Long lunches. Salt on everything.

Wood-fired pizzas, Sydney rock oysters and harbourside Aperols on the Wharf. The 5pm sunset bookings disappear three weeks out, so set a reminder.

"The Hugos pizza is still the benchmark for a Manly long lunch. Get the prosciutto and a magnum of rosé." Time Out Sydney

Beachfront fine-dining institution since 2007. Modern Australian, fresh sashimi, and the only window in town that puts the surf right under your wine glass.

"One of Sydney's most underrated ocean-front rooms." Good Food Guide

A Manly seafood institution since 2002. Daily-changing blackboard of line-caught fish, Sydney rock oysters and a tight, smart wine list. Half a block from the wharf and quietly one of the best fish dinners in Sydney.

"Garfish has been getting fish right for two decades. Simple, precise and seasonal." Good Food Guide

Two former Rockpool chefs, a glass-walled room over Manly Cove, and the cleanest, most precise plates of seafood on the harbour. The kingfish crudo and the snapper for two are the moves.

"A genuine destination restaurant. Manly's most exciting opening in years." Time Out Sydney

Right on the South Steyne promenade since 1989. Bacon-and-egg rolls in the morning, swordfish at lunch, and the breeze does the rest. A reliable, no-fuss Manly classic.

Heritage waterfront pavilion on Fairlight's West Esplanade with sweeping views back to the city skyline. Modern Italian-leaning seafood, long lazy lunches and one of the prettiest sunset rooms on the harbour.

The suburb's best-kept secret, tucked on the harbour side at Little Manly Beach. Breakfast, lunch and dinner with cured ocean trout, homemade seafood spaghetti and the Little Manly chicken burger. BYO, contemporary and right on the sparkling water.

Alessandro Pavoni and Gianmarco Pardini's all-day Italian piazza in the Manly Pacific. Morning espresso, lunch pizzettas, dinner pastas, gelato to walk back along the beach with. The Good Food Guide named it a 2025 Critics' Pick.

"Joyous, warm and exactly what Manly was missing. A delicious Italian hit." Time Out Sydney

A 10-minute drive north but worth it. Giovanni Pilu's Sardinian restaurant in a heritage beach cottage above Freshwater. The suckling pig is a multi-decade Sydney rite of passage. Two SMH Good Food Guide hats.

"Sydney's most enduringly excellent Italian dining room." SMH Good Food Guide

French bistro classics on the South Steyne strip. Duck à l'orange, escargots, steak frites and a serious all-French wine list. Light-filled by day, candlelit by night.

Old-timey French bistro by the beach, book-lined walls and gin-bottle water jugs. Goat cheese soufflé, beef bourguignon and steak frites from breakfast through dinner.

Intimate Italian on Pittwater Road with terrazzo floors and Pugliese ceramics. Kale-infused spaghetti, burrata with charred mandarin and salmon roe, and a tableside sgroppino mixed with theatre.

Out-of-the-box pizzas with hilarious names on Pittwater Road. Order the Can You Pig It and finish with the tiramisu. Cool, intimate room made for a date or a small catch-up.

Family-run Manly favourite for wood-fired pizzas and classic Italian — lasagne, seafood risotto and a Mickey Mouse-shaped pizza for the kids. Unpretentious and wholesome.

Mexican done seriously. House-made tortillas, mezcal flights, and the tacos al pastor will ruin you for the rest of Sydney.

Boathouse Group's open-air taqueria on the West Esplanade harbour foreshore. Crisp tacos, frozen palomas, dog-friendly and just minutes from the ferry.

Long-running neighbourhood Thai a short walk from the Corso. Generous curries, crispy pork belly and pad see ew that locals keep coming back for.

Dim, intimate Japanese on Manly Wharf with breathtaking ocean views. Popcorn shrimp, hiramasa kingfish and an extensive saké list that is too tempting to skip.

Breezy loft-style izakaya on Pittwater Road. Modern Japanese designed for sharing — truffle edamame, the cheeseburger-inspired wagyu gyoza and the smoked trout taco.

Pastel-blue pavilion sitting right on Shelly. Coffee, fish & chips, and the slowest morning of your trip. Walk-ins only at breakfast.

Open-air pub on the harbour side of the Wharf. Schnitzels, fish & chips, ferries pulling in below your beer. Sunday afternoons are a Manly institution.

The original Manly craft brewery, two minutes from the wharf. House lagers, pale ales and the kind of wood-fired pizzas that make a session disappear.

The 1936 corner pub on the Corso. Rooftop with full beach views, big share-friendly menu, and a crowd that's equal parts surfers and Sunday-roasters.

The next chapter of Sydney's bold Middle Eastern favourite, now on Sydney Road. Laid-back brunches roll into buzzing dinners — share plates, smoky grills and the kind of flavours that make Manly feel a little further from home. Open every day, 11am–8pm.

All-day brunch in a converted bank vault on Belgrave Street. The benedict on housemade brioche is the move; corn fritters a close second.

Specialty coffee roasted in-house, flaky pastries and a sun-drenched corner on Whistler Street. The flat white is dialled, the banana bread sells out by 10am.

The lobby café-bar at the Manly Pacific. Coffee and pastries from 10am, then a relaxed all-day menu of Cibaria favourites. A handy mid-walk pit stop on the South Steyne strip.

Sydney's most-photographed croissants come out of this tiny Rialto Lane bakehouse. Cruffins, almond croissants, single-origin coffee. Get there before 10am or miss out.

Sydney institution with a Manly outpost. Seeded sourdough, pretzel rolls, and the ham-and-gruyère croissant.

On the Corso since 1986. Real waffle cones, Danish-style ice cream, lines around the block in summer for a reason.

Tucked off Whistler Street. New York-style loft bar with low light, long cocktail list, late-night burgers and live music most weekends. A Manly cult favourite for over a decade.

Native-botanical gins, vodkas and aquavit distilled a few minutes from the beach. Tastings, paddles and a moody bar room to drink them in.

After the sunset crowd clears, Hugos shifts into low-lit cocktail mode. Pizzas till late and the Wharf to yourself.

Tucked behind a fridge door in a Central Avenue laneway — a basement speakeasy with a Spanish twist. 250+ whiskies, natural wine, foraged-ingredient cocktails and tapas to graze on.

Look for the neon wine bottle on Whistler Street. A 32-seat modern British wine bar with low-intervention wines, inventive cocktails and a seasonal menu — ham hock terrine, lamb shoulder croquette.