Restaurants, bars and hospitality talent have been recognised at the 46th annual Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards.
Bistro Livi in Murwillumbah was named the NSW state winner for 2026, with the judges recognising the Northern Rivers restaurant’s close relationship with local producers and its inventive use of fermentation, pickling and preserving.
Gourmet Traveller said: “Boon Luck Farm torch ginger amps up silky braised eggplant, and charred bullhorn peppers are mellowed by earthy-sweet pumpkin seed sauce. Iluka mud crab salad is a masterclass in restraint, accented by radish, preserved lemon and a crown of laser-chopped chives, as is the Moreton Bay bug in piquant curry butter, and a blush-pink and smoky char-grilled lamb chop.
“Livi sets a regional dining standard that’s rarely matched.”
Sydney restaurant Beppi’s received the Enduring Excellence award, voted on by Gourmet Traveller readers. The Darlinghurst restaurant was founded by Beppi Polese in 1956 and has been serving classic Italian food for 70 years. It is now run by his son, Marc, who accepted the award on the night.
Gourmet Traveller said: “It’s unquestionably one of Australia’s most atmospheric dining rooms. You could be in Tuscany or Trieste.
“Don’t expect anything fancy or trendy. It’s resolutely traditional: zucchini flowers stuffed with ricotta, hearty osso bucco in puddles of red wine and polenta, veal saltimbocca, insalata caprese.
“Staff are dressed in suits and ties, the stereo plays Italian classics and there’s an air of old-world elegance that no modern designer or restaurant consultant could manufacture.”
Sydney hospitality figure “Big” Sam Young (above) took home the award for Restaurant Personality of the Year “for his distinctive approach to hospitality and the irreverent, generous spirit he brings” to S’more Bistro in Castlecrag and Young’s Palace in Potts Point.
Gourmet Traveller said: “There is no restaurant in Sydney quite like S’more, a curious little hideaway in a suburban strip mall featuring an amalgam of French and Chinese cuisines.
“Inside, the décor is so pared back you could be in someone’s university share house, but that’s a deliberate ploy to keep your focus on the food. Young modestly refers to the restaurant as ‘a local neighbourhood bistro’ but in reality it’s a carrier vessel for the high-end ingredients he and his business and life partner Grace Chen love to serve, such as their famous lobster mafaldine and slabs of wagyu.
“The twist? It’s all – relatively – affordably priced. The concept works; the dining room is routinely filled with everyone from North Shore families to food influencers to grey nomads who’ve driven in from outside the city.
“Young’s Palace is largely the same arrangement, but focused entirely on Western-friendly Chinese classics – spring rolls, kung pao chicken, honey king prawns – with a bit of blinged-up energy in the optional pre-orders such as live rock lobster omelette, or prawn crackers with caviar.”
Gourmet Traveller Editor David Meagher said the awards continue to showcase the people and the places shaping Australian dining.
"For 60 years, Gourmet Traveller has celebrated the people and places that define Australia's dining culture,” he said.
“This year's winners reflect the extraordinary depth of talent across the country - from emerging voices reshaping Australian dining to enduring institutions that continue to set the benchmark for hospitality. It's a privilege to recognise those who continue to inspire and elevate our industry."
Learn more here.
