The venue, which launched a Surry Hills branch in 2017, will bring its high-octane atmosphere and accessible South-East Asian-inspired dishes to Manly’s surfside next year.August 27, 2026Manly’s lure as a destination for top-shelf chefs and big-name restaurateurs has chalked up another win, with confirmation Chin Chin will open at the beachside suburb next year, in a new development on Raglan Street.The powerhouse Melbourne restaurant, which launched a Sydney branch in Surry Hills in 2017, will land on Manly’s surfside near Cibaria, the Italian mega-venue operated by Alessandro and Anna Pavoni. The venue, which first opened in Melbourne in 2011, is known for its high-energy atmosphere and accessible South-East Asian-inspired dishes. Chin Chin executive chef Benjamin Cooper is working on a new menu for Manly.Jason Edwards“Manly and Bondi are two of the most iconic beaches in Australia,” Chin Chin owner, Chris Lucas of Lucas Collective, said. Manly has a reputation for day-trippers, but the local community – many of whom currently travel to the Surry Hills restaurant – was part of the pull for Lucas. “I really like the vibe, it’s a little more relaxed, a village feel about it.”With 100 seats, Chin Chin Manly is smaller than its sibling restaurants. “There’s a trend toward smaller, tighter premises where you can control the energy, and Chin Chin is all about energy,” Lucas said. “The exciting part for me is to adapt to something that’s not inner city.”Chin Chin signatures such as the crispy barramundi and green apple salad with caramelised pork will find a place on the opening menu, but Lucas said executive chef Benjamin Cooper was working on a “whole new menu for Manly”. Chin Chin already has some variations from state to state. “They are very subtle. There’s a little more seafood in Sydney, and the menu is bigger. Once a restaurant is open, I let it evolve to suit the community it is in.”Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox.Sign upLucas is bullish about the northern beaches market, citing its reputation for boutique beer producers, food culture and ambitious plans, including the $160 million proposal to redevelop Brookvale Oval, home of the Manly Sea Eagles.Lucas isn’t the only hospitality operator to dive in. Artemus Group, which turned Brisbane’s Howard Smith Wharves into a powerhouse food and drink destination, snapped up Manly Wharf in 2024, opening Felons Manly and Felons Seafood. In September, chef Louis Tikaram, who worked at Bentley and Tetsuya’s before joining seminal Thai restaurant Longrain, will open Cantonese restaurant Stanley, at Manly Wharf. Cibaria joined the Manly party last year, snaring a chef’s hat in its first awards season.From left: Evan Papadopoulos, the NSW director of site developer Time & Place; Tim Price, executive director of Time & Place; Chris Lucas of Lucas Collective.Dan CastanoChin Chin Manly will launch in mid-2027 at Two Tides, a luxury residential development with 24 luxury homes above it, where residents will get special Chin Chin privileges. “We’ll offer catering for their cocktail parties or dinner parties, and there’ll be a sommelier service,” Lucas said.Has the restaurant noted by a journalist in 2018 to inspire “hyper fandom” still got it nearly a decade down the track? Lucas said Chin Chin continues to dispel naysayers: “There was a bit of debate how it’d find its way in Sydney when we opened. Safe to say after nearly 10 years it found it.”While the new restaurant will have its own design personality, space will be found for Chin Chin’s signature neon rabbit. “It might have a surfboard tucked under its arm,” Lucas said.From our partners