework is getting put in at the moment to be able to brew it in the middle of the wharf. It’s going to be fantastic – you’ll see the beer running.”

Obviously, all of this food’s prime for a beer. A crisp, award-winning lager, maybe? Or a barrel-aged sour ale that’s finished off with Queensland raspberries? There’s a boozy ginger beer and an apple cider fermented with champagne yeast, too – plus cocktails, if you’re devoted to your harbourside spritz.

While we love our local breweries, the Felons team’s a great one to welcome. And once they’re brewing here too, they’ll be true locals.

Felons Brewing Co
Manly Wharf, East Esplanade, Manly

Hours:
Daily 11am–late

felonsbrewingco.com.au/pages/felons-manly
@felons_manly