Some Italian institutions raised the bar; others took a tumble. There are exciting new entrants to the one-hat club. And Chris Lucas’ restaurants saw some fluctuations.
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The Age’s annual Good Food Guide Awards came with a mixed bag of emotions on Monday night. While Victoria’s most impressive restaurants revelled in their victories, others lost their coveted chef hats.
The three-hat club held steady with Amaru, Brae, Minamishima and Vue de Monde staying put, but there were several new entrants – and re-entrants – to its two-hat counterpart.
In the regions, Annie Smithers’ French farmhouse bistro Du Fermier upgraded from one to two hats, as ambitious Mornington Peninsula diner Barragunda made its Guide debut with two.
In the city, two Italian institutions were recognised for levelling up. After a flood-induced closure and refit that excluded it from review last year, power-lunch hotspot Caterina’s Cucina e Bar jumped from one hat to two, and Di Stasio Citta is dual-hatted once more (although its future is uncertain due to tax debts).
But with the wins came the losses. Mildura mainstay Stefano’s slipped from two hats to one, and a variety of single-hatted restaurants lost their accolades this reviewing season.
In the CBD, Filipino diner Askal, the Gippsland-centric Farmer’s Daughters and Mulberry Group frontrunner Hazel were all de-hatted. Elsewhere, solitary hats took a tumble at all-vegan hotel restaurant Lona Misa in South Yarra, Babaji’s Kerala Kitchen in the Yarra Valley and Pt. Leo Restaurant on the Mornington Peninsula.
“A shift in hats is normal, as longer-running restaurants perhaps see a turnover in key staff and a slip in standards, while those that are freshly opened throw everything into their new business,” said Emma Breheny, who co-edited the 2026 Guide with Frank Sweet.
Some Japanese players lifted their game this year, with intimate omakases Matsu and Warabi trading single hats for doubles, and kaiseki restaurant Tomo-An, a Guide debutant, freshly two-hatted. Others, including Komeyui and Uminono, didn’t hold on to their hats.
“This year, we were pleasantly surprised to see hats earned by a mix of long-standing restaurants and those that are two or three years old and maturing into well-oiled machines,” Sweet said.
A total of 136 chef’s hats were awarded last night – compared with last year’s 142 – which included an exciting cohort of diners entering the one-hatted ranks for the first time.
Among them, of course, were newcomers: Middle Eastern game-changer Zareh, Indian Crown-jewel Kolkata Cricket Club and Sri Lankan seafood import Ministry of Crab.
“A hat is a mark of distinction,” said Sweet. “It says: this venue is offering either exceptional food, really thoughtful or slick service, a unique atmosphere or a combination of all three – and the team are doing it consistently.”
There were also restaurants that opened in recent years and have now really hit their stride. Greek trendsetter Kafeneion went home with a hat, as did Korean trailblazer Doju, wine-bar wonder Brico and hilltop winery diner La Vetta, on the city’s northern fringe.
Rejoining the one-hatted brigade this year were a number of enduring favourites, including Anchovy and Tonka, both of which have been around for a decade or more.
“It’s not all about fine dining and flashy fit-outs,” Breheny said. “As critics, we’re asking whether a venue is delivering on its promise.”
Chris Lucas’ growing stable of restaurants experienced some significant ebbs and flows. The 80 Collins precinct took a hit. Splashy fine diner Society dropped from two hats to one, and the neighbouring Lillian Brasserie was de-toqued. Meanwhile, things are looking up on Flinders Lane, where Grill Americano regained its hat and Kisume returned to the Guide for the first time in six years with a hat. (Its Chef’s Table previously held a hat, but the Japanese restaurant was reviewed as a whole this year.)
“It’s our job to consider what expectations the average diner might have of a venue – whether it’s a neighbourhood pasta bar or a beautifully appointed bistro – and to tell our readers: you’ll be pleased or there’s a few kinks being ironed out here,” said Sweet.
Many hatted-restaurant have closed in the past 12 months and been removed from the Guide. Most prominently, the inimitable Tansy’s has shut after 42 years, alongside the 14-year-old Pinotta, as well as Gray & Gray, Saint George and Benyue Kitchen.
In other instances, hatted restaurants have shuttered so their teams could “flip” them, launching new dining concepts helmed by new chefs. Alta Trattoria is now Cantina Moro, Sunda is now Saadi, and Scott Pickett’s Audrey’s is soon to become Ember.
“It’s been a tumultuous year for restaurants, but we hope the next 12 months bring a little more relief in the cost of living and the cost of doing business so we can see our restaurants thrive,” said Breheny.
* Note: NEW denotes a venue that has opened in the past 12 months
A free 80-page Good Food Guide liftout with all the award winners and Critics’ Picks will be inserted in The Age on Tuesday, October 28.
The Good Food app is the home of the 2026 edition of the Good Food Guide, with more than 500 reviews. 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.
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