Sketch Manly, hidden to passing vehicles in the mix of parked cars and retail storefronts of Pittwater Road, is one of Manly’s most unsung heroes. The team prides itself on putting locals above luxury, soul over silverware, and doing so with a mix of southeast Asian food and cold drinks.

“Sketch has always been about people first, our team, our locals, and our food stories,” says founder Kabir Arora. “We just cook what we love, pour what we’d drink, and make sure everyone feels part of it.”

With eight years of quintessentially Northern Beaches attitude in the rear view mirror, the team keeps things fresh for regulars and locals with a rotating specials menu inspired by seasons, stories and the cultures of the staff. But two mainstays: peppery butter chicken and mushroom korma, both recipes from Arora’s mum, Sukh, simply can’t be missed on your first visit. If you swing by in the morning, it’s specialty coffee or Indian Masala Chai with Parle-G biscuits instead.

Fresh additions to the food menu include Nepalese chicken momos and street food-style chapli kebabs from North India. And a dessert that’s quickly earned fame among Manly locals, the Chai-misu, an Indian twist on a tiramisu dreamt up by Arora’s partner, Ivy.

If you can’t handle your spice, crack open one of the aforementioned craft tinnies; there’s a rotating menu of 20 or so options to choose from, or cocktails like the Lassi Milk Punch and Curry Leaf Cooler. Easily walkable from the ferry terminal or the 199 bus stop, there’s no time like the present for a curry and a cold tinnie, no?

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