A beachside paradise with a vibe that's distinct from the rest of Sydney/Eora, Manly/Kai'ymay is packed with top-tier restaurants from waterfront pizza joints to Italian wine bars and charcoal grills that really step up to the plate.
This waterfront sanctuary is filled with burritos, fancy seafood spreads and a whole lot of spots for cocktail sipping—fitting, considering Manly was drawn up as a resort-style escape for Sydneysiders way back in the 1850s.
These are Urban List's picks for the best restaurants in Manly.
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- The Best Manly Restaurants With A View
- The Best Italian Restaurants In Manly
- The Best Kid-Friendly Manly Restaurants
- More Of The Best Manly Restaurants
The Best Manly Restaurants With A View
Cibaria
55 N Steyne, Manly
Image credit: Cibaria | Steven Woodburn
Sitting pretty on the ground floor of Manly Pacific Hotel, Cibaria is an all-day beachfront powerhouse by experienced restaurateurs Alessandro and Anna Pavoni (the duo behind a’Mare, Ormeggio at the Spit, Chiosco, and Postino Osteria).
The modern trattoria serves antipasti, pasta, grilled meats and a must-try tableside gorgonzola trolley service, while the laid-back caffetteria slings coffee, pizzettes, and paninis.
Next door, a gelateria whips up house-made Italian gelato, or you can head to the vibey cocktail bar called 55 North for an afternoon sip or post-dinner DJ set—all complete with next-level waterfront views.
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For special occasions, book out one of Cibaria's private dining rooms or the terrazza overlooking Manly Beach.
The Pantry
Ocean Promenade, North Steyne, Manly
Image credit: The Pantry | Instagram
The Pantry holds a sacred spot in the heart of Manly, having been the beach suburb’s dedicated beach house back in the '20s. In those days, the Manly restaurants served as a tea house and change rooms before it was transformed into a kiosk, then a restaurant.
The entire space opens to the beachfront and feels like a beach shack, but one that churns out breakfast staples in the morning and wholesome, coastal fare for lunch and dinner like zesty seared prawn pillows, beer-battered zucchini flowers, fusilloni pasta with a daily ragu, and Atlantic salmon with crispy potatoes, cucumber, apple aioli and chives.
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Snag a window seat for front-row views of beach volleyball, surfers carving it up, and pups living their best lives on Manly Beach.
Queen Chow
Manly Wharf, 22/23 East Esplanade, Manly
Image credit: Queen Chow | Website
A favourite among Merivale's massive restaurant portfolio, Queen Chow is one of Manly’s best (and best-loved) spots to eat with sparkling water views. Perfect for group gatherings, this buzzing waterfront restaurant is a goldmine of Cantonese eats, combining Hong Kong-inspired fare with nods to Australia's own unique Chinese/Australian cuisine.
The menu at Queen Chow Manly is packed with platters of steamed or fried picks, including favourites from prawn siu mai to xiao long bao on the dedicated dim sum menu.
Kick off with sesame prawn toast with fermented chilli mayo and move to the house-roasted duck with plum sauce, whole fish in your choice of preparation, and the requisite deep-fried ice cream in butterscotch sauce.
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You can also venture out to the Inner West for more Cantonese craftery at sister venue Queen Chow Enmore.
Felon’s Brewing Co.
East Esplanade, Manly
Image credit: Felon's Manly | Website
Previously loved by locals as Manly Wharf Bar, Felon’s Brewing Co. acquired this waterfront gem in 2024. It’s still the same perfect spot to soak up the best of this suburb, with plenty of spots on the deck jutting over the water, but with a revamped look, updated menu and Felon’s tap beers.
The casual Manly restaurant's menu spans the usual pub favourites like burgers and a parmi, plus Napoli-style pizzas, seafood picks like battered line-caught fish ‘n’ chips, fresh or grilled Mooloolaba king prawns, and hearty salad bowls for all-day dining. There’s also daily specials like $20 Monday pizza nights, a $20 Big Felon’s Burger deal on Tuesdays, $28 steak frites on Wednesdays and a $28 Sunday Roast.
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A new fish-focused dining room and bar is taking over The Bavarian’s old spot by the same crew. Felon’s Seafood is set to open in late June 2025 by chef Luke Bourke with input from former Rockpool chef Corey Costelloe.
Saké Restaurant And Bar
Manly Wharf, West Esplanade and Belgrave Street, Manly
Image credit: Saké Restaurant and Bar | Instagram
You’ll find Saké Restaurant And Bar on Manly Wharf, so you can choose to take in the sea air and ocean views on the terrace, sit kitchen-side at the sushi counter, get the crew around for a more intimate experience in one of the private dining rooms, or sip a Big in Japan cocktail with Espolon reposado, junmai sake, yuzu umeshu, togarashi, lemon and grapefruit bitters.
Menu options include à la carte and banquet menus, as well as omakase dining, where you can leave your foodie fate entirely up to the chef. It’s all about premium produce and sustainable seafood here, with fresh fish sliced and diced by sushi masters.
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For a seaside sushi picnic, order Saké online and take it to ‘The Office’ (aka the nearby stretch of grass that boasts one of the best sunset spots in Manly.
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Little Pearl
8/13 S Steyne, Manly
Image credit: Little Pearl | Instagram
Hawker-style restaurant and bar Little Pearl sits opposite Manly’s shores inside the 4-star hotel The Sebel Sydney Manly Beach. Its breezy fit-out oozes coastal charm with open windows and views overlooking the busy foreshore.
The modern Asian menu boasts unique bites like popcorn bug sliders with chilli jam and kewpie mayo, and slow-cooked duck dumplings, plus filling share-style mains such as prawn XO tom yum noodles, master stock beef cheek with black vinegar caramel and DIY crispy pork belly bao (a fan favourite).
Pair with a signature cocktail, spritz, wine, or beer, and finish with the deep-fried ice cream coated in chocolate and caramel sauce, shredded coconut and fresh berries.
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Enjoy 90 minutes of bottomless dumplings every Wednesday from 5pm to 8pm for $39pp or gear up for a funky Saturday sesh with two hours of free-flowing spritzes alongside a 6-course boogie brunch for $95pp.
The Best Italian Restaurants In Manly
Hugos
Manly Wharf, 1 East Esplanade, Manly
Image credit: Hugos | Instagram
An icon of the Manly waterfront, Hugos has been serving up the good stuff (that's food, drinks and views) for the better part of two decades.
The menu has plenty of fresh Italian flavours that evoke a summer's day in Sicily, with picks like yellowfin tuna carpaccio on chargrilled crostini, surf and turf tasting plates of fried calamari, pork and beef meatballs, kingfish sashimi and fig, mozzarella and prosciutto salad, and a hefty pizza and pasta selection.
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Not only is Hugo’s one of the best Italian restaurants in Manly, it’s also super family-friendly with a dedicated kids menu for little ones.
Busta
10 Pittwater Road, Manly
Image credit: Busta | Website
A cool and contemporary Italian restaurant, Busta does loads of snacks perfect for aperitivo, house-made fresh pasta and easygoing spritzes and Italo-inspired cocktails.
You might perch around the circular bar or take up a low table in the dining room, stay awhile in a window bar seat or pull up a streetside table in the sun to enjoy focaccia with truffle butter (a must add), oozing burrata, Blackmore wagyu tartare, fresh tagliolini with prawn, bisque, tomato, bottarga and lemon, and a classic scoop of tiramisu.
The wine list is Italian and Aussie in equal measure, and aperitivo hour with $5 snack and $10 spritzes runs between 4pm and 5pm on weekends.
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Tuesdays and Wednesdays are BYO, drop into Winona Wine next door to pick up something spesh like a pet nat or biodynamic vino. Or head there on Thursday for a big bowl of the Chef’s special pasta and a glass of wine for just $30.
Pocket Pizza
46 Pittwater Road, Manly
Image credit: Pocket Pizza | Instagram
When an Italian restaurant has gingham tablecloths, you know you’re in for a treat. Pocket Pizza is a corner feasting haven that feels homey and casual, and serves banging Italian creations.
The set-up is perfect for catch-ups with mates because filling up with vodka pasta, cacio e pepe arancini and a Chesus Christ pizza is always a good idea, whether you take away or nab a table outside in the sun. Add on classic cocktails like a Negroni, Aperol, Limoncello or Hugo Spritz, and you’ve got yourself a perfect arvo or date night in Sydney.
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The Nonna Knows Best set menu is one of the best-value banquets in Sydney, with antipasti, choice of pizza and pasta, side salad and dessert for just $50pp.
Belgrave Cartel
6 Belgrave Street, Manly
Image credit: Belgrave Cartel | Instagram
Belgrave Cartel has been a tried and true Italian staple in Manly since 2010. The sunny cafe by day and dimly-lit restaurant by night quickly moves from coffee to cocktails and caters to all kinds of moods.
At dinner, you’ll find handmade pasta like thick pappardelle lapping up beef shoulder and osso bucco ragu, fresh crab spaghetti, gnocchi alla vodka, and the favourite family recipe, Mumma’s lasagne.
Add on sides and starters to share if you’re working with an appetite, and finish with the Amalfi limoncello tart with pistachio gelato or a classic tiramisu for dessert.
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Make use of the weekly specials, like $20 pasta on Tuesdays, live music from 7pm on Wednesdays, late-night DJs on Saturdays, BYO wine on Sundays, and happy hour between 3pm and 5pm Tuesday–Sunday.
The Best Kid-Friendly Manly Restaurants
Manly Pavilion
West Esplanade, Manly
Image credit: Manly Pavilion | Instagram
Manly Pavilion is well over 90 years old, but still parties hard with a delicious Italian-leaning menu to match. It's now part of the Boathouse Group, so you can expect their high standard of seafood-forward coastal fare, with favourites like crisp squid with spiced salt and aioli, silky crab pasta with butter, chilli, garlic and lemon, and old-school beer-battered fish and chips (plus plenty of turf-based and vegetarian options too, of course).
As well as having one of the best views in Manly, this restaurant is super family-friendly. There are dedicated menus for kids, bar snacks, and a Sail Away $95pp bottomless lunch with heaps of events on, all with a serious side of water views.
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For al fresco eats and sips in the sunshine, head to The Espy, Manly Pavilion’s walk-in-only sibling serving seaside classics, pizza and drinks from Friday through Sunday.
Ripples Little Manly
Stuart Street Beachfront, Manly
Image credit: Ripples Little Manly | Instagram
A true all-day affair right on the sand of the picturesque Little Manly Beach, this kid-friendly waterfront cafe and restaurant is just south of the main Manly strip and so worth the wander.
You can grab takeaway from the Ripples Little Manly kiosk on weekdays, rise and shine with the breakfast on weekends, grab lunch every day, or settle in for a dinnertime feast Wednesday to Sunday, with the menu covering a daily crudo, nibbles like popcorn prawns with fermented chilli aioli, market fish and chips, and seafood rigatoni.
For $28, kids will choose between pasta with butter and parmesan, fish and chips or calamari and chips, with a soft drink, juice or milk and fairy bread ice cream with ice magic for dessert.
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Little Manly Beach is also a perfect spot for little ones with less crowds than Manly Beach, a shallow shark-netted swimming area, a swing set, and plenty of soft sandy and grassy areas for kids to roam.
Garfish
1/39 East Esplanade, Manly
Image credit: Garfish | Instagram
Water views call for seafood, and it's the main event at Garfish, which selects the best straight from the market floor.
Start with oysters (with various dressing options) and explore international influence in dishes like Hokkaido scallops with cauliflower puree, pancetta, apple, fennel and balsamic reduction, beer-battered king prawn soft shell tacos, Sri Lankan seafood curry, and snapper pie with roasted garlic, broccolini and soubise sauce.
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Kids eat free on weeknights before 6.30pm (and will love the fish ‘n’ chips) and you can BYO your favourite bottle of wine on Monday and Tuesday.
More Of The Best Manly Restaurants
Chica Bonita
9 The Corso, Manly
Image credit: Chica Bonita | Instagram
Chica Bonita is one of the OG Manly goodtime restaurants, and packs one of the best margarita offerings in town.
The fun Mexican menu really shines when it comes to the packed burritos, tasty tacos and ever-epic carne fries—a local specialty that pops up around San Diego packed with steak, melted cheese, pico de gallo and guac. The a la carte menus slightly change between lunch and dinner, with top-tier set menus for under $65pp.
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Visit between 4pm and 5pm Friday–Sunday for $10 margaritas and $5 tacos.
The Herring Room
94 Pittwater Road, Manly
Image credit: The Herring Room | Instagram
Edible works of art are on the menu at this family-run Manly restaurant. The Herring Room pulls flavours and dishes from all around the world and serves them up in a cosy, textural space with a gas fireplace going in winter and an outdoor courtyard for sunny days.
The seafood-leaning menu changes often but might look like slow-cooked octopus with gochujang, nduja vinaigrette and anchovy mayo; crispy fish charcoal bao buns loaded with pickled ginger, slaw and sichuan pepper mayo; Tasmanian black mussels tossed through casarecce with blistered cherry tomatoes, bisque, mussel butter and prawn oil; and charcoal-roasted whole market fish with koji miso caramel.
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This spot is a great special occasion restaurant in Sydney, with regular degustation events.
Banco
17b Whistler Street, Manly
Image credit: Banco | Instagram
If wine-ing and dining is your idea of a good time, Banco should be on your list. This elegant but casual Manly restaurant and bar does fancy taster plates like lobster rolls with miso mayo, caviar-topped fried chicken, chargrilled octopus in a lemongrass sauce and triple cooked hot chippies served with charcoal ketchup.
If the glowing neon bottle sign didn't give it away, wine is the main event on the drinks front. The vino list heroes low-intervention makers (especially females, couples and families) from Australia and the typical Euro suspects, with the knowledgeable staff's recommendations scattered throughout.
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Banco has a daily happy hour from 4.30pm to 6pm with $10 snacks, wines, highball cocktails and more sips.
Sunset Sabi
26/28 Pittwater Road, Manly
Image credit: Sunset Sabi | Instagram
Sunset Sabi is a fun Japanese izakaya on Pittwater Road combining sushi, sashimi, cocktails and Japanese beers.
The menu has crowd-pleasers like pork katsu bao buns, hot-honey-slathered prawn and scallop toast, and karaage chicken with gochujang mayo, alongside an abundant raw and seared seafood selection. Don’t miss the sweet burger for dessert; a tasty stack of sweet potato doughnuts, whisky, matcha white chocolate and strawberries.
Drinks-wise, there are cocktails loaded with yuzu, lemongrass and ponzu but you can also enjoy beer, saké and international and local wines.
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Sunset Sabi has one of the cheapest happy hours in Sydney, with $5 beers, $5 snacks and $10 highball cocktails from 5pm to 6pm on Friday and 4pm to 5pm Saturday–Sunday.
The Hold
24 Sydney Road, Manly
Image credit: The Hold | Instagram
Docked in the street over from pumping Manly Corso, The Hold is a mix of a restaurant, bar and tavern designed as a ship’s hull. Wooden planks, rope light bulbs and boat-themed decor fill the space, creating a cosy cabin suited for dining and drinking.
The crafty cocktail list features sea-inspired beauties like the Enchanted Siren with vodka, honey, passionfruit and vanilla (a house signature), a 6-8 person shareable Treasure Chest cocktail, plus a flaming Zombie cocktail, which contains three standard drinks and is limited to two per person.
The best part is: the food menu offers veg-heads the rare opportunity to veganise their mates’ meals—the burgers, chicken wings and loaded bacon fries can all be made plant-based (don’t ask us how), making this one of the most vegetarian-friendly restaurants in Manly.
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You may not think it, but this bar-slash-restaurant is quite kid-friendly too, offering free meals for kids on Thursdays with the purchase of any adult-sized main meal over $20.
Sketch Manly
19 Pittwater Road, Manly
Image credit: Sketch Manly | Instagram
You’ve probably never heard of a cafe that transforms into a full-on curry house at night, but Sketch proves it can do both. For breakfast, dig into spice-dusted scrambled eggs and chicken tikka masala toast with coffee, or head there past 5pm for Indian-inspired bites like gol gappe (cold crisp dumplings with herb yoghurt and tamarind), beloved curries like a peppery butter chicken and a creamy mushroom korma paired with blow-torched roti, and unique desserts like chocolate pappadums and a Bengali take on a crème brulée. Swing back craft beers, wine or classic cocktails to round out dinner.
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Leave it up to the chefs with a $54pp feed me menu or a $75pp feed me more menu.
Norma's Deli
74/78 The Corso, Manly
Image credit: Norma's Deli | Instagram
We know she only stays open until 5pm, but we still reckon Norma's deserves a spot on this list of Manly’s best restaurants. If you're chasing takeaway, you could grab a pastry, focaccia pizza, one of the best sandwiches north of the Harbour Bridge, or Greek treats from the cabinet.
Otherwise, settle in for breakfast, brunch or lunch to tackle the all-day menu with dishes like taramasalata toast topped with boiled eggs, anchovies, chermoula, lemon zest and bottarga; generous shared platters with eggs, mozzarella, tomatoes, olives, cucumber, labneh and a choice of mortadella, prosciutto, ham or salmon; and fresh pita bread with house-made Greek dips. Pair it all with a Greek coffee, or opt for a cocktail, glass of wine or Greek beer.
This place is walk-in-only or you can order catering online like picnic platters, pastry boxes, homemade soups, pantry items, sweet selections, whole cakes and more.
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To feel like a local, take your haul to go and eat on Manly Beach’s iconic steps.
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Main image credit: Ripples Little Manly | Leigh Griffiths
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