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Kristoffer Paulsen (main)
The Gourmet Traveller Annual Restaurant Awards are back and this year we have a brand new award to reveal – as voted by you! The Readers’ Choice Icon Award celebrates the venues that you believe are icons of the Australian dining landscape. Here are the finalists for the Gourmet Traveller Readers’ Choice Award.
Presenting the finalists for Readers’ Choice Icon Award.
Next month, we will reveal our winners and the full guide to Australia’s best restaurants at a glamorous gala evening at Brasserie 1930 in Sydney and in our September issue.
To make sure you receive a copy, delivered to your door, subscribe now at magshop.com.au.
And the nominees are…
Bennelong, NSW.
(Photo: Nikki To.)Bennelong, Sydney | NSW
A proposal. An anniversary. One night only in Sydney visiting from overseas. These are the occasions Bennelong rises to. Next year marks 10 years since executive chef Peter Gilmore and The Fink Group signed the decade-long lease for the iconic Sydney Opera House restaurant, bringing with them a focus on Australian wine and produce and more approachable offering than sister site Quay. Go for the three-course à la carte menu at The Restaurant, the two-course menu at The Counter, or cocktails and snacks at The Bar. It’s all memorable.
In short: Topping wish lists the world over.
Brae, VIC.
(Photo: Kristoffer Paulsen)Brae, Birregurra | VIC
One part rustic farmhouse, one part sustainable testing ground, Brae opened on a working farm in 2013 and has been blowing minds ever since. Chef-owner Dan Hunter, who previously launched the Royal Mail Hotel onto culinary to-do lists, digs into the onsite organic vegetable garden and the surrounding Cape Otway grazing land to create 10-plus courses that surprise, delight and leave diners feeling more connected to the food they consume. A decade into this vision of a restaurant, Brae has earned its reputation as one of the top dining experiences in the country.
In short: A country game changer.
Flower Drum, VIC.
Flower Drum, Melbourne | VIC
In Melbourne, how do you make intentions clear that a night is supposed to be special? The answer, more often than not, is a reservation at Flower Drum. Since 1975, the Cantonese fine-diner has been setting the standard. This is thanks to the enduring mastery of owner-chef Anthony Lui, his son, general manager, Jason Lui, and a cast of sharply dressed floorstaff, many who have been carving rosy Peking ducks tableside here for decades. With its red-carpeted interors and silver-service hospitality, Flower Drum has been nailing retro glamour since before it was a trend.
In short: Going strong.
Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, NSW.
(Photo: Steven Woodburn)Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, Sydney | NSW
Hung on walls all across the world right now, are a bevvy of blown-up photographs of Bondi’s Icebergs pool. And on the cliff above this picture-perfect seascape Icebergs Dining Room and Bar is iconic all on its own. The blue-hued restaurant has been serving locals and visitors alike for more than 20 years – launching the careers of chefs Karen Martini and Monty Koludrovic and now shining a light on Alex Prichard who brings his fresh approach to seafood-centred Italian. All proof there’s so much more to this Bondi institution than the views – and the views are sensational.
In short: Twenty years of thrills.
Mr Wong, NSW.
Mr Wong, Sydney | NSW
Eleven years ago, Merivale’s immense 240-seater came out of the gates swinging to give fine dining fans a fun dining alternative. Set in a former night club, Mr Wong is still a party but now it’s executive chef Dan Hong who brings the good times, spread across 80-plus dishes including crowd-favourites barbecue ducks and dim sum. As the Cantonese hotspot graduates to Sydney stayer status, Mr Wong continues to fire on all cylinders.
In short: The newest inductee to the old guard.
Rick Shores, QLD.
(Photo: Mathilde Bouby)Rick Shores, Gold Coast | QLD
How does a kitchen compete with the finest ocean views on Australia’s east coast? An impressive raft of inventive, meticulously finessed share dishes, that’s how. Rick Shores in Burleigh Heads is Australian dining to a tee, right down to the customers – some dressed to impress others straight off the beach. Opening in 2016, the kitchen crafts tasty share plates with a mega mix of Asian influences including Moreton Bay bug roll with bug mayonnaise and sriracha.
In short: The Gold Coast gold standard.
Star of Greece, SA.
Star of Greece, Fleurieur Peninsula | SA
After 10 years of giving the people of South Australia exactly what they want, this clifftop restaurant is revered by its regulars as a legend in the making. Star of Greece doesn’t do silver service, that was never the aim. The goal here is to be welcoming, simple and fresh, a goal that has informed chef Michael Collins’ Med-inspired menu. The destination seaside restaurant underwent a recent facelift but stays true to the laid-back kiosk vibes for which Star of Greece has long been known.
In short: Epic lunch spot.
Stokehouse, VIC.
(Photo: Tom Blachford)Stokehouse, Melbourne | VIC
Right on the beach in St Kilda, the view isn’t the only reason Melburnians keep coming back to St Kilda’s Stokehouse. The true return ticket here is the restaurant’s sure-footed seafood-rich menu. That and a commitment to eco dining. After a 2014 fire, owner Frank van Haandel enlisted Future Food’s Joost Bakker to take the Stokehouse venue into its sustainable new era while executive chef Jason Staudt follows through in the kitchen with low-waste dishes made from local ingredients earning a big green tick.
In short: Eco chic.
