The Tropic

A modern revamp and a star chef in the kitchen are just two drawcards at The Tropic, the classy Mediterranean-inspired restaurant inside the Manly Wharf Hotel.

Compared to Wharf Bar next door, it’s a little fancier. Punters crowd around terrazzo tables, a deck overlooks the water, and the menu is seafood-focused and leans Mediterranean.

To eat, you might order the cold seafood platter; an elegant cluster of spanner crab salad, chilled tiger prawns, kingfish crudo, freshly shucked oysters and a scallop ceviche served inside a betel leaf. Eastern rock lobster is split in half, grilled with herb butter, and served alongside a pile of chips.

Executive chef Francois Poulard is the former head chef of refined Woollahra long-luncher Chiswick. And his credentials are impressive – he's also enjoyed stints at North Bondi Fish and Aria.

The wine list – though stacked with Aussie winemakers – suits the menu’s fresh Mediterranean flavours. Cocktails also carry the Med theme: the Amalfi is inspired by Italian limoncello, and the Saint Maxime recalls the flavours of the south of France.