South Australia has stolen the spotlight on the national dining stage, with Barossa’s own Staġuni sweeping up both Australia’s Best Destination Dining and South Australia’s Best Restaurant award at the 2025 Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards.
Set inside Marananga’s beautifully restored old schoolhouse, this Mediterranean-inspired gem has turned heads since the day it opened in early 2024.
Under the creative eye of chef Clare Falzon, the kitchen celebrates the seasons with dishes that feel vibrant, soulful and unmistakably of the Barossa. It is a dining experience that pairs elegance with warmth, where every course feels like a story unfolding and every visit uncovers something new.
When Staġuni was announced as a finalist in July, Clare Falzon admitted the recognition felt surreal. In a heartfelt Facebook post she described being humbled to be considered alongside venues she had admired for so long, adding that a little restaurant among the gumtrees, where life feels gentler, was exactly where she wanted to be.
That spirit carries through the dining room today. The team draws inspiration from the way communities eat together across the world, creating a menu that evolves with the seasons and champions hyper-local South Australian produce. Every dish reflects both a strong sense of place and the curiosity of a chef who wants her guests to feel part of something personal and genuine.
Marking its 45th year, the Gourmet Traveller Awards once again set the benchmark for excellence, with this year’s celebrations staged at Hobart’s Henry Jones Art Hotel. The evening gathered many of the nation’s most admired chefs and hospitality leaders, and while Sydney’s Saint Peter claimed the coveted Restaurant of the Year title, much of the excitement centred on the state winners: Essa in Brisbane, Marmelo in Melbourne, Gibney Restaurant in Perth, Lunetta in Canberra, Tasmania’s The Agrarian, and South Australia’s own Staġuni.
For the Barossa newcomer, the recognition is especially powerful.
In less than two years Staġuni has grown from an ambitious opening into a destination that food lovers will travel for, winning loyal fans with its blend of seasonal cooking, intimate setting and heartfelt service.
The accolade proves what South Australians have been saying all along – You do not need a capital city postcode to experience dining at the highest level.
With Staġuni now standing shoulder to shoulder with some of the country’s most acclaimed restaurants, South Australia has another reason to take pride in its rich culinary scene.
The awards and a full guide to the nation’s top 100 restaurants will feature in Gourmet Traveller’s September issue, due to hit stands later this month.
The Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Award winners:
RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR:
SAINT PETER, Sydney, NSW
STATE WINNERS:
ACT: LUNETTA (CANBERRA);
QLD: ESSA (BRISBANE);
SA: STAĠUNI (BAROSSA);
TAS: THE AGRARIAN (NEW NORFOLK);
VIC: MARMELO (MELBOURNE);
WA: GIBNEY RESTAURANT (COTTESLOE).
READERS’ CHOICE ICON AWARD
BEROWRA WATERS INN, Berowra Waters, NSW
CHEF OF THE YEAR:
NIK HILL- PORCINE, Sydney, NSW
BEST NEW RESTAURANT:
MAISON BÂTARD, Melbourne, VIC
BEST NEW TALENT:
CHEF – OZGE KALVO, OLYMPUS DINING, Redfern, NSW
BEST DESTINATION DINING:
STAĠUNI, Marananga SA
WINE BAR OF THE YEAR:
AIZOME BAR, Brisbane, QLD
RESTAURANT PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR:
ANGIE GIANNAKODAKIS, TAVERNA, Brunswick, VIC
You’ll find Staġuni Restaurant at Marananga School, Unit A, 457 Seppeltfield Road Marananga.
For more information, click here.
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