Image credit: ODÉ Bistro
Gourmet Traveller has announced the finalists for its prestigious 2025 Annual Restaurant Awards, showcasing the top talent in Australian hospitality, including five venues from South Australia.
Among the finalists is a standout newcomer from SA; Simon Ming. Formerly an engineer and now a chef at the newly opened Ode restaurant, Ming has been recognised as a finalist for Best New Talent, a category celebrating rising stars in the culinary world.
Other South Australian finalists include LVN in the Adelaide Hills for Best New Restaurant, Otherness in Barossa Valley for Wine Bar of the Year, Elementary by Soul Co in Mount Gambier for Best Destination Dining and Mel Hamilton from Temperance for Restaurant Personality of the Year.
The awards are the longest-running and most esteemed in Australia’s hospitality industry, shining a spotlight on the best restaurants, chefs, and leaders in hospitality across the country. Simply being nominated as a finalist is considered a significant achievement and acknowledgment of excellence in dining.
The winners will be revealed at a gala event in Sydney on Monday August 19th, hosted at renowned waterfront restaurant, Catalina.
“It’s important we continue to lift up the industry and take time to celebrate these milestones and achievements,” Gourmet Traveller editor Joanna Hunkin says.
“There is no question 2024 is proving a tough year for hospitality, with many restaurateurs forced to make difficult decisions.
“At the same time, there are still plenty of success stories and new experiences to discover; the awards are here to remind Australians of the exceptional dining on offer across the country and to celebrate the joy of dining out.”
The full list of finalists are as follows:
Readers’ Choice Icon Award:
Attica, Melbourne, VIC
Lake House, Daylesford, VIC
Quay, Sydney, NSW
Rick Shores, QLD
Old Sean’s, NSW
Vasse Felix, Margaret River, WA
Best New Restaurant:
Gibney, Perth, WA
LVN, Adelaide Hills, SA
Maria, Hobart, TAS
Kafeneion, Melbourne, VIC
King Clarence, Sydney, NSW
Pneuma, Brisbane, QLD
Best New Talent:
Sofika Boulton, Sonny’s, WA
Jun Hwang, White Horse, NSW
Simon Ming, Ode, SA
Mischa Tropp, Toddy Shop, VIC
Pietro Segalini, Pilloni, QLD
Wine Bar of the Year:
Bar Olo, Melbourne, VIC
Havilah, Launceston, TAS
Poly, Sydney, NSW
Otherness, Barossa Valley, SA
South West Wine Shop, Busselton, WA
11e Cave, Canberra, ACT
Best Destination Dining:
Chauncy, Heathcote, VIC
Elementary by Soul Co, Mt Gambier, SA
EXP., Hunter Valley, NSW
Nunu, Palm Cove, QLD
Wills Domain, Margaret River, WA
Restaurant Personality of the Year:
Sarah Baldwin, Joy, QLD
Lachlan Colwall and Sophie Pope, Omotenashi, TAS
Mel Hamilton, Temperance, SA
Dot Lee, Longshore, NSW
Tess Murray, Chauncy, VIC
Jae Woods, Le Rebelle, WA
Details of all the finalists can be found in the August issue of Gourmet Traveller which is available now. The September issue on sale August 26th will feature profiles of the winners and the annual Restaurant Guide, showcasing Australia’s top 95 restaurants. For more information on the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards, click here.
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