The best restaurants in Manly

Merivale's high-end Cantonese restaurant Queen Chow Manly, located right on the sparkling water at Manly Wharf, is a contenter for Best Views. But for us, it's the food that really does the talking. Think plump prawn dumplings, glistening roast duck, kung pao chicken with a real pow, fragrant and fresh seafood, and moreish fried rice. Finish with a rich, decadent salted caramel brûlée tart – and don't dare share it. With a sunlit dining room, opulent interiors and a faint coastal breeze, the sister veunue to the OG Enmore spot is one of our favourite places for a long, boozy lunch in Manly.

Norma’s Deli is an all-day bakery, café, diner and grocer in Manly and if you haven't been here yet, then you need to change that, asap. Come for loaded sambos, impressive-looking and delicious pastry, home-style meals and deli items. Go early to beat the crowds on the weekend, though the lines do go quick.

With red-and-white check tablecloths, green and white umbrellas and sheer, lacy curtains, Pocket Pizza is a kitsch vintage Italian delight. Eat like you’re in the Sopranos and start with an antipasto spread with plates filled with olives, burrata and prosciutto. Next, move to pasta – our pick is the fusilli with vodka – before getting stuck into the pizzas, which have the perfect amount of char and chew. Make friends with mushrooms and try the 'Funghitown' with field 'shrooms, thyme, fried kale, ricotta and truffle; or the 'Can you pig it?' with pork and fennel sausage, cavelo nero and chilli. Just a heads up, Pocket Pizza gets super busy – we recommend an early, or a late feed. It's worth it. 

Manly Pavilion is under new ownership and management, and things are looking as good as the ocean does down below. The beautiful restaurant and bar now has a happy hour from 5-7pm weekdays, and DJs on the decks each Friday from 5-8pm. Come on down for seriously impressive views and some pretty great food and drinks, too.

Manly got a little bit cooler with the opening of Busta, a sexy little mod trattoria on Pittwater Road from the team that brought Chica Bonita and Sunset Sabi to life. If you pop by for an afternoon aperitivo and snack in the sunshine you may find yourself staying for hours. Which really, wouldn't be a bad thing. We love the retro Milan-meets-Amalfi design, the thirst-quenching cocktails and faultless tiramisù.

Banco is a smart-casual hole-in-the-wall restaurant from the team behind Corretto Dee Why. You’ll find it hidden away on Whistler Street, a big neon bottle and a couple of street-side tables signalling that good times await. A vibrant and progressive addition to the Manly scene, Banco's warm and enthusiastic service is a highlight. The beverage offering must be among the best in Manly; the kitchen fare is deliberately rich and rustic, a love letter to Great Britain. Check it out, you won’t be disappointed.

If you're looking for a fun night out in Manly and a banging dinner, head to Sunset Sabi, Manly's funky Japanese restaurant and bar by the team behind nearby Busta and Chica Bonita. From cheeseburger gyozas to kingfish with strawberry, cucumber, chilli and yuzu, Sunset Sabi doesn't follow any rule books – and it works in their favour in spades. The karage chicken is a must-order (when is it not?), as are their pimped-up sushi rolls. You can't go wrong here.

Quality seafood overlooking the big blue is actually not as easy to come by in our fair Harbour City as one might expect. That makes the prospect of nigiri, sashimi and sushi rolls featuring the freshest catch prepared by one of Sydney's most respected Japanese kitchens all the more tempting. You've still got all the original Sake signatures at the Manly location – the Hiramasa kingfish with jalapeño and lime kosho and yuzu ponzu, the popcorn shrimp with spicy mayonnaise – but there are a whole host of other dishes to discover, too. As with the other outlets in the Rocks and Double Bay, there's an extensive selection of Japanese spirits behind the bar to keep you hydrated, as well as more than 30 bins of sake (the name's no joke!), umeshu and shochu. Kanpai, indeed.

If you’re craving fresh fish and a crisp white by the sea, firstly, us too, and secondly, consider heading over to Garfish. The long-standing seafood diner may not be as cool as some of the younger kids on the block, but its consistently high-quality meals make it a reliable option in Manly. Plus, the restaurant is conveniently located right across from Manly Wharf and ‘The Office’ (what locals call the patch of grass next to Wharf Bar) – so you get a side of pristine views with your meal, too.

You'll find The Boathouse Shelly Beach tucked around the bend from Manly Beach – it's about a 20-minute stroll there, and you'd be hard-pressed to find better views. For years, The Boathouse has been a great option for brekkie and lunch, and now, thanks to new management, it's open for dinner. Sunset Spritzes and oysters? We're there.

Hugo's has been slinging cracking pizzas and fruity cocktails to locals and tourists alike since it opened its doors back in 2009. So it's fair to say the well-oiled machine is as much of a part of Manly's DNA as the cheeky seagulls and surfers. Start with oysters and yellowfin tuna, before the pizzas. Choose the slow-roasted lamb pizza with feta, Sicilian olives and rocket; or the one with fresh figs with salty pancetta and creamy gorgonzola. If a view of the ocean with your squeeze is what you're after, be sure to book ahead for deck seating. The Mango Daiquiris go down a treat, too.

Look, Wharf Bar isn't our first choice for a special dinner in Manly, but when the sun is shining, we make a beeline to the Jetty Bar and order an Aperol Spritz, pronto. Perhaps several. The pub-style food has everything you likely would want on a chilled weekend: burgers, golden fish and chips, tacos and a schnitty. Our pick is the pizzas. The prosciutto number with fior di latte, fresh rocket and parmasan goes down like a salty, delicious treat.

Ever tried a Nepalese dumpling? They’re called momos, and you can find some of the best pudgy little pork pockets on the Northern Beaches at Momo Bar Manly. Seems simple, right? Wrong. This little Market Lane kitchen is also doing poke bowls. Yes, the Hawaiian fish salad. Stay with us, because somehow Nepalese-Japanese-Hawaiian-on-the-Northern Beaches works an absolute treat. Locals know it – a small queue snakes out of the shop front, and virtually every table is taken up on a Friday at lunchtime. 

Some things in Sydney are worth queuing for, and some things aren't. Banana Blossom in Manly (with sister stores in Bondi and Mona Vale), which is pretty much rammed to the nines every time we go in, is worth the wait. That's because the Asian-style salads here are massive, filling and totally delicious. In the Manly outfit, each salad is made fresh in front of you in the open kitchen beyond the counter. There are a few simple tables inside and a couple of cute wicker tables and chairs outside, but most people choose to take away to sit and eat on the beach.

Taqueria Chica Bonita remains a solid choice for lunch or dinner in M Town. And while we reckon the bustling restaurant could benefit from a refresh, and the loaded fries are not as 'wow'-inducing as they once were, the tacos and ice-cold Margs are still on-point. Chica has been a go-to spot for date nights in Manly for ages, and we don’t see that changing anytime soon.