The Newport – Pittwater's waterfront playground
Set on the shores of Pittwater on Sydney's Northern Beaches, The Newport has been a local drinking and dining fixture since 1880, first as the Newport Hotel, then the Newport Arms, before Merivale took over the site in 2015 and reopened it under its current name. What was once a classic beachside pub is now a sprawling, marketplace-style precinct: think Australia's largest outdoor waterfront beer garden, dotted with jacarandas, fire pits and cabanas, wrapped around multiple kitchens and bars.
The food offering spans a genuine choose-your-own-adventure: wood-fired pizzas from Vinnie's, burgers and fish and chips from The Shack, fresh platters from the Seafood Market, and a more considered French menu upstairs at Bert's Bar & Brasserie. Add an extensive wine, beer and cocktail list, fresh juices and coffee from local roasters, and there's a genuine reason to stay from morning coffee through to sunset drinks.
It's built for groups and families as much as it is for a long lazy session: a retro games area with ping pong, badminton and a giant magnetic Scrabble board keeps kids (and adults) entertained, live music runs Friday to Sunday on the alfresco deck, and dogs are welcome throughout the grounds. About an hour north of the Sydney CBD, it's become one of the Northern Beaches' most reliable destinations for a day that starts with coffee and ends with a DJ set over the water.
Quick Bites
EAT: Wood-fired pizza, burgers, fish and chips, seafood platters, and French bistro fare upstairs at Bert's
DRINK: Extensive wine, beer and cocktail list, plus fresh juices, smoothies and local roaster coffee
PLAY: Retro games area (ping pong, badminton, giant Scrabble), live music Fri–Sun, dog-friendly grounds
VIBE CHECK: Riviera-meets-Hamptons waterfront playground, all-day marketplace energy, family by day / party by night
