“You have to try the duck”: Louis Tikaram’s Stanley launches on Manly Wharf
Louis Tikaram has opened the doors on the second iteration of Stanley, delivering Cantonese dining to Manly Wharf just in time for the first days of spring.
“You have to try the duck. That was a labour of love. It was a Cinderella story getting that thing [the oven] in here, but we did it. You can view it from all sides of the restaurant and you can smell the duck cooking,”
The restaurant is the latest to join the Artemus Group’s growing Manly Wharf portfolio, after the group took ownership of the destination in April 2024 for a reported $110 million. It follows the successful launch of Felons Seafood and its subsequent barrel room expansion.
The opening marks Tikaram’s welcome return to Sydney after stints in the US and Brisbane.
Tikaram grew up in Mullumbimby on the NSW North Coast before moving to Sydney at just 17 and training in some of the country’s most respected kitchens, including Longrain, Bentley Restaurant + Bar, and Tetsuya’s. He stayed in the city for 10 years before jet-setting to LA, where he led acclaimed multi-level restaurant and bar E.P. & L.P. in West Hollywood. In 2019, he returned to Australia.
“When I was coming back from LA, I was quite timid about coming back to Sydney. There is so much good Asian food, the standards are so high. I decided to go back to where I grew up around Mullumbimby and around Brisbane which is amazing, it was such a great opportunity,” says the chef.
It was during this period that he met Artemus Group Founder and Director Adam Flaskas and conceived of a Cantonese restaurant that would be shaped by his Fijian-Chinese heritage. This vision culminated in Stanley at Brisbane’s Howard Smith Wharves, which drew inspiration from Hong Kong’s seaside Stanley Bay, followed by Stan’s, a bar on the floor above the restaurant.
“Fast-forward seven years … to be back in Sydney and now to be finally standing here on opening week is so special,” says Tikaram. “Sydney has a massive, massive place in my heart.”
Parts of the menu are directly inspired by local NSW produce – such as the Southern Rock lobsters sourced from Kiama and served with with XO sauce and crispy noodle.
“I got to meet the lobster diver the other day,” says Tikaram. “Having this produce that is so fresh and so unique to this area has been really special.”
But much of the menu brings “tried and true” dishes from the Brisbane restaurant to Sydney’s shores.
These include smaller plates like New Zealand Ōra King salmon with calamansi, sesame, and fennel; cold silken tofu with vegetarian XO sauce and crispy wonton; and cucumber and snow pea salad with enoki and sesame dressing. There’s also a large selection of dim sum, salt and pepper varieties, BBQ platters, and of course, Peking duck.
Tikaram is particularly proud of the restaurant’s custom-built duck oven, which is the centrepiece of the 248-seater restaurant. It’s dedicated to Peking duck served with pancakes or ‘imperial style’, where half is carved tableside and the remainder becomes san choy bao.
“You have to try the duck. That was a labour of love. It was a Cinderella story getting that thing [the oven] in here, but we did it. You can view it from all sides of the restaurant and you can smell the duck cooking,” he says.
Tikaram says you can “choose your own adventure” at the restaurant, thanks to the detailed share-style menu, and extensive wine program led by sommelier Christian Blair, which is displayed on a dedicated cellar wall.
The fitout resembles a traditional Cantonese dining room, with dark timber, woven rattan ceilings, and green and crimson tones running throughout, and Tikaram says the space inspires his cooking.
“It’s like looking into your living room from your kitchen in your home and seeing people sitting together talking, laughing, and enjoying – that’s just what food is for me.”
Flaskas says that the Artemus Group is incredibly proud to have Stanley open in Manly and to welcome Tikaram back to Sydney.
“Stanley has been a long time in the making, and so much passion and attention to detail has gone into creating it. Seeing the restaurant finally come to life on the Manly waterfront is an incredibly exciting moment for all of us.”
“We’re looking forward to welcoming locals from Manly and right across the Northern Beaches. Bring your friends and family, settle in over some authentic Cantonese cooking, and enjoy the views across Sydney Harbour.”
To celebrate the opening, Manly and Northern Beaches guests dining at Stanley until the end of September will receive a complimentary glass of wine or beer with their meal.
Stanley at Manly Wharf is now open Wednesday to Friday from 12pm until late and Saturday and Sunday from 11am until late. For more information and bookings, visit Stanley Restaurant.