Stanley has officially opened its doors at Manly Wharf, marking the highly anticipated Sydney return of award-winning chef Louis Tikaram and bringing his acclaimed Cantonese cooking to the harbourfront.

“After a long time in the making, it’s pretty special to finally have the doors open and to be back cooking in Sydney,” says Tikaram. “There’s something about Manly that feels very familiar to me. Growing up on the NSW North Coast, the ocean was always a big part of my life, whether it was fishing, cooking seafood or just being by the water. That connection has naturally found its way into Stanley. Being here on the harbour shapes what we cook, the produce we work with and the way we want people to experience Stanley.”

Set on the harbourfront and drawing inspiration from Hong Kong’s seaside Stanley Bay, the 248 seat restaurant spans indoor and outdoor dining, with a dedicated bar and private dining room perfect for private functions, birthdays, and Christmas parties. At its heart are three live seafood tanks and a custom built duck oven, bringing theatre to the dining room through live seafood and tableside Peking duck service.

The menu brings Stanley’s ethos of ‘great food, friends, fishermen and farmers’ to Sydney, celebrating exceptional Australian seafood, premium meat and seasonal produce through the traditions and techniques of Cantonese cooking.

To begin, oysters dressed with finger lime, ginger and rice wine vinegar sit alongside white-cut kingfish with aromatic soy and green chilli, leading into an extensive dim sum selection. Highlights include: Moreton Bay bug spring rolls; prawn toast with truffle mayo; lobster and truffle dumplings; and Stanley’s signature steamed dim sum platter.

Three live seafood tanks greet diners at the restaurant’s entrance, filled with a changing selection sourced according to what is at its best. At opening, diners can expect Lennox Head pipis with XO sauce, North Queensland coral trout, Southern Rock lobster and Northern Territory mud crab, selected from the tanks and prepared to order.

At the heart of the barbecue section sits Stanley’s custom built duck oven, dedicated to Peking duck served with pancakes or ‘imperial style’, where half is carved tableside and the remainder returns as san choy bao. Elsewhere, the menu moves from Moreton Bay bugs with chilli and garlic and painted tropical crayfish lo mein to sweet and sour free range pork, MB9+ wagyu with black pepper sauce and Fujian fried rice with blue swimmer crab and scallop.

“The seafood tanks and duck oven are a huge part of the Stanley experience,” says Tikaram. “They give us the freedom to work with what’s best on the day, but they also bring theatre into the dining room. You can see the produce, see what’s happening and feel part of it.”

Led by sommelier Christian Blair, Stanley’s wine program spans Australia and some of the world’s most celebrated wine regions, with a focus on Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Champagne and Burgundy. The list brings together leading producers including Frankland Estate, Grosset, Mount Mary, By Farr, Yarra Yering, Trimbach and Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey. Wine is also a considered part of the restaurant’s design, with a dedicated cellar wall and custom storage integrated into the main dining room.

The bar makes a statement in Verde Alpi marble imported from Italy and stained American oak, setting the scene for a cocktail list that matches the energy of Tikaram’s menu. Bright, bold and made for long afternoons that roll into evenings by the water, signatures include: Shanghai Highball; Stan’s Lychee Martini; Tom Yum Margarita; and Fortune Cookie Old Fashioned.

Beyond the bar, the restaurant unfolds as a richly layered interpretation of a traditional Cantonese dining room. Dark timber, woven rattan ceilings and deep green and crimson tones set the scene, layered with bespoke Cantonese-inspired details including sculptural paper fan lights, ceiling fixtures wrapped in golden silk and handcrafted wall lights finished with red binding and tassels.

The detail continues with banquettes upholstered in Colony Roma’s Ninfée, an intricate Italian jacquard velvet where a water lily motif unfolds across the fabric, adding richness and movement to the room. Beyond, expansive harbour views open up from the dining room, while the private dining room shifts the mood with floor-to-ceiling crimson drapes and velvet seating. The private dining room seats 36 guests, or holds 80 standing, and the east end of the restaurant can be booked for cocktail functions of up to 140.

Stanley joins a growing collection of new hospitality venues at Manly Wharf, marking another major milestone in the Artemus Group’s ongoing revitalisation of the iconic waterfront precinct.

“We’re incredibly proud to have Stanley open in Manly and to welcome Louis back to Sydney,” says Artemus Group founder and director Adam Flaskas. “Stanley has been a long time in the making, and so much passion and attention to detail has gone into creating it. Seeing the restaurant finally come to life on the Manly waterfront is an incredibly exciting moment for all of us.”

“We’re looking forward to welcoming locals from Manly and right across the Northern Beaches. Bring your friends and family, settle in over some authentic Cantonese cooking and enjoy the views across Sydney Harbour.”

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To mark the opening, Manly and Northern Beaches guests dining at Stanley until the end of September will receive a complimentary glass of wine or beer with their meal.

Stanley at Manly Wharf is now open five days a week, Wednesday to Friday from 12pm until late and Saturday and Sunday from 11am until late. For more information and bookings, visit stanleyrestaurant.com.au/manly-wharf and follow @stanley_manlywharf on Instagram for the latest updates.