Often a yardstick by which the Australian hospitality measures excellence, the Good Food Guide 2019 Awards once again delivered its yearly summary of the country’s best culinary institutions. The Vittoria Coffee Restaurant of the Year award was given to South Australia’s Restaurant Orana, and New Restaurant of the Year honours were awarded to Victorian eatery Laura. The Santa Vittoria Regional Restaurant of the Year was given to iconic restaurant Brae, The Dolphin Wine Room in Sydney was named Bar of the Year, while Quay’s Peter Gilmore scored the Citi Chef of the Year award. Jodie Odrowaz of Melbourne’s Iki Jime nabbed the Josephine Pignolet Young Chef of the Year award and Travis Howe of Melbourne’s Carlton Wine Room was named Sommelier of the Year. Brisbane’s Otto Ristorante took out Wine List of the Year, with sommelier Alan Hunter’s impressive inventory of drops praised for its deep and far-reaching selection.
The full list of hatted restaurants featured a who’s who of Australia’s top restaurants, though only seven venues Australia wide were deemed worthy of three hats this year. Three-hatted restaurants included New South Wales institutions Momofuku Seiobo, Quay and Sixpenny, South Australia’s Restaurant Orana and Victorian restaurants Attica, Brae and Minamishima. Four Queensland restaurants walked away with two hats, including Brisbane hotspots Aria, Otto Ristorante, Stokehouse Q and Noosa’s Wasabi Restaurant and Bar. In the one-hat category, Brisbane restaurants 1889 Enoteca, Blackbird Bar and Grill, e’cco bistro, Gauge, Gerard’s Bistro, GOMA Restaurant, Montrachet, Tartufo, and The Wolfe all got a nod, while The Fish House, Hellenika, Homage, Kiyomi, The Long Apron, Nu Nu, Rick Shores, Rickys and Spirit House filled out the Queensland contingent of winners. To check out the full list of hatted restaurants, click here.
Image one: Restaurant Orana