How Sketch Manly Made Curry and Craft Beer a Northern Beaches Staple
"Sketch became our family project before it ever became a restaurant."
For many families in the hospitality industry, children often inherit the beloved restaurants where they spent their formative years. It's not often that you find a hospitality veteran launching a restaurant specifically with his parents in mind. Brookvale's Bazaar and Bar and Sketch Manly founder, Kabir Arora, wanted to give his parents a "real place to land" once they emigrated to Australia from India.
"Mum had years of catering experience back in India and deserved a kitchen where she could show off properly," says Kabir. "Dad, BJ, is a numbers guy, so he slid straight into the accounting seat. Sketch became our family project before it ever became a restaurant."
If you're not familiar with the curry and craft beer house, Sketch Manly, you've been missing out. The restaurant started with Indian tapas nights that the locals packed out. Throughout COVID, Sketch Manly stayed open every day and nine years into their venture, the restaurant still hasn't closed its doors once.
"That's how committed we are to being part of this neighbourhood," says Kabir. "Sketch is what it is because Manly made it that way."
Kabir describes Sketch Manly as Indian home-cooking meets a cosy Melbourne bar (despite being in Sydney). "Vibey street energy, hip tunes, and a space built with genuine care for food and drinks," Kabir tells Concrete Playground.
Sketch Manly's curries are all Kabir's mum's, Sukh's recipes. "It's simple food done right. Our butter chicken and mushroom korma anchor the menu, and the rest rotates seasonally. No gimmicks. Just home cooking executed properly."
Said butter chicken is the "unofficial mascot of Sketch", and Kabir prides himself on their version going back to basics. "Too many Sydney spots have turned butter chicken into dessert, so we went in the opposite direction: tomato, butter, cream, a few spices, and restraint."
Kabir's partner, Ivy, has also helped Manly to fall in love with the restaurant's newest dessert: the Chai-misu, an Indian twist on the ever-popular tiramisu. Alongside its food offerings, Sketch Manly is also known for pairing its homemade curries with crispy craft beers. "Spices and a crisp, cold beer are natural mates," says Kabir. "A clean lager cools things down beautifully, but a juicy pale or hazy IPA can actually lift the flavours and make the whole meal pop."
Ultimately, the family ethos that began Sketch Manly is what Kabir hopes customers feel after dining in. Similar to eating at your cousin's or mum's place, he says, the family hopes diners leave full, content, happy and planning their next visit.
"It's the neighbourhood curry spot where everyone feels welcome," says Kabir. "First-timers, regulars, families, tradies — whoever walks in gets treated like part of the crew. We cook the same way every day, with the same care."
So, what's next for the Northern Beaches restaurant? Kabir is setting his sights on more dinner collaborations, hibachi nights, and even an expansion.
"And we're finally launching Sketch Goods — small-batch chutneys, sauces, pickles, and other Indian pantry staples we've been quietly perfecting," says Kabir. The idea for Sketch Goods is simple: bring Sketch Manly's beloved flavours into other cafes, delis, pubs, and home kitchens.
What began as a family project has turned into a nearly decade-long love affair with the Northern Beaches suburb, and as the Pittwater Road gem expands, it seems Sketch Manly's food and flavours could soon be enjoyed by more than just the locals.
Images: Supplied
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