Foodie Friday picks 3 northern beaches favourites, Waka, Yoda and Livoti’s

Do you have a favourite local restaurant? Here’s a trio of peninsula gems.

Waka’s assorted sashami, sushi selection and the Manly roll. Picture: Braden Fastier.

• 9 Sydney food fads you must try
• Review: Tapas time in Dee Why
• Foodie Friday: The beaches best butter chicken

Every suburb needs a local favourite, somewhere that’s unpretentious, has good food and is well-priced.

Family-run Livoti’s in Dee Why is one of these local gems.

The Livoti story began 36 years ago when Antoinette Livoti opened a deli cum sandwich bar on the main drag near Dee Why RSL.

Livoti’s moved to Francis St 15 years ago and this unassuming backstreet venue has been impressing customers ever since.

Sons Frank and Andrew Livoti now run the place and keep locals happy with wraps, salads and plenty of Italian delights.

Go for dinner and there are popular meals such as parmigiana and pasta dishes starting at $10 for vegetarian dishes including penne pesto, Frank Livoti said.

Bookings are a must at one Japanese restaurant.

Waka is noisy – and it is nothing to look at, decked out with spartan wooden booths – but night after night this Manly restaurant is packed.

Locals come in for a sashimi, sushi and an inventive menu that pushes culinary boundaries.

It’s not often you’ll get brie in an assortment of tempura staples.

The house special salmon carpaccio topped with seaweed essence and deep-fried julienne leek is a must.

Yoda has brou

ght a melting pot of southeastern Asian dishes and flavours to Avalon Beach.

Its fusion food includes trendy Vietnamese bread rolls and Thai curries and Indonesian and Malay dishes on the dinner menu.

Pick of the menu is the $22 beef rendang.

This spicy, Malay-style dry curry is a complex layering of flavours that is achieved by slow cooking.

Sweetened and caramelised coconut and pandan leaves add authenticity to the dish.

ESSENTIALS

Livoti’s

13-15 Francis St, Dee Why, 9981 3550. BYO $3 a head.

Waka

155 Pittwater Rd, Manly, 8041 9250. BYO $4 a head

Yoda

68 Old Barrenjoey Rd, Avalon Beach, 9918 0444. BYO: $3.50 a head