2012 GT Restaurant Awards winners

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’s eel and bone marrow with pickled vegetables.

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

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

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

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

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

Skirt steak is among the cuts that issues from the grill at Porteño.

PHOTOGRAPHY WILLIAM MEPPEM

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.

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’s pigeon with mullet roe, sautéed lettuce and cucumber.

Marque restaurant

Marque restaurant.

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