Review: The Newport, Merivale’s pub on Sydney’s northern beaches

Embrace summer in Sydney with a trip to Merivale’s northern beaches pub, The Newport.

Beverley Hudec

3 min read

January 20, 2017 - 4:01PM

Manly Daily

Kingfish ceviche is new for summer.

Manly

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Standing on the terrace, it’s hard to believe that this time last year, Merivale’s most northern (and biggest) venue was a very big building site.

Not any more. The snappily renamed Newport Arms is an oasis of landscaped outdoor rooms, well-behaved children, designer dogs, beautiful people and nine foot of Ralph Fiennes.

The Newport has been landscaped around a series of outdoor rooms.

Monday is movie night at The Newport, and tonight’s outdoor screening is The Grand Budapest Hotel, not the most appropriate film with young kids in tow, but thankfully there are hidden pockets where respite from Hollywood is possible.

Our sanctuary is the little piece of Palm Springs, up near the burger, seafood and salad food outlet called The Shack. OK, we can’t see the gorgeous sunset over Pittwater, but it does show how much care, attention (and of course, money) has been lavished on the design.

Paris, California, The Hamptons, The Newport’s identity is its global style, teamed with laid back sophistication. The Newport really does feels like a resort, the Pittwater backdrop emphasises the feel. Walk up the garden path from the carpark and the board welcomes with the day’s activities.

Grab a table, casual dining with Pittwater views at The Newport.

There’s everything from stand up paddle-boarding, to surf movies, visits from the Reptile Man on weekends for the kids and live music and DJs.

Or you don’t have to do a thing, just find a comfortable seat and enjoy.

The Newport is big. The site covers 11,500sq m, and there’s currently space for 1000 customers. The alfresco section is the first completed stage of Justin Hemmes’ vision for his northern beaches’ pub.

Justin Hemmes on site before The Newport opened on Good Friday, 2016.

Later this year he’ll unveil the first of the inside venues, the fine-dining restaurant, but for now there are casual foodie outlets, bars and a gelato stall dotted around the perfectly manicured site.

Monday night isn’t too busy — we even got a space in the carpark — but be warned, it’s a different story on weekends, when it’s packed. One alternative way of getting to the venue and beating carpark rage is by courtesy bus. There’s an Avalon/Newport loop and a Manly/Dee Why/Warriewood loop.

With our seating sorted, Vinnies Pizza (the concept comes from Coogee Pavilion, Merivale’s eastern suburbs pub) is our first port of call for a $22 vegetariana pizza, before looping around to order a kingfish ceviche from the Seafood Market and half a rotisserie chicken and drinks at The Kiosk.

It’s a short wait between orders and the trio of beeping buzzers spring into life, but long enough for a gripe about the pub’s most popular and must-have drink this summer, the frose.

The Gamberi pizza at The Newport. Picture: Toby Zerna

This cocktail, a blend of Innocent Bystander rose, Beefeater gin, Lillet blanc, cold-pressed watermelon and lemon comes from a slushie machine in a plastic cup with a sprig of mint and a paper straw. A plastic cup for $18? Really?

A glass of rose would have been a better match with head chef Jordan Toft’s ceviche. This raw fish dish is a new menu addition for summer. Cubes of fish are ‘cooked’ in lime and served with avocado, white onion, thin slices of radish, jalapeños, green mango and coconut water. It’s fresh and lively with a hint of heat.

Had chef Jordan Toft at The Newport.

And you can’t really go too wrong with pizzas. Vinnies Pizza has 10 types including a cracking margherita, where the trifecta of simple flavours — San Marzano tomatoes, basil and Bufula, easily hold their own. If you do like something sweet, there’s even a Nutella calzone.

However easily the best dish is the rotisserie chicken. Merivale can nail rotisserie chicken — Papi Chulo in Manly also serves a mean and succulently cooked bird.

At The Newport, our half order comes a la boarding school on an aluminium tray with disposable paper cups of garlicky sauce, tabouli that’s bursting with greenery, chilli sauce and four pieces of circular flat bread. It’s definitely not a pretty dish, but pile the ingredients on a wrap, roll it up and enjoy.

So simple and so good. Finger food at its best.