Veiled by four-metre-high ceilings and exposed timber rafters, the striking Burleigh Pavilion will cater for more than 600 diners for lunch and dinner (seven days) across two zones. On the northern side (above Rick Shores) is a full-service 240-seat restaurant, The Tropic, while at the other end there’s a more casual bistro-style fixture named Burleigh Pavilion. The expansive open-plan kitchen offers front-row seats to the action, with the culinary team led by Sydney chef Guillaume Zika (most recently of Sydney’s Cottage Point Inn and former head chef of London’s Michelin-starred Hibiscus), who will be delivering heavily produce-driven menus across both dining offerings.
The Tropic will showcase seasonal ingredients from the local area and the northern New South Wales region, with seafood and vegetables taking the spotlight. The Pavilion Seafood Platter will be a highlight, brimming with prawns, oysters, kingfish, smoked salmon, pickled mussels, Moreton Bay bugs, octopus and caviar, while ambitious creations from chef Guillaume like the woodfired-pig doughnut with preserved vegetables and fermented chillies add a splash of intrigue. There are also dishes like buffalo curd with fresh figs, grilled sprouts and orange dressing, grilled tiger prawns with dry-vermouth butter, shellfish oil and basil, as well as on-the-bone rib eye rolled in black pepper, thyme and rosemary. As for dessert, think summer-themed sweets like roasted yellow peach with coconut sorbet, gin and pistachio.
The more-casual Pavilion terrace can be accessed straight from the beach via stairs on the headland side – you can even have a shower and rack your surfboard directly out the front. With capacity for around 400, The Terrace offers a more casual vibe with an extensive menu of tasty bar snacks and refined bistro-style meals. There’s everything from woodfired pizzas to burgers, salads, beer-battered fish and chips, and even a French-dip steak sandwich layered with grilled silverside, caramelised onions, pickles, Swiss cheese and dijon mustard. The Terrace bar is equipped with a wide selection of tap beers, wines and cocktails, with its open-air fit-out designed to capture what is arguably the best ocean views in town. Burleigh Pavilion is the work of Sydney-based hotel and property magnate Ben May (Manly Wharf Hotel and Mrs Sippy in Double Bay), who teamed up with Robert Magid (Manly Wharf, Pier One Sydney Harbour, The Harbour Rocks Hotel and Melbourne’s Hotel Lindrum) to bring the iconic Burleigh Headland site back to life.
For a more detailed look inside Burleigh Pavilion and The Tropic, including the interior and the menu, head here.
Contact details and opening hours can be found in our Stumble Guide.
