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Ten years ago – maybe even five – if you’d asked any Manly local what the three best things about one of Sydney’s most idyllic suburbs were, they’d probably have said the following: the beaches, the surf and Sunday sessions at The Office. I know this because I was one of them. But things are changing, and Manly’s once-dated food scene is levelling up, thanks to worth-your-time heavy hitters (hello, Busta, Norma’s Deli, Sunset Sabi, Pocket Pizza, Banco, Manly Pavilion). The beachfront spots still needed work, though (I'm sorry).
Thankfully, we have a hot newcomer
Located inside the newly renovated Manly Pacific Hotel (where Daniel San once was) and boasting cracking beachfront views, Cibaria Manly is the newest all-day restaurant to open in the 2095 postcode, combining the flavours of Italy with an easy-breezy Northern Beaches vibe. It’s the latest venture from star couple and locals Alessandro and Anna Pavoni, who are also behind Ormeggio at The Spit, A’Mare, Chiosco and Summer Hill’s new Postino Osteria (with another restaurant, Vineria Luisa, due to open this July in Enmore). Three things they know how to do damn well? Honest and delicious Italian fare, served with warmth and passion. (And how not to sit still.)
The previously cavernous space has been completely transformed into a bright, colourful and playful 130-seat restaurant, thanks to the incredible design by award-winning Sydney studio Luchetti Krelle. I love the curved, playful archways; the pops of ripe tomato-red seating; the spearmint-coloured counter; and the terracotta-tiled floors that nod to tradition. Sunshine streams through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, and if you’re chasing more vitamin D, there are tables outside to sip your morning espresso or afternoon aperitivo. And it’s not just me who’s a fan – on my three visits since it opened, Cibaria has been rammed with locals. As my dad says one night: “It’s Wednesday night and this place is chock-a-block!”
There’s a bit going on with the menu – led by talented executive chef Gianmarco Pardini – and, by that, I mean a lot of words: antipasteria, salumeria, bisteccheria, forneria, spaghetteria, cruderia, friggitoria, contorneria. Plus, there’s the caffetteria and gelateria.
If you’re caught in a rip of 'ria's, it all roughly translates to: bloody good Italian food
Begin with the puffy, wood-fired pizzetta with its leopard-spotted crust, brightened with San Marzano tomatoes and perfumed with oregano. And save some to ferry in those ribbon-like shavings of aged Parma prosciutto with a subtle nutty flavour. Torn, snow-white buffalo mozzarella is bolstered by Pilu's umami-rich bottarga, broad beans and preserved lemon from the Amalfi Coast. And crab fritters with a thin, crisp shell are a delight with a dollop of spicy mayo.
Whatever you do, don’t skip the Gorgonzola trolley. A waiter comes over and scoops the creamy cheese onto a plate right in front of us. It’s finished with caramelised walnuts for crunch, a drizzle of honey for sweetness, and crisp flatbread to hold the savoury cheese. Heaven – and lovely with the 2023 Bloody Hill Villages pinot noir from the Yarra Valley that’s an elegant ode to bright red fruit.
The woodfired grill is serving king prawns with sun-dried tomatoes, ‘nduja and chilli; Coppertree lamb cutlets with a mint salsa verde; and a solid selection of premium beef dry-aged in house – including a whopping 1kg Rangers Valley bistecca Fiorentina for $249.
But I go for pasta, of course. My bowl of handmade green tagliatelle topped with a creamy white sauce and a slow-cooked veal, beef and pork ragu is rich and comforting. I finish with a scoop of pistachio gelato made with Sicilian pistachios – thick, sweet, balanced with a sprinkle of sea salt – and better than I’ve had in Italy. The Piña Colada-inspired dessert, while admittedly not very Italian, is also a banger, with its zingy pineapple sorbet and melt-in-your-mouth coconut snow.
Just like the Pavonis’ other venues, service here is a standout, with Italian charm, polish and genuine human connection. On one visit, I get chatting to our waiter Daniel, who we find out is from Capri. On another, my waitress says Cibaria is:
“Just like the Mediterranean, but in Manly”
And she’s right. Manly’s newest babe is as warm as the European sun, as delicious as my grandmother’s cooking and as welcome as pumping surf after a week of a pancake-flat sea. Big fan.
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