Toni's guidebook to Manly, Fairlight & the Northern Beaches

Toni
Toni's guidebook to Manly, Fairlight & the Northern Beaches

Food Scene

Wonderful place to eat or have a cocktail, the food is Japanese Fusion - book to avoid disappointment or turn up early as they keep tables for walk-ins. Very cool and popular with the 30 somethings locals.
128 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Sunset Sabi
28 Pittwater Rd
128 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Wonderful place to eat or have a cocktail, the food is Japanese Fusion - book to avoid disappointment or turn up early as they keep tables for walk-ins. Very cool and popular with the 30 somethings locals.
Great breakfast and coffee - if it's later in the day, they have some wonderful cocktails!
88 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Belgrave Cartel
6 Belgrave St
88 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Great breakfast and coffee - if it's later in the day, they have some wonderful cocktails!
Yummy poke bowls and dumplings. Eat in or takeaway or just call Uber or Deliveroo to deliver to your door. Be sure to have a good look at the other places in Market Place too.
28 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Momo Bar. Dumplings & Pokè
28 Market Pl
28 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Yummy poke bowls and dumplings. Eat in or takeaway or just call Uber or Deliveroo to deliver to your door. Be sure to have a good look at the other places in Market Place too.
Good Mexican food - lots of young people love this joint and there are queues at night. Young people = well priced.
154 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Chica Bonita Manly
9 The Corso
154 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Good Mexican food - lots of young people love this joint and there are queues at night. Young people = well priced.
This Justin Hemmes owned restaurant is worth a visit. On the more expensive side but great food never the less.
13 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Queen Chow Manly
23 E Esplanade
13 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
This Justin Hemmes owned restaurant is worth a visit. On the more expensive side but great food never the less.
Great pizza and location but a little on the expensive side. Sit outside on the wharf if you can. Cool and popular spot.
279 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Hugos
1 E Esplanade
279 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Great pizza and location but a little on the expensive side. Sit outside on the wharf if you can. Cool and popular spot.
This restaurant has wonderful views up the harbour and delicious contemporary Japanese food. Make sure to ask for a seat on the balcony if the weather is good. We thought it quite reasonable unlike the other Sake venues.
17 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Sake Restaurant and Bar Manly
West Esplanade
17 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
This restaurant has wonderful views up the harbour and delicious contemporary Japanese food. Make sure to ask for a seat on the balcony if the weather is good. We thought it quite reasonable unlike the other Sake venues.
Great Indian food. Very reasonably priced and BYO.
7 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Phulkari Indian Cuisine
328 Sydney Rd
7 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Great Indian food. Very reasonably priced and BYO.
Great Middle Eastern food. Very popular and reasonably priced.
12 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Maestro & Co
50 E Esplanade
12 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Great Middle Eastern food. Very popular and reasonably priced.
Great Thai food - try the Thai tapas - it's our favourite. With courtyard tables, it's perfect on a sunny day. Open for lunch and dinner Wednesday to Sunday.
41 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Yok Thai Restaurant
21 Wentworth St
41 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Great Thai food - try the Thai tapas - it's our favourite. With courtyard tables, it's perfect on a sunny day. Open for lunch and dinner Wednesday to Sunday.
Great bar with great food, craft beer and cocktails in Freshwater - very popular with the locals
115 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Stowaway Bar
1-3 Moore Rd
115 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Great bar with great food, craft beer and cocktails in Freshwater - very popular with the locals
Great Italian fusion restaurant - owned by the Sunset Sabi people. Fabulous food - they own the wine shop next door too but you can only BYO on a couple of mid-week nights.
Busta
10 Pittwater Rd
Great Italian fusion restaurant - owned by the Sunset Sabi people. Fabulous food - they own the wine shop next door too but you can only BYO on a couple of mid-week nights.
The most popular Pizza place for miles. Great pizzas and very popular with locals. Join the queue or book ahead.
33 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Pocket Pizza Manly
46 Pittwater Rd
33 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
The most popular Pizza place for miles. Great pizzas and very popular with locals. Join the queue or book ahead.
Great for breakfast in the sunshine. Very popular with locals for both lunch too. Great coffee, good service and you can sit in the laneway or inside.
27 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Market Lane Cafe
Market Lane
27 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Great for breakfast in the sunshine. Very popular with locals for both lunch too. Great coffee, good service and you can sit in the laneway or inside.
Great inexpensive Chinese food on the beachfront. Definitely try the dumplings!
Alice Dumpling Bar
Great inexpensive Chinese food on the beachfront. Definitely try the dumplings!
Very new Mexican restaurant with fabulous cocktails - very popular with the locals and young people.
Tijuanas Manly
Very new Mexican restaurant with fabulous cocktails - very popular with the locals and young people.
New Mexican Restaurant (Manly seems to have so many now) but really good food - probably best shared with friends so you get to taste most of the menu. Lots of magaritas on offer.
Tommy's Manly
New Mexican Restaurant (Manly seems to have so many now) but really good food - probably best shared with friends so you get to taste most of the menu. Lots of magaritas on offer.

Drinks & Nightlife

Great location on Manly Wharf for Sunday afternoon drinks, especially if you sit outside. Better than your standard bar quality food.
254 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Manly Wharf Hotel
East Esplanade
254 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Great location on Manly Wharf for Sunday afternoon drinks, especially if you sit outside. Better than your standard bar quality food.
Spectacular location and relatively cheap drinks - great way to spend an afternoon with friends. The food is fairly standard pub food.
85 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Manly 16ft Skiff Sailing Club
Stuart Street
85 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Spectacular location and relatively cheap drinks - great way to spend an afternoon with friends. The food is fairly standard pub food.
One of many Brookvale Breweries to visit.
12 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
4 Pines Brewery - Truckbar Brookvale
9-13 Winbourne Rd
12 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
One of many Brookvale Breweries to visit.
Hidden behind a fridge door in the laneways of Manly, The Cumberland is an underground speakeasy with a Spanish twist. I haven't actually been there but it's very popular.
8 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
The Cumberland
19 Central Ave
8 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Hidden behind a fridge door in the laneways of Manly, The Cumberland is an underground speakeasy with a Spanish twist. I haven't actually been there but it's very popular.
Manhattan vibe in Manly. Tucked in the back street of Manly, they serve wonderful cocktails and food.
Banco Manly
Manhattan vibe in Manly. Tucked in the back street of Manly, they serve wonderful cocktails and food.
One of the many breweries in Brookvale - book a brewery tour and try them all.
Bucketty's Brewing Co.
One of the many breweries in Brookvale - book a brewery tour and try them all.
One of the many small breweries popping up in Brookvale - worth doing a pub tour or just wandering between them to find your new favourite beer.
7th Day Brewery
9 Powells Rd
One of the many small breweries popping up in Brookvale - worth doing a pub tour or just wandering between them to find your new favourite beer.
Craft beers brewed on the Beaches - one of the many craft breweries popping up in Brookvale. Do the tour!
9 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Nomad Brewing Co
5 Sydenham Rd
9 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Craft beers brewed on the Beaches - one of the many craft breweries popping up in Brookvale. Do the tour!
Craft beer made on the premises - visit the Brewery or drop in for trivia, live music and burgers. See their website for events.
Dad and Dave's Cafe
Craft beer made on the premises - visit the Brewery or drop in for trivia, live music and burgers. See their website for events.
Yet another craft brewery in Brookvale - Live music, beer and trivia. Check out their website.
Freshwater Brewing Company
Yet another craft brewery in Brookvale - Live music, beer and trivia. Check out their website.
Be sure to book if you're going on a Saturday night when they have guest pianists playing your favourite tunes. They also have Wine Masterclasses. Visit their website for more Events.
Henry G's
Be sure to book if you're going on a Saturday night when they have guest pianists playing your favourite tunes. They also have Wine Masterclasses. Visit their website for more Events.
A two-storey New York style loft bar and dining area with Live Music Friday to Monday nights.
99 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Donny's
7 Market Pl
99 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
A two-storey New York style loft bar and dining area with Live Music Friday to Monday nights.

Sightseeing

You can't come to Sydney without going to the Opera House - catch the Manly Ferry and you're right there!
1998 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
I-Opera House eSydney
1998 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
You can't come to Sydney without going to the Opera House - catch the Manly Ferry and you're right there!
Take a walk, cycle or drive up to North Head. Take in the stunning views out through Sydney Heads and Sydney. Call into the Visitor Centre located at North Fort for more information and ask for directions to the Australian Memorial Walk. Stop at the cafe at the top for coffee, breakfast or lunch or visit the Quarantine Station on your way back down the hill. Be sure to visit the new Fairfax Lookouts - rebuilt after a bushfire - they are stunning as are the views.
107 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
North Head Scenic Drive
North Head Scenic Drive
107 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Take a walk, cycle or drive up to North Head. Take in the stunning views out through Sydney Heads and Sydney. Call into the Visitor Centre located at North Fort for more information and ask for directions to the Australian Memorial Walk. Stop at the cafe at the top for coffee, breakfast or lunch or visit the Quarantine Station on your way back down the hill. Be sure to visit the new Fairfax Lookouts - rebuilt after a bushfire - they are stunning as are the views.
The Rocks area is the traditional home of the Gadigal people, and the place of first European settlement in Australia. From the roughly-laid cobblestone laneways, the solid wooden beams in the warehouses, and the crushed cockle shells that make up the mortar between huge and hand-carved sandstone bricks, The Rocks is well worth a visit. As far as Australian history is concerned, this is about as historic as we get. There are markets every weekend.
612 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
The Rocks
612 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
The Rocks area is the traditional home of the Gadigal people, and the place of first European settlement in Australia. From the roughly-laid cobblestone laneways, the solid wooden beams in the warehouses, and the crushed cockle shells that make up the mortar between huge and hand-carved sandstone bricks, The Rocks is well worth a visit. As far as Australian history is concerned, this is about as historic as we get. There are markets every weekend.
Palm Beach is well worth a visit - it's where the rich and famous holiday. Walk up to the lighthouse for a stunning view and on the way down go to The Boathouse Cafe for brunch or lunch.
231 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
I-Lighthouse yase-Barrenjoey
1199D Barrenjoey Rd
231 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Palm Beach is well worth a visit - it's where the rich and famous holiday. Walk up to the lighthouse for a stunning view and on the way down go to The Boathouse Cafe for brunch or lunch.
The most stunning zoo location ever! Well worth a visit, especially for overseas guests and children.
645 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
I-Taronga Zoo Sydney
Bradleys Head Road
645 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
The most stunning zoo location ever! Well worth a visit, especially for overseas guests and children.

Parks & Nature

Definitely worth the walk - one of Sydney's best walks - and it starts just outside the back gate.
122 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Manly To Spit Bridge Costal Walk
Reef Beach Track
122 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Definitely worth the walk - one of Sydney's best walks - and it starts just outside the back gate.
A wonderful place for a picnic with the family - there's a playground, harbour pool and beach, kiosk, marina and cafe. The Manly to Spit walk also passes through Clontarf Reserve.
13 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
I-Clontarf Reserve
Sandy Bay Road
13 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
A wonderful place for a picnic with the family - there's a playground, harbour pool and beach, kiosk, marina and cafe. The Manly to Spit walk also passes through Clontarf Reserve.
The views from the Royal Botanic Gardens over Sydney Harbour are stunning. Wind your way around via the Opera House. There are cafes, tours, etc or just go exploring. Visit https://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/visit
15 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Macquarie St station
15 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
The views from the Royal Botanic Gardens over Sydney Harbour are stunning. Wind your way around via the Opera House. There are cafes, tours, etc or just go exploring. Visit https://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/visit

Arts & Culture

Just because you love the Arts! You might be lucky to catch the Archibald Prize.
891 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Igaleriya yaseNew South Wales
Art Gallery Road
891 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Just because you love the Arts! You might be lucky to catch the Archibald Prize.
Located next to Circular Quay on the opposite side to the Opera House - well worth a visit and the cafe underneath isn't too bad either. There's also a cafe at the top with wonderful views but it's a little more touristy so not sure I'd eat there.
829 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Iziko lezobuciko zomzantsi
140 George St
829 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Located next to Circular Quay on the opposite side to the Opera House - well worth a visit and the cafe underneath isn't too bad either. There's also a cafe at the top with wonderful views but it's a little more touristy so not sure I'd eat there.

Shopping

This is a large shopping centre with all the major stores including David Jones, Myer, Target and Big W. Go if you love shopping but otherwise I'd wander up side streets of Manly if you're looking for something different.
51 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Warringah Mall, Green St station
51 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
This is a large shopping centre with all the major stores including David Jones, Myer, Target and Big W. Go if you love shopping but otherwise I'd wander up side streets of Manly if you're looking for something different.
A small local shopping Mall which Coles, a fresh fruit and vegetable market, clothing stores, cafes and takeaways. Or there's the little local store at the top of Hill Street or Fairlight Shops which are both a short walk away.
91 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Stockland Balgowlah Shopping Centre
197-215 Condamine St
91 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
A small local shopping Mall which Coles, a fresh fruit and vegetable market, clothing stores, cafes and takeaways. Or there's the little local store at the top of Hill Street or Fairlight Shops which are both a short walk away.

Getting Around

Reasonably priced car rental not too far away.
11 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Manly Car & Truck Rentals
65 Kenneth Rd
11 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Reasonably priced car rental not too far away.
Not sure who set this up as Manly Wharf "Station" however catch the ferry to Sydney CBD or take a ferry to Watson's Bay or Barangaroo. Best value harbour cruise around.
280 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Manly Wharf station
West Esplanade
280 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Not sure who set this up as Manly Wharf "Station" however catch the ferry to Sydney CBD or take a ferry to Watson's Bay or Barangaroo. Best value harbour cruise around.