Manny's Italian

Overview

Good Italian food is delicious, but great Italian food is a triumph. And at Manny's Italian in Wellington Point, the dial points firmly to the latter. New arrival to the Main Road dining precinct, Manny's is serving up the goods every night for dinner, whether you're dining in the cosy restaurant or taking away to enjoy by the ocean or at home.

You'll find interesting entrees, crisp and perfectly wood-fired pizza, tender pasta and exciting main dishes on the menu where the culinary influences of the kitchen span from Asia to Europe.

While you could definitely order your own dish here and enjoy it immensely, it's far more exciting if you grab a whole lot of items to share - that way you won't miss out on trying anything. In the way of entrees, the spiced calamari ($13.90) comes with a creamy preserved lemon mayo, while the wood roasted cauliflower ($12.90) is perfectly smokey and reminiscent of Ottolenghi. There are also everyday heavy hitters like arancini ($10.90), feta fried olives ($10.90) and bruschetta ($12.90) on offer.

Pizzs are always the real litmus test of a great Italian joint, and Manny's is no slouch here. Crisp bases topped with inventive and enticing toppings are the order of the day with the funghi, gorgonzola and truffle ($19.90) or the parmigiana with eggplant, napoli, mozzarella and basil ($19.90) both surefire winners. Gluten-free bases are available on request.

Pasta-wise, you could pick anything from the list and not go wrong, with the duck confit ravioli and orange butter sauce ($26.90) or the saffron prawn risotto ($27.90) presenting particularly interesting choices. Head chef Manny Singh draws on a range of cuisine to deliver an exciting selection for his mains, and as a diner, you'll be the richer for it. While you can find traditional Italian classics like lamb ragu pappardelle ($25.90) you'll also be able to enjoy something a little different in the way of crispy master stock pork belly ($26.90) or harissa lamb ribs ($19.90).

If you've had the presence of mind to save room for dessert then you'll be either delighted or deeply disappointed that there's no tiramisu on the menu - but there is a refreshing lychee pannacotta ($12), a Valrhona chocolate tart ($12.90), or an affogato ($10) for those who like to combine a post-dinner coffee with their dessert. There's also a frighteningly decadent-looking dessert pizza ($14) on the menu topped with salted caramel, chocolate, almonds and ice cream.

Manny's also has a decent wine list with plenty of options available by the glass, and some classic cocktails as well. Add this one to your list.