Having arrived and met up with Charlotte and Lucy, we headed off to Manly Bay on the Sydney ferries. The sun had just risen, and the light was glowing on the water, looking like something out of a film. Charlotte had sorted out an awesome apartment overlooking the bay for 2 nights – what a star!
Manly is just a small town about 15 minutes on the ferry from Central Quay, Sydney. It has one really long, lovely beach that stretches for a kilometre or so – perfect for walking up and down, watching the surfers and, of course, perfect for sitting on benches and drinking tea. There’s a really relaxed vibe to the place, almost too relaxed. I don’t know when Manley Bay-ers go to work… They all seem to be out running, surfing, sipping coffee, or serving coffee (I suppose that is working) – it’s awesome.
My favourite thing about Manly though, was the great collection of little boutique cafes and bakeries. They all demonstrate a real attention to detail, something that just doesn’t seem to happen all that often in the lunch spots back in the UK. So here’s a little rundown on my favourite place:
Hemmingway’s
Hemmingway’s is a little place right on the seafront that serves drinks, sandwiches and hot food. Charlotte and I were there an hour or so before the dinner menu times, so whilst I’d been eyeing the ‘Nacho Dogs’, I had to opt instead for the Soy Chicken Sandwich. It was a sourdough baguette full of poached chicken, soy, lime, nam jim and asian salad… so good!
The room was long and thin and had one wall completely covered in full bookshelves. The menu was printed out on sheets of plain paper, then stapled into the pages of an old fashioned children’s encyclopaedia. It was a great touch, just like the table water being served in empty Hendrick’s Gin bottles.
Burdick’s Verdict: 8/10 – Loved every minute of it!
