Melbourne's Chin Chin to open third venue, landing in Manly for mid-2027
Melbourne restaurant group Chin Chin will open its third venue and second Sydney outpost in Manly next year.
Chin Chin Manly will open in mid-2027 at Two Tides, a new development on Raglan Street, beneath 24 luxury apartments and near Italian venue Cibaria. It follows the brand's first Sydney expansion, a Surry Hills restaurant that opened in 2017, eight years after Chin Chin's original Melbourne launch in 2011. The restaurant is known for its high-energy atmosphere and accessible South-East Asian-inspired menu.
Chin Chin owner Chris Lucas, of Lucas Collective, said Manly's community feel, along with its established base of Chin Chin regulars who currently travel into Surry Hills, drove the decision to expand there. "Manly and Bondi are two of the most iconic beaches in Australia," he said. "I really like the vibe, it's a little more relaxed, a village feel about it."
At 100 seats, the Manly venue will be smaller than its sibling restaurants, reflecting a broader shift in the group's approach. "There's a trend toward smaller, tighter premises where you can control the energy, and Chin Chin is all about energy," Lucas said. "The exciting part for me is to adapt to something that's not inner city."
The opening menu will include established Chin Chin dishes such as the crispy barramundi and green apple salad with caramelised pork, alongside new dishes developed specifically for the site by executive chef Benjamin Cooper. Lucas said the brand's menu already varies subtly by location and would continue to evolve. "There's a little more seafood in Sydney, and the menu is bigger. Once a restaurant is open, I let it evolve to suit the community it is in."
Chin Chin's arrival adds to a run of hospitality investment in Manly, including Artemus Group's Felons Manly and Felons Seafood at Manly Wharf, and chef Louis Tikaram's upcoming Cantonese restaurant Stanley at the same precinct. Lucas pointed to the northern beaches' food and beer culture, along with major projects such as the $160 million Brookvale Oval redevelopment, as signs of the area's momentum.
Asked whether Chin Chin's reputation for drawing "hyper fandom" still holds nearly a decade after its Sydney debut, Lucas said the brand had proven its doubters wrong. "There was a bit of debate how it'd find its way in Sydney when we opened. Safe to say after nearly 10 years it found it."
Residents of the apartments above the new venue will have access to dedicated services, including event catering and a sommelier service. The restaurant's signature neon rabbit will also make an appearance at the Manly site, reimagined for its beachside setting.
Jonathan Jackson, 27th August 2026
