A totally relaxed and beautiful dining experience
Ambience is everything in a restaurant, and The Boathouse Group (TBG) has done a stunning renovation of Manly Pavilion, where everywhere you look is a feast for the eyes. Think ornately crafted mirrors with painted seashells, art deco teal tiles lining the walls and terracotta shells under the bar. It could be Nice, it could be Marrakesh – but it’s Manly, with uninterrupted views out to the heads.
The Mediterranean vibe is pumping at the restaurant the Saturday night we arrive, with diners enjoying live DJ tunes while sipping on some gorgeous cocktails. It’s the Boathouse margarita for me, with that salty tang reminding me of summers on the south coast of France.
The food is all about sharing, our waitress advises. So many ‘smalls’ to choose from! The creamy hummus with warm, freshly-baked house bread is a must, with prosciutto and shaved rockmelon just delicious. Lamb skewers topped with salsa verde and beef carpaccio drizzled with truffle pecorino totally satisfied the carnivore in me – but being a beach venue, there is so much seafood to enjoy. Snapper with mussels and lime butter, and grilled swordfish baked Italian-style like my Sicilian father does, with capers and tomatoes, are two stand-outs. We eat while watching the water lap onto the rocks, and with plenty of outside tables, the venue is proving to be popular heading into the festive season.
TPG head of commercial and marketing, Ben Collis, says the guest experience is everything for the group. “When you walk into a space, it’s not just the food and the drink, but it’s the service, the music, the lighting and the furniture.
“(At Manly Pavilion) the view is the most magnificent part of it, and (we looked) at how to pair an experience to really match perfectly with what is probably the best view in any venue in Australia.”
There are so many ways to enjoy Manly Pavilion: drinks at the bar, long lunches and now ‘High Tide’ happy hour, 5pm to 7pm weekdays which can be teed with an early dinner. A great experience anytime is guaranteed.
Manly Pavilion West Esplanade 9974 2041 manlypavilion.com.au
