Manly is often regarded for its coastline, however its restaurants are just as much a reason to stay. Over three unhurried days, this guide moves from laneway bakeries to harbourside dining, following the produce, the chefs and the local flavours that make each one worth seeking out. These are the places we return to ourselves, and the ones we send our friends to find.
Day One
Breakfast: Rollers Bakehouse
In a quiet laneway just back from the beach, Rollers Bakehouse has built its reputation on the croissant: buttery, finely layered and reimagined with flavours that change with the seasons. Order a coffee, choose one sweet and one savoury, and carry them down to the sand as Manly gradually stirs to life.
Lunch: Kushi 2095
Kushi 2095 brings the spirit of the Japanese izakaya to a neighbourhood setting, with the grill at its heart. Skewers arrive smoky and glossy, sashimi is sliced with precision, and the menu is made for sharing, so order widely for the table. A cold Japanese beer or a glass of sake carries lunch comfortably into the afternoon.
Dinner: Cibaria
Within Elysium Manly, our hatted Italian restaurant Cibaria is led by Anna and Alessandro Pavoni. Pasta is made by hand, the menu follows the seasons and the wine list travels through Italy’s regions. The Italians say a tavola non si invecchia: at the table, no one grows old. Here, antipasti give way to pasta and the conversation carries on long after the final course.
Day Two
Breakfast: Bistro Manly
Our own Bistro Manly looks straight out to the Pacific, and breakfast here comes with the best seat on the beach. Settle in with freshly brewed coffee and a seasonal menu as the first swimmers head into the surf and walkers trace the edge of the sand.
Lunch: Hugos Pizza
Set on the edge of Manly Wharf, Hugos has long been a local favourite for its pizzas and Italian-inspired menu. Share a wood-fired pizza, choose from an extensive wine list and let the ferries coming and going set the pace of the afternoon.
Afternoon: Manly Pavilion
Follow the harbour path to Manly Cove, where the historic Manly Pavilion sits right on the water. Its terrace is the place for an aperitivo, a glass of rosé or a spritz as ferries and yachts cross the cove and the afternoon light turns gold.
Dinner: The Herring Room
Set away from the busy waterfront, The Herring Room is an intimate dining room devoted to the sea. Seafood is the focus, prepared with care and paired with seasonal produce and a wine list chosen to match. It feels like a discovery on your first visit and a favourite by the end of the night.
Day Three
Breakfast: The Boathouse Shelly Beach
Walk the coastal path to Shelly Beach, where the sheltered waters of Cabbage Tree Bay draw snorkellers and early swimmers. The Boathouse sits beneath the trees at the water’s edge, with dappled light across the tables and a view that makes a second coffee easy to justify.
