The Pantry Manly beachfront restaurant is set to relocate from its home on Manly Beach as the site lease changes ownership. Meanwhile the beachfront site is set for a major overhaul, with Northern Beaches hospitality duo Shahid Rahman and Anna Walker confirmed as the successful tenderers for a new long-term lease on the site.
The Pantry Manly owners Sean and Zeynep Blasdall said they were relocating elsewhere in Manly and were excited to make an announcement soon. They said they would be bringing all their staff along with them.
Rahman and Walker will be taking over the beachfront site lease in October. The pair formerly owned Fish Face in Balgowlah and currently operate The Beach Eatery at Curl Curl, will rebrand The Pantry Manly venue as The Beach House, reviving the site’s former identity as Manly Ocean Beach House. The new lease runs on a 10-plus-five-year term.
The building itself dates to 1919, operating for many years as a tea house and change rooms before becoming an information kiosk in 1982 and a restaurant in 1997, when it traded as Manly Ocean Beach House. It sits atop the public amenities which is not part of the lease and managed by Northern Beaches Council, and has some lifeguard facilities attached. The new owners are hoping to also open a kiosk on the opposite side of the lifeguard facilities.
Rahman and Walker say the venue will undergo a significant fit-out before opening. The new lease starts on 1 October 2026, which is when the renovation works will begin, aiming to be ready for summer trade.
“We genuinely believe it is one of the best locations in Sydney, if not Australia,” Walker said. “Our focus will always remain on locals first, giving this community-owned location back to the community in a way that feels accessible, welcoming, and truly representative of Manly.”
The pair told us the venue concept spans the full day: from sunrise trade and casual lunches through to sunset champagne hours and late-night happy hours. The pair describe it as an elevated version of The Beach Eatery, offering full table service and a smart dining experience.
Rahman said the venue has a personal significance for him as he was part of The Pantry’s launch team when it was opened by Kirsty Siddle and Hasan Erman in 2010.
“I worked alongside Hasan Erman for more than 10 years, helping manage and operate his restaurant group, which at one stage for long time was the largest hospitality employers in Manly. Between 2008 and 2018, I worked across his venues, including The Pantry, before eventually acquiring Little Viet Kitchen. Hasan sold The Pantry at the end of 2016, but much of my hospitality career, knowledge and mentorship can be traced back to my time working with him. I owe a great deal of my professional growth to Hasan’s guidance, and it’s incredibly special to now have the opportunity to bring the venue full circle.”
The Pantry has had new owners for the past decade, who we have contacted for comment. We have also provided an opportunity for comment from Northern Beaches Council, who own the site and awarded the tender.
Rahman and Walker are well established in the Northern Beaches hospitality scene, and are currently operating the new café The Beach Eatery at South Curl Curl. The couple met while working at the Sebel Manly and went on to open a Vietnamese restaurant in Manly (since switched hands) and Fish Face in Balgowlah in 2022, which they sold in 2024 to focus on their new venture The Beach Eatery. They took over the lease previously occupied by Gusto at South Curl Curl, which was difficult for the incumbents but they have since thrived with Gusto on the Green at Balgowlah Golf Club and another Gusto recently re-emerged at the popular kiosk on the Dee Why beachfront.
“The Beach Eatery at Curly has been going really well, and the support from the local community has given us the confidence to continue investing in the Northern Beaches hospitality scene,” Walker said.
To support operations across both beachfront venues, the pair has also secured a prep kitchen and storage facility on Howard Avenue, Dee Why, in the former Olive and Peel site. A small bakehouse concept is also being considered for the Dee Why location longer term.
The venture will trade as The Beach House Manly. An Instagram account, @thebeachhousemanly, has been launched to document the fit-out and redevelopment.
