Murray's at Manly

With the excellent 4 Pines on the Esplanade and now Murray's at Manly, the neighbourhood is starting to get spoiled with exciting craft beer joints. Murray's is a newie from Murray Howe, following the success of his Port Stephens brewery restaurant. It's in a noisy little spot, overlooking a set of park benches and a major pedestrian thoroughfare on Manly beach and above a pizza shop. It's bustling and unpretentious inside, fits 250 beer drinkers, and the drinks range has something for every beer buff: from the refreshing, light (2.8% abv) but not-at-all wimpy Retro Rocket Ale, to the chocolatey, heady gem of Dark Knight, to the slightly sweet but crisp-finishing Pilsener (almost all beers are $9.50 a pint). If you want to get adventurous, a tasting platter of six beers is $20. Food and beer matching is key to the menu. The beer and pie meal is great value – $13.50 for Moroccan lamb pot pie and Nirvana Pale Ale.