sydney comes to life after dark MANLY NIGHTLIFE

ospitality consultant, award-winning mixologist and owner of Manly restaurant and bar Banco, Kurtis Bosley knows a thing or two about how to have a great night out in Manly. Here the local shares his knowledge for a memorable after-dark excursion to the nightlife hub of Sydney’s laidback Northern Beaches, now just as popular for its culinary scene as its buzzing late-night bars.

Salute the sunset with a drink in-hand

The night begins early at Banco on Manly’s Whistler Street, which serves a special sips and snacks menu until 6pm. “It’s our take on a happy hour, with a menu of bite-sized snacks that changes all the time — there might be a mini lobster roll, or maybe a steak tartare,” explains Kurtis, who recommends kicking off your evening with bar manager Jacopo Montis’s wine pick of the day.

“In the afternoon he’ll open a bottle of something that he’s loving to drink, and that usually that sits in the natural, biodynamic, minimal-intervention style of wine, and always has a really lovely story,” says Kurtis. “A big part of what we do in this space is have that extra interaction with guests; we talk about where the wine comes from, where your food comes from and how it might have been farmed. We want guests to feel at home here.”

Sunset Adventures...

Sunset tends to draw Manly locals and visitors alike to the seaside, particularly the suburb’s harbourside wharf, which offers stellar views to the southwest as the sun sinks behind the city. “Going into summer, it’s really nice to grab a beer down at Wharf Bar [also known as Manly Wharf Hotel], which was recently renovated,” says Kurtis. “The Manly Skiff Club, which has been there for over 100 years, is another good place for a sunset drink, with a great view across Little Manly.”

Across the road from Wharf Bar on Manly’s East Esplanade, also with water views, 4 Pines Brewing Company is another place you might bump into Kurtis: “They do some really cool small-batch brews here, so you can go there any day and try something new.”

Move on to a memorable main course

With its moody lighting, cosy seating and elevated British gastropub-inspired menu, Banco is a fine choice for an intimate meal in Manly. Among Kurtis’s other top dinner picks is Manly Greenhouse, which has a contemporary restaurant, wine bar and rooftop cocktail bar spread over three lush levels overlooking Manly Beach. “They’ve got a great chef in there and it’s a beautiful space designed by [Sydneybased interior design firm] Luchetti Krelle,” Kurtis says. “They’ve got this big woodfired oven that they cook a lot of their food over — it’s really good.”

Tiny izakayainspired restaurant Waka on Pittwater Road is another local favourite. “If you can get a seat in this micro-restaurant, the Japanese food is excellent,” says Kurtis. For more memorable Japanese dining, Kurtis recommends heading to Sunset Sabi on Pittwater Road.

Buzzing café by day and candlelit restaurant by night, character-laden Belgrave Cartel on Belgrave Street is another Kurtis-approved dinner option. “It’s another popular local’s spot, with a good menu of Italian-inspired food and drinks,” he says.

Looking for something cheap and cheerful? Kurtis suggests another local Asian restaurant, Wokbar Manly on Belgrave Street. “It’s a go-to noodle spot that’s super underrated,” he says. “You just know you’re going to get a good meal here.”

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Locals For A Nightcap

When Banco shuts its doors for the night, Kurtis recommends following his staff to underground speakeasy-style bar The Cumberland on Central Avenue for a nightcap. “They’re only one street over and they serve some of the best drinks in town,” he says. “It’s also a beautifully fitted- out space.”

Repeat visitors to Manly might be more familiar with Hotel Steyne on The Corso, Manly’s original pub, which dates back to 1859. But you might struggle to recognise the historic watering hole if you haven’t visited recently, with a major renovation completed in late 2020 breathing new life into the venue’s multiple bar areas, bistro and 42 rooms.

“Coming from a pub background, I have a soft spot for those big venues,” says Kurtis. “The Steyne is one of the latest opening venues in Manly, so if we’re having a late one we’ll probably end up there.”

With the last ferry to Circular Quay in Sydney’s city centre pulling away from wharf after midnight, there’s plenty of time to enjoy a night out in Manly before heading back to the bright lights of the city. But if you’d prefer to bed down locally, Kurtis recommends booking into the centrally located Manly Pacific, formerly known as the Novotel. “They’ve got a good restaurant and it’s on the beachfront, so you get a really nice sunrise,” he says.