The Bavarian, Manly: Popular Harbourside bar to close down after long weekend
After opening 20 years ago, a popular Sydney Harbourside bar will open its doors for the last time on the Australia Day long weekend.
Manly
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A popular Sydney Harbourside bar will open its doors for the last time over the Australia Day long weekend.
The Bavarian, part of a German-themed chain of hospitality outlets, opened on Manly Wharf in February 2005.
It will serve its last customers on Monday night after it was confirmed on Friday that its lease will not be renewed.
With seating capacity for about 450 and an alfresco dining area with views across the western side of Manly Cove towards North Harbour, the restaurant and bar is popular with tourists visiting Manly as well as locals.
The Bavarian is part of Pacific Concepts, the hospitality conglomerate that has the restaurant brands including El Camino Cantina — which also has an outlet on Manly Wharf — Slice, and Munich Brauhaus under its umbrella.
It also owns Fratelli Fresh, which has a restaurant directly opposite Manly Wharf.
The owners of the long-term lease to Manly Wharf, the Brisbane-based Artemus Group, confirmed to this masthead on Friday that the Bavarian was closing.
Artemus paid $80m for the long-term leasehold of the wharf in mid-2023 and have consistently said it would put its own stamp on the iconic tourist location an transform it into a “premium hospitality location”.
It has already replaced Manly Wharf Bar, which it bought for $30m, with its Felons pub and has purchased the Hugos Italian restaurant at the wharf.
A spokesman did not say whether it was Artemus, or Pacific Concepts, which made the decision not to renew the lease.
“The Bavarian will be closed from 28 January as their lease has come to an end,” Artemus said in a statement.
“Thank you to the team at Bavarian for being a part of Manly Wharf.
“We will provide more details on what’s to come next soon and we at Artemus Group remain focused on delivering exciting offerings across Manly Wharf for the community to enjoy.”
There were 16 Bavarian cafes in NSW in 2019.
With the closure of Manly, only four remain in NSW — two in the Sydney CBD at World Square and York St, along with outlets at Miranda and Tuggerah, on the Central Coast.
Pacific Concepts has been contacted for comment.
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