Chefs and restaurateurs from Australia’s top 500 restaurants voted for their favourite restaurants from across the country, in order of preference. The inaugural Australian Financial Review Australia’s Top Restaurant Awards is the first such award to be decided by the chefs and restaurateurs, not the critics.
Each voting participant was asked to think about who they most respect, whose work is on the cutting edge (pardon the pun), the restaurant experience they most enjoy, and why. In other words: they were asked to think as a critic.
This year, the results showed that voters tipped their hats to a new generation of independent up-and-coming chefs. In fact, more than 10 percent of the top 100 rankings were awarded to new restaurants. Some of these include Ester, Cafe Paci, 10 William Street, Moon Park, Cho Cho San, LuMi and Sixpenny from NSW; Town Mouse, Saint Crispin, Estelle, Lee HoFook from Victoria; Franklin from Hobart, and Africola from Adelaide.
Many of the ‘old master’ restaurants still held firm in the top 100 – with Tetsuya’s at number 10, the Flower Drum at 11 and Rockpool at 12th position, Cafe Di Stasio at 20 and France-Soir sitting at 40.
Rumours were rife ‘round the kitchen that the top spot in the poll would be fought over by Sepia, Attica, Quay and Brae. In the end, it was Sydney’s Sepia named as Australia’s number one restaurant, edging out Melbourne’s Attica to second place. Quay sits at number three in the Top 100, and Dan Hunter’s regional Victorian restaurant Brae took out the fourth spot. These are not only Australia’s top four restaurants, but they also rate highest on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list (Attica 32, Quay 58, Sepia 84, Brae 88).
Many of us may not often have the chance, or the means, to sit down and enjoy a meal in many of these restaurants, but if you’re looking for a memorable dining experience, or wish to celebrate a special occasion, or you just want to treat yourself, then this is the ultimate list from which to choose.
This is the top 100 Australian Financial Review Australia’s Top Restaurant Awardslist:
1. Sepia, NSW
2. Attica, VIC
3. Quay, NSW
4. Brae, Birregurra, VIC
5. Cutler & Co, VIC
6. Vue de Monde, VIC
7. Cumulus Inc, VIC
8. Sixpenny, NSW
9. Mr Wong, NSW
10. Tetsuya’s, NSW
11. Flower Drum, VIC
12. Rockpool, NSW
13. Bentley Restaurant & Bar, NSW
14. Ester, NSW
15. MoVida, VIC
16. MomofukuSeiobo, NSW
17. Garagistes (closed April 2015), TAS
18. The Town Mouse, VIC
19. Cafe Paci, NSW
20. Cafe Di Stasio, VIC
21. 10 William St, NSW
22. Saint Crispin, VIC
23. Porteno, NSW
24. Supernormal, VIC
25. Est, NSW
26. The Bridge Room, NSW
27. Estelle, VIC
28. Lee HoFook, VIC
29. Rockpool Bar & Grill (Sydney), NSW
30. Lake House, Daylesford, VIC
31. Biota Dining, Bowral, NSW
32. Billy Kwong, NSW
33. Marque, NSW
34. Franklin, TAS
35. FratelliParadiso, NSW
36. Esquire, QLD
37. Golden Century, NSW
38. Monopole, NSW
39. Sean’s Panaroma, NSW
40. France-Soir, VIC
41. Chin Chin, VIC
42. Rockpool Bar & Grill (Melbourne), VIC
43. Coda, VIC
44. Magill Estate Restaurant, SA
45. Restaurant Amuse, WA
46. Bar Lourinha, VIC
47. Orana, SA
48. The Apollo, NSW
49. Lau’s Family Kitchen, VIC
50. Ezard, VIC
51. Pilu at Freshwater, NSW
52. Icebergs Dining Room & Bar, NSW
53. Wasabi Restaurant & Bar, QLD
54. Pei Modern (Melbourne), VIC
55. Yoshii, NSW
56. Moon Park, NSW
57. Fish Face, NSW
58. Guillaume, NSW
59. LuMi, NSW
60. Africola, SA
61. Spice Temple (Sydney), NSW
62. Provenance, Beechworth, VIC
63. Pendolino, NSW
64. Cho Cho San, NSW
65. IlBacaro, VIC
66. Hentley Farm, Seppeltsfield, SA
67. Ormeggio at the Spit, NSW
68. Nomad, NSW
69. Tonka, VIC
70. GrossiFlorentino, VIC
71. Urbane, QLD
72. Oscillate Wildly, NSW
73. Sokyo, NSW
74. Gerard’s Bistro, QLD
75. ARIA Restaurant, NSW
76. Gingerboy, VIC
77. Vasse Felix Restaurant, Cowaramup, WA
78. Luxembourg, VIC
79. Belle’s Hot Chicken, VIC
80. The European, VIC
81. Ms G’s, NSW
82. Bodega, NSW
83. Movida, NSW
84. Moon Under Water, VIC
85. Ethos Eat Drink, TAS
86. Izakaya Den, VIC
87. Print Hall Bar & Dining Room, WA
88. ACME, NSW
89. Spice Temple (Melbourne), VIC
90. Longrain (Melbourne), VIC
91. Epocha, VIC
92. Peel St, SA
93. El Publico, WA
94. Ten Minutes By Tractor, Main Ridge, VIC
95. Aubergine, ACT
96. Longrain (Sydney), NSW
97. 4Fourteen, NSW
98. BuonRicordo, NSW
99. Da Noi, VIC
100. Lalla Rookh, WA
Top three by state from the top 100 restaurants:
New South Wales
1. Sepia, NSW
3. Quay, NSW
8. Sixpenny, NSW
Victoria
2. Attica, VIC
4. Brae, Birregurra, VIC
5. Cutler & Co, VIC
South Australia
44. Magill Estate Restaurant, SA
47. Orana, SA
60. Africola, SA
Queensland
36. Esquire, QLD
53. Wasabi Restaurant & Bar, QLD
71. Urbane, QLD
Tasmania
17. Garagistes (closed April 2015), TAS
34. Franklin, TAS
85. Ethos Eat Drink, TAS
Western Australia
45. Restaurant Amuse, WA
77. Vasse Felix Restaurant, Cowaramup, WA
87. Print Hall Bar & Dining Room, WA
Australian Capital Territory
95. Aubergine, ACT
Have you been to any of these restaurants? How was your experience? Do you have a favourite restaurant that isn’t on this list? Why not share it with our members?
