​The Age Good Food Guide 2023: All the award winners

• Victoria's best restaurants celebrated at The Age Good Food Guide Awards
• The full list of hats

VITTORIA COFFEE RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
A restaurant that captures the mood of the moment and exemplifies what it means to be world-class.

Aru, Melbourne

So much of what we love about Victorian dining is expressed and exemplified at Aru, which opened in June 2021, bringing life, hope and delicious activity to a Melbourne CBD in dire need. There's the instant welcoming theatre of the fire-driven kitchen – its scents, sounds and flames a lively lure. There's the long stone and timber dining room, somehow both sparse and warm. The whole team shows pride in the Aru project with considered gestures and responsive service.

And the food! The menu continues a story that chef Khanh Nguyen started to tell at his first restaurant, Sunda, which opened in 2018. That is, of an immigrant cuisine – in this case, Vietnamese – filtered by an Australian upbringing and now engaged with native produce in a contemporary setting. Where Sunda is a boisterous canteen, Aru is the full fine-diner, albeit unbuttoned, with a suite of accomplished, outrageously tasty dishes.

Owned by Adipoetra Halim, Aru is part of a dining ecosystem that includes The Windsor hotel, Sunda and Parcs, the eco-wise bar up the road from Aru that takes some of the restaurant's food waste and turns it into preserves and ferments. The climate-consciousness and the collegiate approach both speak to the moment.

Many Melburnians have blocked pandemic memories but it is a joy to see some of Nguyen's lockdown projects – his banh mi pâté en croute, particularly – find an appreciative home here.

Lastly and tellingly, Aru is a restaurant we love to introduce to out-of-towners: it weaves Melbourne stories with eloquence and flair. Dani Valent

NEW RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
The most exciting opening of the past 12 months, representing everything that's fresh and thrilling about Victorian dining.

Serai, Melbourne

What do we value in a restaurant? Is it just the food? Is it a certain level of fanciness, the service, the little luxuries that only a truly great restaurant can provide? Is it the capacity to create joy? Or is it the ways that our restaurants reflect the vibrant cultures that are growing and expanding in our city and state and country?

Traditionally, at Good Food, we have rewarded fanciness more often than not. The hats mean something, to diners, and even to chefs and owners – they denote a certain level of service, an expectation of luxury. We haven't given up on that idea – we love fine dining, and two- and three-hat restaurants will probably always fall into that genre (or close to it). But we also need to recognise and celebrate where the food culture is right now, and at this moment in time, the real excitement is in more casual spots that are changing the definition of modern Australian cookery.

This is why our new restaurant of the year is Serai, a place that's decidedly casual, in a location that's just shy of grungy, with service that's more laid-back and friendly than stiffly professional.

But what Serai represents is thrilling for the city: a new generation of young chefs who are harnessing all the deliciousness of their heritage and translating it through their Australian experiences. In Serai's case, that chef is Ross Magnaye, and his heritage is Filipino – a cuisine that's under-represented in Melbourne restaurants, despite our large Filipino population.

Magnaye's version of Filipino flavours is kissed by the kitchen's open fire, and heavily influenced by Australian ingredients. That might mean kinilaw made with raw kangaroo, lightly smoked and seared before being diced and piled atop a roasted marrow bone and served with toast, or pork belly, wobbly and crispy and lined up on a plate, topped with a version of the Filipino condiment palapa, here made with pineapple. It's as if the cheffy glory of London's St. John took a detour through south-east Asia, then landed squarely in Australia.

Serai is not fine dining, in any sense – nor does it aim to be. But it has all the style, all the craft, and all the joy of what makes eating in this city and country such a varied, complex, and exuberantly evolving pleasure. Besha Rodell

REGIONAL RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
The best beyond the metro limits. Comparable with anything in the city while remaining uniquely regional.

Moonah, Connewarre

Chef Tobin Kent grew up in Barwon Heads and was on the opening team at Brae in Birregurra. There are echoes of that produce-driven restaurant at Moonah, a serene, intimate former wedding venue perched above a billabong outside Torquay. Kent's team of four serve 12 guests at a time from a freestanding kitchen table in the centre of the dining room.

Drawing largely on produce he either grows, dives for or forages himself, Kent sends out a series of refined, carefully balanced yet full-flavoured dishes, such as slender asparagus spears with tangy goat's cheese and native mint blossoms. The result is an edible snapshot of the season and the region, which straddles farmland and coast. It's the very definition of destination dining. Roslyn Grundy

OCEANIA CRUISES CHEF OF THE YEAR
A chef at the forefront of dining, setting new standards and doing something original.

Julian Hills, Navi, Yarraville

For the past four years on a quiet street in Yarraville, chef Julian Hills has been building one of the most coveted dining experiences in the country. He's been doing it with a small team, no investors, and with a vision that's entirely his own.

This shows in the menu, which reads (and tastes) like an extremely personal expression of modern Australiana: buttery raw Murray cod with bunya nut; koji-cured beetroot with macadamia; kangaroo tartare.

But it also shows in the details. Hills and his team forage for many of the ingredients used, spending non-service days combing the Mornington Peninsula for pine mushrooms or native raspberries. The chef hand-makes all of the restaurant's ceramics, from the plates and napkin rings to the vases decorating the room.

With his packed restaurant and loyal fans, it would be easy to rest on his laurels, but Hills continues to evolve, with his food but also his business. A new adjoining bar now allows us to enjoy Navi in a more casual and less costly manner. The combination of drive, independence and sheer talent make Hills our chef of the year. Besha Rodell

VITTORIA COFFEE LEGEND AWARD
For an outstanding long-term contribution to the industry.

Abla Amad

When Abla Amad opened her Carlton restaurant in 1979, it was because her renown in the Lebanese community was so great that family and friends urged her to share her extraordinary gifts for cooking and welcome. In those days, Middle Eastern food was far from mainstream. Before Abla's, if you said "fattoush" on Elgin Street, the response was more likely to be "bless you" than a salad with tomato, cucumber, mint and shards of pita.

But this modest, traditional restaurant eased Abla's adopted city into an ongoing obsession with lamb-stuffed cabbage rolls and ladies' fingers, the delicate pastries that are a banquet essential. Now 87, she paved the way for chefs such as Greg Malouf, Michael Bacash, Shane Delia and Joseph Abboud. Abla's philosophy is simple but profound: "Anything you do with love, you can never do wrong." Dani Valent

SERVICE EXCELLENCE AWARD
Executes the highest standard of service, from attitude and skill to knowledge and personality.

Bronwyn Kabboord, Du Fermier, Trentham

Having marked 30 years of experience in the trade, Bronwyn Kabboord sees all sides of the dining experience. Starting in the kitchen and working her way from country Victoria to Sydney, Tokyo, London and back again, she delights in the art of the floor, the rhythm and rush of service. She knows wine, she knows food, she knows people, she knows how to listen, and she knows how to have a good time.

To spend a couple of hours in Kabboord's company at Du Fermier, the restaurant she manages for chef-patron and fellow traveller Annie Smithers, is to be cocooned in the care of the details, and to fall under the spell of the warmth and welcome of someone who takes true joy from the experience of hospitality. Pat Nourse

Blayne (right) and Chayse Bertoncello. Photo: Hugh Davidson

SOMMELIER OF THE YEAR
A wine professional who has a deep knowledge of the subject, while helping to influence and inspire.

Chayse Bertoncello, O.My, Beaconsfield

To say Chayse Bertoncello (pictured, right) doesn't fit the sommelier stereotype is an understatement. In fact, when a customer remarked, "You're that bogan sommelier we've heard about", his reply came swiftly: "How dare you call me a sommelier!"

Bertoncello prefers "wine waiter" to describe his role of guiding diners towards drinks he thinks they'll enjoy and that will best complement the food at the farm-to-plate restaurant he co-owns with brother Blayne. His ninja skill is making people feel comfortable, but he backs it up with a deep knowledge of what he's pouring and of the highly seasonal dishes coming out of the kitchen.

It's an unconventional and ever-changing list, favouring producers from the surrounding region who share the brothers' organic approach to farming, those with whom he's developed a relationship, and simpatico wines from further afield. But it's guaranteed to spark joy. Roslyn Grundy

OCEANIA CRUISES WINE LIST OF THE YEAR AWARD
A diverse by-the-glass selection alongside an accessible list that displays a range of vintages, complementing the restaurant's food and style.

Ten Minutes by Tractor, Main Ridge

There's more to this wine list than stunning Mornington Peninsula pinot noir (though there is plenty of that, too). At 85 pages, it is vast but thoughtful. The focus is clear from the get-go: sustainable viticultural practices and a focus on soil and vine health.

This cellar door restaurant's drinks list goes well beyond the winery's backyard. Former head sommelier Xavier Vigier and assistant somms Jamie Sprague and Noah Rozenfeld present thoughtful food and beverage pairings and a decent offering of zero-alcohol options.

Educational snippets about champagne growers and old-world stars of the past and future are a nice touch, as is the focus on small producers from Spain and Portugal. There's stellar support of Victorian producers and Australian alternative varieties, too. The addition of new head sommelier Christian Maier ensures the wine list remains in good hands. Katie Spain

YOUNG CHEF OF THE YEAR
This award, chosen by a panel of food professionals, is the ultimate accolade for a committed and talented young cook.

Nicholas Deligiannis, Audrey's, Sorrento

At 28, Nicholas Deligiannis is already something of a kitchen veteran, having begun his career aged eight, spinning pizza at his family's business. Having completed his formal culinary training under Jacques Reymond at Bistro Gitan, he has worked his way up through the ranks and now heads the kitchen at Audrey's Sorrento, Scott Pickett's flagship restaurant at the grandly refurbished Continental Hotel. There, he describes his cooking style as "Mediterranean; quite technical but keeping the flavours fresh".

Deligiannis impressed the panel of hospitality industry leaders with his maturity and passion for his work. "The award is what I've been working towards my whole career," he says. "I'm hospo through and through." Roslyn Grundy

FOOD FOR GOOD
An award celebrating innovation, social enterprise and sustainability while contributing to the wider community.

FareShare

Food charity FareShare is celebrating 21 years of operation, during which time it has cooked 20 million free meals for people doing it tough. Meals are created from rescued and donated ingredients supplemented by vegetables grown on FareShare's own urban farms. A largely volunteer workforce of 10,000 is rostered at the Abbotsford headquarters and a Brisbane facility that opened in 2018. The nutritious meals that result are distributed to frontline charities throughout Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.

Good Food contributor Dani Valent is a FareShare ambassador. "FareShare does thoughtful good at every step," she says. "Preventing food waste, reclaiming urban tracts for farming, engaging volunteers and, of course, reducing hunger by supplying nutritious, culturally sensitive meals – there is benefit in everything FareShare does. It truly is "food for good". Roslyn Grundy

BAR OF THE YEAR
The best all-round bar that nails service, drinks, vibe and decor.

Caretaker's Cottage, Melbourne

It is a cruel paradox that a bar as brilliant as Caretaker's exists in a space so small. But the intimacy of the setting is the main appeal of this superb 40-seater, once the bluestone home of the Wesley Church's caretaker. Well, that and its world-class offering.

Imaginative drinks, often made with ingredients from friends' backyards, have recognisable DNA (a modern-day Grasshopper made with Branca Menta; a smoky Penicillin-inspired milk punch). It's a safe bet yours will be poured by one of the owners (Rob Libecans, Ryan Noreiks and Matt Stirling of cocktail consortium Fancy Free) while another ducks and weaves behind the bar, spinning 1960s jazz records or purring electronica.

Service is fast. It's fun. Someone brought their dog along. Caretaker's tears down the pomp and pretence so often associated with cocktails of this calibre, layering personality into an already character-filled space. Ellen Fraser

CAFE OF THE YEAR
Good coffee? That's a given. The Cafe of the Year also takes pride in its food, decor and service.

Lorna, Ferntree Gully

Melbourne's cafes were its lifelines during 2020 and 2021, anchoring communities and neighbourhoods at a time when many people's only daily outings were an expedition for coffee, a sandwich, a soothing wedge of cake. Lorna was certainly a port in a storm for Ferntree Gully but owners Josh O'Brien and Omar Viramontes also invested in optimism by expanding the cafe's seating to 90 and refashioning their menu while retaining the signature cross-cultural balance (O'Brien is Anglo, Viramontes is Mexican).

Steeped in cafe culture, the couple own nearby Maria in Upwey, plus Nancy Eatery, which shares space with the Robert Gordon pottery outlet in Pakenham. Excellent cafes always look after locals but Lorna is also en route to the Thousand Steps and other Dandenongs walking trails, making it an ideal pitstop for wayfarers. Dani Valent

The Good Food Guide 2023 magazine is on sale from November 15 for $9.95 at newsagents, supermarkets and thestore.com.au.