NOW EXPERIENCING:Banco Manly
Drinks Directory|Restaurant|Casual catch-up|A+ spirits list

Banco Manly

Monday: 4:30 – 10:00 PM
17B Whistler Street, Manly, NSW, 2095
Phone
0423 514 977
Website
bancomanly.com
Instagram
@banco.manly

Read time 4 Mins

Posted 31 May 2023

By
Matty Hirsch

Banco is a bar and restaurant in Manly, Sydney

Natural wines, well-executed cocktails and please-all-comers share plates await at this on-trend hidey-hole that marries Melbourne’s laneway vibe with downtown New York swagger.

Looking into Banco in Manly
Why you goHere’s the thing about the Northern Beaches – pubs, bars and restaurants aren’t in short supply, but there’s still room for so many more. Banco fills that void nicely by blurring the line between bar and restaurant in a classy yet casual way. It’s the sort of any-occasion neighbourhood spot anyone would be happy to have around the corner, more committed to good food and drinks than any sort of flamboyant concept. Young-gun owner Kurtis Bosley and his crew have an obvious understanding of what the people want, and they deliver it in style here.
Why you stayThere are only 32 seats in this low-lit and handsomely kitted-out bunker, but the clever layout sets the scene for different moods. Here for some chips and a tinnie with sand between your toes? Grab a stool on the street and have at it. First dates, meanwhile, might hit it off up at the bar, whereas school-night dinners with the fam are better suited to the cosy banquette. No matter where you land, the jazz and hip-hop soundtrack never gets in the way of conversation, and small details like cloth serviettes, embossed ice cubes and leather-bound drink lists lend a fancified edge to proceedings you might not expect. All polish, no pretence.
Wine bottles and glasses at Banco Manly
Pouring a Negroni on tap at Banco Manly
What drink to orderBetween the 100-strong wine list heavy with low-intervention labels, the dozen or so cocktails and craft beers, and the strong line-up of small-batch spirits and digestifs, there’s a lot to consider. Perhaps the best (and certainly fastest) way to help mull it over is to order a spritzy Negroni Sbagliato, one of four drinks on tap. Like nearly all the other cocktails, it’s a smart reinterpretation of a classic, calling on vermouth infused with fennel pollen and a sprinkle of dill to round out the bitterness. From there, you can chart a course in pretty much any direction, helped along by staff who willingly offer recommendations and tastes of open wines. And it’s good news if you’re driving or happen to be on the wagon: the non-alc options are cut-above, too.
What to pair it withYou’ll have to eat given Banco has a restaurant licence, but the short, snappy and ever-evolving menu allows for varying degrees of commitment. Dishes are sound and familiar, drawing on Latin America, the Med and the Middle East for inspiration – think baba ghanoush eggplant dip with tostada crisps, kingfish ceviche and chargrilled octopus with Spain’s nutty romesco sauce. If a couple of items stand tall above the rest, it’s the two that have been there since day dot: the lobster roll and the Scotch egg. The former sees lemony chunks of rock lobster neatly stuffed into an extra-buttery brioche bun, which is just what you need with an ice-cold beer after a long day in the surf. The latter, meanwhile, is as good as traditional British pub grub gets, with wickedly spiced curry mayo on the side (pro-tip: ask for extra if you order the seriously thick and crunchy hand-cut chips).
Food serverd up at Banco in Manly
Wine and dishes at Banco Manly
Why we love itTrying to be all things to all people seldom gets you very far, but Banco aims for an impressive number of targets and pretty much hits them all. It’s a very cool offering, but never too cool for its own good, and it’s clearly mindful of diverse tastes and budgets. Bonus points for the way the wine list is neatly broken down, with tasting notes for by-the-glass selections, shoutouts to suppliers and emojis denoting staff picks, vegan options and wineries run by female producers.
Regular’s tipNot often do you find a happy hour that’s as value-packed as the one here. Each day from 4:30pm to 6:00pm, the kitchen pumps out a sharp selection of $10 snacks – think three-cheese croquettes, pork-belly tacos and, yes, that lobster roll – to go with a trio of natural wines that are $10 by the glass. Cough up $12, and you’ll score a Margarita, Negroni or any draught cocktail. Nightly specials such as Mussel Mondays, where $35 lands you a bowl and a pour of vino, also offer ace value for locals. And be sure to keep tabs on the venue’s Instagram account where one-off wine dinners and guest-chef takeovers are announced regularly.
One of many cocktails at Banco in Manly
A cocktail being prepared at Banco in Manly
Make it fancyThe vibe may be lowkey, but that doesn’t mean you can’t channel your inner bigwig over a bottle or two of baller vintage Champagne – more specifically, Veuve Clicquot’s berry-bright 2012 rosé ($375) or the peachy 2010 Dom Pérignon ($450). Prefer still wine over sparkling? Train your sights on aged German riesling, grand cru white Burgundy or the 2016 Fattoria La Magia Brunello di Montalcino ($580), a ripping Tuscan red sure to send the Black Opal wagyu flank steak to another level.
Authour image
Matty HirschMatty Hirsch is a Sydney-based writer, critic and editor whose work has appeared in Time Out, Delicious and Gourmet Traveller.
Tags
Drinks DirectoryA+ spirits listBarBrilliant beer listNon-alc OptionsPet friendlyRestaurantVego Food OptionsSydneyFamily affairSydney – NorthTakeawaysKiller cocktailsCasual catch-upOutdoor areaDate nightMeal and a bevHappy hourWheelchair accessibleTop notch wine listGreat tunes
REPORT A VENUE CLOSURE/REPORT AN ERROR
Related Articles