(Content researched and created for an Australian luxury hotel website)

Ruby Lane, Manly; Sliderz Café, Manly; Little Legends, Manly; Market Lane Café, Manly; Barrel One Coffee, Manly; Paolo’s Café, Manly; Showbox Coffee, Manly; The Roast Office, Manly; Bluewater Café, Manly; Three Beans, Manly; La Boca Palms, Palm Beach; Coast, Palm Beach; Dunes, Palm Beach; The Boathouse, Palm Beach; Barrenjoey House, Palm Beach; Jonah’s, Palm Beach;

Ruby Lane, Manly.

Looking for a spot to brunch? After a sleep-in following an exciting Manly night, wander down to Ruby Lane for a shot of coffee, a dose of sunshine and a bowl of superfood yum. They take brunch seriously here, with items such as Smash N Mash, Ruby Bircher and a serious eggs bene. With a sunny outdoor deck, large indoor booths and a menu styled around sustainability, freshness and goodness, you might just end up staying all day.     

Sliders Café, Manly.

After a session of wet and wild fun at Manly SurfNSlide, slide round to Sliders for a energising drink and a snack to keep you (and the kids) going all afternoon. With all the usual poolside vittles on the menu – burgers, chips, fresh fruit bowls and all kinds of salads – the spacious and shady outdoor and indoor seating at Sliders will let you recharge before you hit the waterslides again.

Little Legends, Manly.

Some people say that this is the best café in the universe. This funky  hole-in-the-wall joint in Rialto Lane – just a flip-flop toss from the beach – has specialty coffee, and artisan “little bites” such as poached eggs (free range, of course) on toast, and bowls of granola goodness. Perfect for a post-surf fill up or a mid-afternoon top up. If the place is unattended, the staff are probably surfing!     

Market Lane, Manly

Now this is a bit of Manly alright! If you want a decent feed, cooked to perfection with ingredients fresh from the markets, you can’t  go wrong at the Market Café. Awesome local delicacies such as spinner crab omelette, and grilled halloumi sit cheek by jowl with those delectable faves such as maple granola with Greek yoghurt, and hummus on toast with avocado. Pour in an Allpress coffee or two and you are set up for the day!  

Barrel One Coffee, Manly.

The crew at Barrel One, at 40 East Esplanade, take their coffee seriously. Specialising in coffees from places such as Tanna Island in Vanuatu, and supporting sustainable coffee-growing practises, at Barrel One you can indulge your passion for coffee accompanied by a selection of dishes such as Ruben sandwiches, grilled cheese, avo on rye, or a Italian BMT. Saunter down for a coffee and take home some beans for later.    

Paolo’s Café, Manly

For “the best coffee outside Italy” take a stroll down to Paolo’s on Birkley Road. Bright and spacious, with shiny white tiles on the floor and greenery all around, this busy corner joint is a great hangout those late breakfasts that turn into late lunches. Try a milk shake or a hot chocolate, grab a scone or a ham and cheese toasty, or, if you are feeling a bit daring, sample the porchetta. You won’t be sorry. Ciao bella!

Showbox Coffee, Manly. 

This quiet, unassuming cafe, tucked away on Whistler Street, offers home-baked pastries, awesome cheese scones (crispy crust with a cayenne kick), and breakfast goodies such as peaches with creme and ricotta. With an eclectic, vintage-retro feel, and a revolving coffee menu, Snowbox feels like an urban hipster joint transplanted to the beach and taking the best bits from both. 

The Roast Office, Manly.

Located on historic Darley Road, the Roast Office serves up delicious coffee and great food in the old Manly Post Office building. With a rich local history on display, the very walls of the Roast Office ooze charm and authenticity. The big windows open onto the street and the old timber floors creak as you polish off one of the tasty meals on offer: everything from filled bread sticks to a philately of coloured fruits. Gets our stamp of approval!

Bluewater Café, Manly.

Located right on the water’s edge, this is the place to come for an early morning coffee hit, a midday snack or a sunset dining extravaganza. Lunches at the Bluewater feature oceanic and freshwater delicacies such as salted squid and grilled barramundi. Outdoor seating provides ample space for an early evening sauvignon blanc or three, and you can pop a seafood platter between the two you and settle in for the night. 

Three Beans, Manly.

Open early (6AM) seven days a week, the snappy blue and white decor and sidewalk tables at Three Beans invite you to linger over more than just one of their superb coffees. Their menu takes its inspiration from three sustainably-sourced types of beans: coffee beans, vanilla beans and mung beans. From salmon bruschetta to French toast and everything in between, Three Beans will sustain your body and your soul.

La Boca Palms, Palm Beach.

Music, coffee, wine and great cooking mix and mingle at La Boca Palms, a short stroll from Snapperman Beach. With outdoor seating aplenty, you can indulge in a late brekkie of avo smash, mushroom delight or pancakes with you coffee of choice. Afternoons and evenings bring live music and sunset dining, with Italian-inspired dishes to ramp up the romance.

Coast, Palm Beach.

This beachcomber’s retreat brings oodles of sunshine and wicker baskets-full of colour and flavour. With chic, beach-inspired outdoor seating, big umbrellas to shade you from the sun, and a menu based around fresh flavours and light snacks, this is the sort of place that you and your love could get cast away for an afternoon, an evening…or forever. 

Dunes, Palm Beach.

This white-washed, laid-back beach house (shoes are optional) surrounded by coastal greenery brings to mind the beach vibes of the seventies, when life was simple and days at the beach seemed to last forever. With a menu based around the freshest flavours of the nearby ocean, the sweetness of those sticky holiday treats, and a selection of boozy, boojee drinks, this is the place to become a sundowner and forget about the world outside.  

The Boathouse, Palm Beach.

This iconic seaside restaurant, located on the pier at Palm Beach is currently closed for renovations. Decorated in pure white, with a green and blue motif to balance it, The Boathouse has been serving up tasty seafood cuisine since time immemorial. The owners plan to reopen in late 2022. Watch this space!

Barrenjoey House, Palm Beach.

This classy heritage restaurant started life in 1923 and was the first address in Palm Beach to have a telephone installed. These days, the menu at Barrenjoey House still reflects the languid flavours of those early days with modern takes on old seafood favourites such as lobster with bechamel and chilli, whole rainbow trout with anchovy dressing, and a wine list to match. 

Jonah’s, Palm Beach.

With stunning views from every table, you can watch the perfect blue rollers coming in from the broad Tasman Sea as you dine at Jonah’s. With its pure white design palette, elegant table settings and big, floor to ceiling windows it will feel as though you are suspended halfway between the sea and the sky. On the menu is a colourful profusion of local delicacies and you can sip the finest Australian wines as you watch the night come down on another perfect Palm Beach day.