Big winners in The Guide to Good Foods for Age the 2025 awards suggest new ways forward for hospitality, with tiny, owner-operator venues with unique dining designs taking home the two most coveted gongs. Vittoria Coffee Restaurant of the year is Moonah, a 12-seat restaurant on a gravel road near Torquay.

In a quiet house overlooking a billabong, chef and owner Tobin Kent serves local cuisine, much of it grown in his own garden, foraged nearby or from the ocean there.

“Tobin Kent creates regional Victorian coastal cuisine that tastes of the countryside. The food is often delicious and fun, but Moonah is so singular. I think it does something really different,” says Besha Rodell, Agethe chief restaurant critic.

Awards for Age Good food guide 2025, presented by Vittoria Coffee and Oceania Cruises, took place at the Plaza Ballroom, with media personality and author Yumi Stynes ​​hosting a crowd of 500 glammed-up food professionals. The most emotional moment of the night was Vittoria Coffee Legend Awardfor groundbreaking Middle Eastern chef Greg Malouf, who died in September.

Oceania cruises Chef of the year is Jung Eun Chae, who runs the six-seater Korean restaurant CHAE in her home in the wooded hills of Cockatoo. The house is also a workshop for the creation of slow-fermenting condiments such as soy sauce and date vinegar, the staples of Korean-Australian dishes eaten to a soundtrack of kookaburra and currawong.

“CHAE is truly unique,” co-editor of Guide says Ellen Fraser. “Many chefs at this level have the help of a kitchen team and marketing support. But Chae is a singular force, doing her job with an incredible sense of conviction.”

The award is not only recognition, but also a signal. “CHAE is an antidote to the stereotypical hot-headed, male-dominated, fast-paced kitchen,” says Fraser. “It’s exciting to think about how it could inspire future chefs and leaders.”

The awards come at the end of a “wild and unpredictable year for the hospitality industry”, says Fraser. Inflation has hit restaurants everywhere, and costs continue to rise, while habits and spending have declined, causing some beloved venues to close.

Putting the spotlight on toxic workplace culture has fostered a deep understanding for many businesses. “We looked at Good food guideits role in shaping the restaurant landscape through the places we cover,” says Fraser.

A focus on workplace culture has led to a new award for Champion of cultural change. Former hospitality worker and activist Jamie Bucirde was recognized for his initiatives Not So Hospitable, which collected data on sexual assault, sexual harassment and harassment in the hospitality industry, and On The Cusp, which provides counseling and training in the aligned workplace .

There are two more new awards this year Guidewhich is available in print and, for the first time, the collection of restaurant, bar and cafe reviews will be available digitally through the new Good Food app.

inaugural Pub of the year it’s the Punters Club in Fitzroy. “The Punters is everything we want from a pub,” says Fraser.

“At a time when so many pub renovations compromise the soul of the venue, the owners have breathed new life into a venue that has been so important to the Fitzroy music community. The concerts are free, the food is exceptional. We love it and hope to see others follow these steps.”

As well as recognizing the excellence of the reopened Fitzroy institution, the award puts a chill on the overall importance of pubs to Melbourne’s culture.

“Pubs are the lifeblood that give our neighborhoods a sense of community,” says Rodell. “We want to officially recognize this. It’s exciting to see the young publicans giving us what we want, not bistros or a posh bistro, but a proper pub.”

Launch Award for Young Service Talent goes to Nicole Sharrad, manager at Alta Trattoria.

“This award was run by Hannah Green of Etta and Bronwyn Kabboord of Du Fermier in honor of the late restaurateur Katie McCormack,” says Fraser.

“It recognizes the crucial contribution that front-of-house roles play in creating a world-class restaurant experience and gives young service professionals something to aspire to. The judges were blown away by (Sharad’s) warmth, composure and soothing presence.

Oceania Cruises Service excellence the award goes to Rajnor Soin, manager of the Vue de monde restaurant.

“What really impressed us about Raj is that it’s not just one person who provides great service at Vue de monde,” says Guide co-editor Emma Breheny.

“It’s an entire team that is completely in sync and working at their peak to deliver an exceptional dining experience that is never tiring.”

Soin’s award comes alongside the return of Vue de monde to Guide with three hats and a score of 18 out of 20, along with other three hat restaurants, Amaru, Brae and Minamishima.

“When we went to print last year, the Vue de monde was closed for renovations, so they weren’t included,” says Breheny. “After reopening, they now only offer one sitting each evening, which makes for a much more relaxed tasting. Vue is back at the top of the restaurant tree.”

A meal at Vue de monde costs $360 per person, but Guide recommends more restaurants at all price points than ever before with 500 reviews and over 60 cuisines.

“For this year’s diners, money comes first, we’ve been conscious of directing people to experiences that are worth their time and money, whether they’re spending $50 or $500,” says Breheny. “It always matters if you get value for money and the experience to match the price.”

The Guide it also recognizes venues that respond to economic headwinds with creativity, flair and fun.

“Our The new restaurant of the year presented by Aurum Poultry Co. it’s emblematic of a trend where established restaurants are opening casual spinoffs,” says Breheny of Bar Olo, More Than a Bar from the team behind Scopri in Carlton.

“The Scopri team needed a place to take care of guests before or after reservations, but along the way they came up with an Italian wine bar that understands all the details: the staff is engaging, the drinks are great, the food is flexible. It’s a place that really meets the moment of what we’re looking for in Melbourne.”

This is the second year the guide has chosen a Critics’ Choice award for a restaurant that is loved by reviewers.

Danny’s Kopitiam in Glen Waverley has been recognized for its consistently enjoyable Malaysian food, served in a warm and simple setting by Danny Koh, who is believed to have served Melbourne’s first curry laksa.

“I’m thrilled that critics’ picks are getting pride of place,” says Rodell. “We love CBD grand openings, but what Melbourne does best and what makes it so special is the very specific, personality-driven places in the neighbourhoods. They are the places that make me feel the most positive and excited about Melbourne.”

The Good Food Guide for Age 2025with over 500 reviews, it’s on sale for $14.95 from newsstands, supermarkets and thestore.com.au.

The new Good Food app, with Good food guide reviews, recipes and food news, is now available for download. It is available as a standalone subscription and as part of our Premium Digital packages for subscribers. Premium Digital subscribers can download the Good Food app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now.