2016 Savour Australia Awards for Excellence Winners

It’s that time of year again where the best restaurants, cafes and catering businesses around Australia are recognised at the annual Savour Australia Restaurant & Catering HOSTPLUS Awards for Excellence.

The awards this year for New South Wales were hosted at the iconic Luna Park in Sydney on Monday 12 September 2016.

More than 900 local restaurants, cafes and catering business attended the awards ceremony which celebrated the achievements, exceptional service and culinary experience over the last 12 months of their peers and were judged across 75 categories.

So who were the winners for 2016? Below are the winners of the major award categories:

Major Awards

  • NSW Regional Restaurant of the Year – Hobarts by Lesley Taylor, New Lambton
  • Sydney Metropolitan Restaurant of the Year – Quay, The Rocks
  • NSW Regional Café of the Year – Bent on Food, Wingham
  • Sydney Metropolitan Café of the Year – Little Jean, Double Bay
  • NSW Regional Caterer of the Year – Estate Tuscany, Pokolbin
  • Sydney Metropolitan Caterer of the Year – Blond Catering – Brickworks Design Studio, Sydney
  • Lifetime Achiever – Neil Slater
  • Hall of Fame – Serge Dansereau
  • Restaurateur of the Year – Steve Anastasiou
  • Consumer Vote Award – Southern NSW Winner - Kohli’s India, Nowra
  • Consumer Vote Award – Northern NSW Winner - Table 1 Espresso, Merewether
  • Consumer Vote Award – Sydney Metropolitan Winner - Fish Café, Balgowlah

Congratulations to all of the major award winners.

Quay - Restaurant of the Year 2016

As well as the major category winners, the winners of the Sydney Metropolitan Restaurant Awards were as follows:

Sydney Metropolitan Restaurant Awards

  • Asian Restaurant – China Doll, Woolloomooloo
  • Beer Café / Wine Bar – GPO Cheese and Wine Room, Sydney
  • Breakfast Restaurant – Kazbah, Balmain
  • Burger Bar – Ribs & Burgers, The Rocks
  • Café Restaurant – Little Jean, Double Bay
  • Chinese Restaurant – The Eight Restaurant, Haymarket
  • Coffee Shop / Tea House – Nadias Café, Blacktown
  • Contemporary Australian Restaurant – Formal – Sails on Lavender Bay, McMahons Point
  • Contemporary Australian Restaurant – Informal – Botanic Gardens Restaurant, Sydney
  • European Restaurant – Café Ananas, Sydney
  • Family Dining Restaurant – Greenfield Station Bistro – Bankstown Sports Club, Bankstown
  • Fine Dining Restaurant – Quay, The Rocks
  • Greek Restaurant – Alpha Restaurant, Sydney
  • Indian / Sub-continent Restaurant – AKI’s Restaurant, Woolloomooloo
  • Italian Restaurant – Formal – Ormeggio at the Spit, Mosman
  • Italian Restaurant – Informal – Popolo Sydney, Rushcutters Bay
  • Japanese Restaurant – Toko, Surry Hills
  • New Restaurant – Anason, Sydney
  • People, Produce, Place Tourism Restaurant – Bennelong, Sydney
  • Pizza Restaurant – Arte Bianca, Double Bay
  • Restaurant in a Casino/Pub/Club – The Smoking Goat – Dedes at the Point, Abbotsford
  • Restaurant in a Hotel/Motel/Resort – ABODE Bistro Bar – PARKROYAL Darling Harbour, Sydney
  • Seafood Restaurant – Formal – Flying Fish, Pyrmont
  • Seafood Restaurant – Informal – Sealevel Restaurant, Cronulla
  • Small Bar – Honourable Mention – Atrium Bar, Bankstown
  • Specialty Restaurant – Efendy, Balmain
  • Steak Restaurant – Formal – Prime Restaurant, Sydney
  • Steak Restaurant – Informal – The Meat & Wine Co, Circular Quay
  • Sushi Bar – Raw Bar, Bondi Beach
  • Tapas Restaurant – Subsolo, Sydney

Congratulations to all winners of the Sydney Metropolitan Restaurant Awards. I look forward to sampling some of these restaurants in the near future.

So, how are the awards chosen?

The Awards are the most dependable and authoritative guide to Australia’s best restaurants and caterers as well as being the most important and respected industry awards, specifically designed to objectively recognise and promote industry best practice.

More than 500 trained judges and 1500 entrants are involved and 2016 marks the 18th year.

How does judging work?

The RACES Judging System is used which uses a six point rating scale (0 – 5). Each establishment is assessed with 0 meaning the criterion is not being met at all by that establishment whilst 5 means the criterion could not be satisfied any better by any establishment.

The Nationals Awards take place on Monday 24 October 2016 at the Four Points Sheraton, Darling Harbour. Good luck to everyone.