Cibaria Manly

took the Japanese 4 lagers which was v good (peroni is the 3 pct stuff - had a pint off before realising) - swordfish excellent, mrs gluten free gnocchi super tasty broccolini excellent - not sure about sardinian flat bread (not great sort of poppadoms). we sat at kitchen table - lots of salt (too much? but this appears to be Oz thing) and fat (yes please!) - worth a visit

I went to Cibaria with a friend — we're both Italian and were really missing a bit of that true Italian vibe… and we definitely found it here! The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, yet elegant and well curated. We really enjoyed the food, especially the pizzetta rossa, which was absolutely delicious! I only wish they had a larger version or one with mozzarella — even just a little margherita would be perfect! I also tried the coffee cream, which I really miss here in Australia. It was good and creamy, but it lacked that “something” that the coffee cream in Italy usually has — maybe a bit more sugar or a different type of coffee? Still, it was a nice treat. One big plus was the kindness of the staff: my friend is gluten free, and they prepared a gluten-free cacio e pepe for her without any problem. We shared it, and I honestly couldn’t tell the difference — the pasta was cooked perfectly, which is not always easy with gluten-free pasta. She even mentioned how hard it is to get the texture right, and they nailed it. And then — the playlist! I absolutely loved it. Modern Italian songs playing in the background gave the whole experience such a special feeling — it truly made me feel at home. That little extra touch made the night feel magical in a way. We were also seated right in front of the open kitchen, which made it really fun to watch the chefs work and interact. It added a personal and authentic touch. We’ll definitely be back!