Stanley Manly Wharf

The Verdict:

Award-winning chef Louis Tikaram has officially returned to Sydney with Stanley, a sprawling Cantonese restaurant now open on the harbourfront at Manly Wharf.

Drawing inspiration from Hong Kong's seaside Stanley Bay, the 248-seat restaurant spans indoor and outdoor dining, with a dedicated bar and private dining room overlooking the water. Three live seafood tanks greet diners on arrival, while a custom-built duck oven brings plenty of theatre to the dining room with tableside Peking duck service.

Tikaram, known for his acclaimed Cantonese cooking, says the venue is also a personal homecoming. Growing up on the NSW North Coast, his connection to the ocean has shaped Stanley's approach to seafood, produce and dining by the water.

The menu follows the restaurant's ethos of "great food, friends, fishermen and farmers", pairing Australian seafood and premium produce with Cantonese techniques. Start with oysters dressed in finger lime, ginger and rice wine vinegar, white-cut kingfish with aromatic soy and green chilli, or work through the dim sum selection featuring Moreton Bay bug spring rolls, lobster and truffle dumplings and Stanley's signature steamed platter.

Seafood from the live tanks is selected and prepared to order, while larger dishes range from Moreton Bay bugs with chilli and garlic to tropical crayfish lo mein, MB9+ wagyu with black pepper sauce and Fujian fried rice with blue swimmer crab and scallop. The custom duck oven is dedicated to Peking duck, served with pancakes or "imperial style", with half carved tableside and the remainder returned as san choy bao.

Behind the bar, expect bold cocktails including the Shanghai Highball, Stan's Lychee Martini, Tom Yum Margarita and Fortune Cookie Old Fashioned, alongside a wine list led by sommelier Christian Blair spanning Australian and international producers, with a particular focus on Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Champagne and Burgundy.

The interiors offer a richly layered take on a traditional Cantonese dining room, with dark timber, woven rattan ceilings and deep green and crimson tones throughout. Sculptural paper fan lights, golden silk-wrapped ceiling fixtures and handcrafted wall lights sit alongside velvet banquettes and a statement bar crafted from Verde Alpi marble and stained American oak.

Stanley joins a growing collection of new venues at Manly Wharf, marking another major chapter in the ongoing revitalisation of the waterfront precinct.

Image credit: Stanley | Supplied