Eat

Manly, a less touristed beachside hangout than Bondi, is a ferry ride from downtown’s Circular Quay, but it’s worth the (quite lovely) trip to sample the exciting new Manly Pavilion (dinner for two $85), where the fresh Italian dishes (pan-fried whiting wrapped in lardo; pappardelle with wild-boar ragù) are as stunning as the Pacific vistas. Back in city center, celebrity chef Neil Perry recently opened Rockpool Bar & Grill ( dinner for two $226) in a grand Art Deco building. The kitchen specializes in wood-fired grills and house-aged beef—plus, Perry’s sexy, restrained Spice Temple (dinner for two $226) is right downstairs. At Marque (dinner for two $226), in nearby Surry Hills, Mark Best has been winning raves for creative concoctions like yellowfin tuna on French toast with foie gras butter. There’s a notable newcomer to the established culinary scene in the harborside Rocks district: Sake Restaurant & Bar (dinner for two $100), where the young and well-heeled flock for superior sushi, sashimi, and bite-size shrimp tempura with a spicy cream sauce.