We’ve cleaned our plates, we’ve drained our glasses, and we’re proud to present the Australian Gourmet Traveller 2012 Restaurant Awards.
Check out the slideshow for our award winners or click here for the Gourmet Traveller Top 100 list.
Lara Marro, Vincenzo’s Cucina Vera, Adelaide
Lara Marro, Vincenzo’s Cucina Vera, Adelaide
MAITRE D’ OF THE YEAR
Lara Marro, Vincenzo’s Cucina Vera, 77 Unley Rd, Parkside, SA, (08) 8271 1000.
Lara Marro (photographed at Est.), maître d’ at Vincenzo’s Cucina Vera, is expert at conveying the passion behind each dish to her customers in the dining room.
PHOTOGRAPHY AMANDA MCLAUCHLAN
Royal Mail Hotel, Victoria
Royal Mail Hotel, Victoria
Royal Mail Hotel’s eel and bone marrow with pickled vegetables.
Dan Hunter, Royal Mail Hotel, Victoria
Dan Hunter, Royal Mail Hotel, Victoria
REGIONAL RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Royal Mail Hotel, Parker St (Glenelg Hwy), Dunkeld, Vic, (03) 5577 2241.
Royal Mail Hotel chef Dan Hunter continues to raise his own bar.
PHOTOGRAPHY JULIAN KINGMA
Simon Hill, Ortiga, Brisbane
Simon Hill, Ortiga, Brisbane
WINE LIST OF THE YEAR
Ortiga, 446 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley, Qld, (07) 3852 1155.
Ortiga owner Simon Hill has a reason to smile: the restaurant’s list of wine, both Spanish and otherwise, is truly exceptional.
PHOTOGRAPHY VINCENT LONG
Giorgio De Maria, 121BC, Sydney
Giorgio De Maria, 121BC, Sydney
SOMMELIER OF THE YEAR
Giorgio De Maria, 121BC, 4/50 Holt St (enter via Gladstone St), Surry Hills, NSW, (02) 9699 1582.
Sommelier Giorgio De Maria has an extraordinary memory for wine, for people, and for the people behind the wine at 121BC.
PHOTOGRAPHY JAMES MOFFAT
Shady Pines Saloon, Sydney
Shady Pines Saloon, Sydney
BAR OF THE YEAR
Shady Pines Saloon, Shop 4, 256 Crown St (enter via Foley St), Darlinghurst, NSW.
Anton Forte and Jason Scott (from left) of Shady Pines Saloon have flicked elitism to the kerb in favour of good times and better whisky.
PHOTOGRAPHY JASON LOUCAS
John, Merivale, Bettina and Justin Hemmes
John, Merivale, Bettina and Justin Hemmes
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO HOSPITALITY
John, Merivale, Bettina and Justin Hemmes, hoteliers and restaurateurs, Merivale
Sydneysiders who like to eat and drink should raise a glass to the Hemmes family (from left: Justin, John, Merivale and Bettina), owners of Sydney’s 1200-person-strong Merivale group.
PHOTOGRAPHY ANTHONY GEERNAERT
Porteño, Sydney’s skirt steak
Porteño, Sydney’s skirt steak
Skirt steak is among the cuts that issues from the grill at Porteño.
PHOTOGRAPHY WILLIAM MEPPEM
Porteño, Sydney
Porteño, Sydney
NEW RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Porteño, 358 Cleveland St, Surry Hills, NSW, (02) 8399 1440.
Elvis Abrahanowicz, Joe Valore and Ben Milgate (from left) sing a love song to Argentina in the form of Porteño.
PHOTOGRAPHY JASON LOUCAS
Garagistes, Hobart
Garagistes, Hobart
Garagistes, Hobart.
Luke Burgess, Garagistes, Hobart
Luke Burgess, Garagistes, Hobart
BEST NEW TALENT
Luke Burgess, Garagistes, 103 Murray St, Hobart, Tas, (03) 6231 0558.
Chef Luke Burgess loves being able to grow and pick his own produce for Garagistes.
PHOTOGRAPHY WILLIAM MEPPEM
Marque restaurant’s pigeon dish
Marque restaurant’s pigeon dish
Marque’s pigeon with mullet roe, sautéed lettuce and cucumber.
Marque restaurant
Marque restaurant
Marque restaurant.
Marque restaurant, Sydney
Marque restaurant, Sydney
RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Marque, 4-5/355 Crown St, Surry Hills, NSW, (02) 9332 2225.
Chef Mark Best (pictured centre, with the Marque team) continues to wow diners.
PHOTOGRAPHY CHRIS CHEN
