Taffy’s

Geoff y’ Thomas, was my mother Bronwen’s favourite cousin. Sadly in November of this year, Geoff took a fall and passed away. A local legend in his day and as I discovered at his wake, the legend of Taffy was still very strong in the community, with family and lifelong friends coming together to mourn his loss. Here are the memories of a man who created, along with others, an icon of a bygone era.

Many people can remember certain places of character and substance within Manly, of times past and the fun they had at them, none shown more fondly than Taffy’s in the 70’s and 80’s.

Many will have celebrated, proposed or have dined at the iconic Manly restaurant ‘Taffy’s on the Beach’ during the 1970 - 1980’s. A local icon or tourist treasure find, nothing was better than tucking into a seafood platter on the beachfront restaurant loved by locals and overseas visitors alike.

Word spread quickly about the freshest seafood and other culinary fare offered and to reserve a table on a weekend, a week in advance, was the only chance to dine. Tables turned over twice a night with celebrities of the day donning the best seats. A regular haunt for celebrities, including Graeme Kennedy, Lorrae Desmond, Peter Garrett, Martin Plaza, and internationally acclaimed, the Village People.