With blisteringly beautiful views looking over Sydney’s welcoming harbour heads, a lazy lunch at Bella Vista (meaning ‘Beautiful view’) at North Head is the perfect way to spend a few hours lunching.
Run by brother and sister team Loren and Daniel, Loren manages the restaurant while Daniel is at the back cooking some of their Nona’s favourite meals, passed through the family over generations.
For starters we tried Daniel’s modern twist on arancini served with saffron rice and tuna tartare ($14) which was really moreish.
Later we tucked into Nona’s porchetta ($38) and marinara ($29), and wow, Nona certainly knows how to create a great recipe.
The pork was tender and flavoursome and served with a fresh crisp fennel salad.
The Marinara was full of juicy plump seafood and a light tomato sauce. I personally would prefer a little more garlic and anchovy, but overall the dish was really good.
We finished off the meal with their homemade tiramsu ($13) which was one of the best I’ve ever tasted. Light pillowy cream served on light fresh sponge and soaked in a rich coffee. Their coffee is house roasted and blended to specification, and it is truly magnificent.
Overall the lunch was really tasty and you can tell Nona has trained her grandchildren well. If you like traditional Italian served with a side of glorious views then this is a great place to while away a few hours.
Bella vista Manly
203/33 North Head Scenic Drive, Manly, NSW, 2095
Tel: 02 8966 9779
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