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Best Restaurants in Manly

Updated 6 months ago

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Before it became the densely populated gateway to the Northern Beaches it is today, Manly was originally conceived as a seaside resort. If you’re not lucky enough to be a local, though, a daytrip still feels like an escape. Maybe it’s how you get there: you could drive, but the easiest (and most pleasurable) way is to take the ferry from Circular Quay.

That resort feel is evident in the layout of the key spots. Walk down the Corso (Manly’s main eating, drinking and shopping hub) and you’ll definitely wonder why pedestrian malls aren’t more common in the rest of Sydney. The promenade is the best way to get from the harbourside wharf to the famous Manly Beach.

There are plenty of restaurants on that walk that are worth your time. The venues in this guide aren’t content to coast on their picturesque setting. Some are local favourites, and many are worth the journey from other parts of Sydney.

  • Busta

    Restaurant

    Natural wine and handmade pasta from the crew behind Chica Bonita and Sunset Sabi.

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  • Chica Bonita

    Restaurant

    This rustic little bolthole, hidden in a Manly back alley, is one of the seaside suburb's most popular and enduring eateries. We can see why. The laid-back atmosphere belies just how seriously this team take their food.

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  • Queen Chow Manly Wharf

    Restaurant

    Merivale’s waterside Cantonese joint, complete with live seafood tank, oyster bar and dim sum. The views across the water make for an ideal setting year-round.

  • The Ivanhoe Hotel

    Restaurant

    The Ivanhoe Hotel has been stripped back and spruced up by Sibella Court to feel like a nostalgic beach club with classic red and white lifebuoys and squash rackets.

  • Pocket Pizza

    Restaurant

    Order a single slice and eat it sitting on the sand while the sun sets.

  • Sunset Sabi

    Restaurant

    Wild cocktails and unique Japanese flavours from the team at Chica Bonita.

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  • Momo Bar

    Restaurant

    Poke and momos all under one roof.

  • El Camino Cantina Manly

    Restaurant

    It’s all about giant drinks and water views.

  • Maestro and Co

    Restaurant

    A modern Middle Eastern restaurant in Manly.

  • The Herring Room

    Restaurant

    Plenty of seafood and a people-first approach make this a hit with locals.

  • The Nook

    Restaurant

    A nostalgic sandwich and cocktail bar with 36-hour Reubens, fried chicken and cheddar-and-chive waffles, and groovy disco-era cocktails.

  • Banco

    Bar

    Fire-driven cooking is the specialty at this sultry backstreet bar. The menu is backed up by cocktails on tap, and around 300 natural wines to try.

  • Tijuana’s

    Restaurant

    Just off The Corso, you’ll find a spot deftly melding Mexican and Peruvian classics. Enjoy ceviche, tacos, Margaritas and Pisco Sours in a buzzy whitewashed space with the air of a beachside hotel in Playa del Carmen.

  • Tommy’s Manly

    Restaurant

    The sequel to the Darlinghurst favourite is bringing ceviches, tacos and woodfired plates made with NSW produce to the beaches.