Merivale's smokehouse-by-the-sea Papi Chulo will be closing at the end of this month, meaning it's your last chance to enjoy a hefty burger or slices of brisket from the Manly restaurant. The prime wharf-side location will still remain a Merivale hot spot, but the space is set to evolve into Queen Chow, the second iteration of Enmore's high-end Cantonese barbecue and dumpling house.
Executive chef Patrick Friesen (who was at the helm of Papi Chulo when it first opened four years ago) will be joined by dumpling master Eric Koh, transplanting the best of the Inner West restaurant to its secondary seaside home. Menu details are still on hold, but we're hoping to see bright orange kombu butter mud crabs; steamy pork and prawn shumai; and glossy roast duck with plum sauce all cropping up in Manly.
Before Papi Chulo closes its doors to make way for Queen Chow 2.0, they will be doing a greatest hits style menu, offering up favourites from the restaurant's four-year stint on the Manly wharf. The restaurant will close on Sunday April 29, so if you want your last helping of hot wings, porchetta and pulled pork, make sure you book in stat.
Want more great places to try mud crab and more? Check out our guide to the best seafood restaurants in Sydney.