Manly's China Beach eatery to close

Manly eatery China Beach will close at the end of the month, a victim of the new restaurant economic model that suggests size does matter.

"Sixty seats is too small. You just can't take advantage of those peak times. And there are the same number of headaches running a 60 seater as a 150 seater," says China Diner co-owner Steve Anastasiou, who has been involved in a string of successful start-ups from Woolloomooloo [China Doll] to Bondi [China Diner].

China Beach, which features an Iain Halliday interior, closes March 29.

Anastasiou wants to relocate the restaurant to larger premises in the area.

"We're looking at two sites, the preference is to stay around The Corso," he says.

But he cautions a China Beach reboot is six to 18 months away.

The northside precinct is poised for another injection of new talent with the owners of The Boathouse Palm Beach tantalisingly close to opening their new venue at the Le Kiosk site facing Shelly Beach, and a new operator is being sought for Manly Pavilion.