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T2 Tea Restaurant of the Year: Flower Drum
Flower Drum is the restaurant that put our city’s Chinese food on the map: a standard-bearer for half a century and a cultural landmark that’s as Melbourne as the Yarra. Here’s to another 50.
Oceania Cruises Chef of the Year: Thi Le, Anchovy
In the 10 years since she opened Anchovy in Richmond – her partner Jia-Yen Lee by her side – Thi Le has recast it multiple times, taking risks others would baulk at to unspool the story of her culture, and inspire a younger generation of chefs to live out their values and cook what they know.
New Restaurant of the Year, presented by Aurum Poultry Co.: Zareh, Collingwood
In August, Tom Sarafian’s hotly anticipated Zareh debuted in Collingwood to unanimous praise: a singular vision from a chef with a striking sense of purpose. It’s the sum of his working life, it’s the clear-eyed expression of his Armenian-Lebanese cultural identity. The hype was justified; Zareh is the restaurant Melbourne has been waiting for.
Young Chef of the Year, presented by Smeg: Viveik Vinoharan
This is the third time Viveik Vinoharan has been shortlisted as a finalist for this award; a mark of his resilience, tenacity and the clarity of his vision – all vital for enduring success in the kitchen. In March, Vinoharan stepped away from his post at Lilac Wine, hosting a series of successful pop-ups celebrating his Sri Lankan roots, his work experience in Japan, and the Australian appetite for bold, wine-friendly snacking.
Katie McCormack Young Service Talent Award: Georgia Limacher
Georgia Limacher, who grew up in Wellington, nearly fizzes with enthusiasm when she talks about nailing a dinner service at Flinders Lane hot spot Gimlet. Moving to Melbourne in 2023 only fuelled her passion to deliver meaningful service and learn from the city’s best. In her two-plus years at Gimlet, she’s gone from section waiter to wine leader to sommelier.
Oceania Cruises Service Excellence: Alex Casey
Brae restaurant manager Alex Casey not only rises to the occasion of excellent service but goes above and beyond it. His ease while providing synchronised, extremely intentional table service permeates the whole dining experience at the three-hatted Brae. Casey’s genuine care for the guest and their enjoyment provides more than hospitality – at his best he offers something verging on magic.
Sommelier of the Year: Justin Howe
After four-plus years pouring Italy’s finest at Osteria Ilaria, Justin Howe was this year tapped to lead the wine program at Harriot, a city newcomer from the same team. Whatever wine you choose from the 500-plus bottles at his disposal – the $80 or the $480 – Howe will talk to you with the same wry smile and quiet enthusiasm that reassure you: this was a good choice.
T2 Tea Cafe of the Year: Commonfolk, Frankston
The newest cafe from 12-year-old coffee roaster Commonfolk is the complete package. Whether it’s dawn coffees in hi-vis, laptop lunches or an afternoon matcha, this multitasking cafe is defining for Frankston, proving that this underloved outer suburb is more than just a gateway to the Mornington Peninsula: it’s got its own culinary cred.
Bar of the Year, presented by SevenRooms: The Walrus, St Kilda
This charming beast has quickly become a local fixture since opening in St Kilda in late 2023. Seasoned owners Marty Webster and Amy McGouldrick are fabulous hosts, steering an understated cocktail list that favours icy martinis, and an elegant wine list geared towards seafood-driven snacks. The team also recently opened a “mini pub’, The Carpenter’s Ruin, next door.
Legend Award: Tansy Good
Tansy Good closed her hatted eponymous restaurant in October 2025, calling time on a career that started in the 1970s and left an indelible mark on Australian food. A self-taught cook, she trained defining chefs including Karen Martini and Andrew McConnell, and was awarded 30 Good Food Guide hats across three iterations of Tansy’s: the first in Carlton North between 1983 and 1992, the second in the city between 1992 and 1994, and the third in Kyneton between 2019 and now.
Trailblazer Award: Barragunda, Cape Schanck
Opened in February this year by philanthropist Hayley Morris in collaboration with chef Simone Watts, Barragunda’s restaurant sources nearly all ingredients from what’s grown on site using a co-op model rarely seen in the upper reaches of dining. The Morris family owns the Cape Schanck property and all profits are diverted to the family’s foundation to support regenerative agriculture projects.
The Age Good Food Guide Awards ceremony, presented by T2 Tea and Oceania Cruises, took place on Monday, October 27. The Good Food app is the home of the 2026 edition of The Age Good Food Guide, with more than 500 reviews including 123 Critics’ Picks. The app is free for premium subscribers of The Age and also available as a standalone subscription. You can download the Good Food app here.
