NSW has taken home 12 Gold awards at the 2025 Restaurant & Catering Hostplus National Awards for Excellence.

Australia’s hospitality community gathered at Doltone House, Sydney, for the gala ceremony on 27 October 2025.

More than 450 industry guests attended the event, which honoured the restaurants, cafés and caterers setting the benchmark for quality, service, and consistency across the nation.

The 2025 Awards for Excellence recorded the highest number of nominations in R&CA history, with almost every state and territory's awards night selling out. The overwhelming response reflects the loyalty, passion, and pride of an industry that continues to grow stronger together.

The National Awards for Excellence celebrate achievement across more than 32 categories, with Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards presented to showcase the remarkable depth of skill and professionalism within the sector.

R&CA CEO Suresh Manickam said: “The 2025 Hostplus Awards for Excellence have been a defining moment for our industry. We’ve achieved record nominations, near sold-out events nationwide, and a national celebration that truly captured the heart of hospitality.

“These results reflect the loyalty, dedication, and talent that continue to drive our sector forward. We thank our partners, our members, and the R&CA team for their unwavering commitment to making these celebrations possible.”

The evening’s Major Award winners were:

  • Caterer of the Year – Doltone House Sydney Town Hall, Sydney (NSW)
  • Casual Dining of the Year – Italia Lane, Fortitude Valley (QLD)
  • Restaurant of the Year – Les Bistronomes, Campbell (ACT)

NSW took home 34 Gold, Silver and Bronze awards in total.

The NSW Gold award winners were:

  • Savoey, Darlinghurst (Asian Restaurant)
  • Bowery Lane, Sydney (Breakfast Restaurant)
  • Arrana, Springwood (Contemporary Australian Restaurant - Formal)
  • Hugos, Manly (Family Dining)
  • Delhi 'O' Delhi, Newtown (Indian Restaurant)
  • The Wine Room - Balgowlah RSL, Seaforth (Restaurant in a Pub/Club)
  • Porteño, Surry Hills (Steak Restaurant – Formal)
  • The Old Saltbush Restaurant, Broken Hill (Tourism Restaurant, pictured above)
  • Botanic House, Sydney (Vietnamese Restaurant)
  • Australian Turf Club - Randwick Racecourse, Randwick (Venue Caterer)
  • TWG - Singapore Airlines Sydney Lounge, Sydney (Corporate & Airline Lounge Caterer)
  • Doltone House Sydney Town Hall, Sydney (Wedding Caterer; Caterer of the Year).

The 2025 NSW Restaurant & Catering Hostplus Awards for Excellence were proudly supported by Destination NSW. The winners at the NSW awards went on to represent the state at the National Awards.