Victoria’s best pubs and hotel food have been named at a prestigious awards night with venues in the regions taking home most of the top spots.
The AHA State Awards for Excellence took place at Crown Palladium in Melbourne on Monday night and included numerous categories for the best pub food, chef, cocktail list and parmigiana.
Pat Sheehan and Marilyn Bell from the Rising Sun Hotel Bendigo took out the 2024 Nikakis Benchmark Award, which was the most prestigious award of the night.
It recognises “sustained performance and commitment that serve as an inspiration to all in the industry”.
The Regional Overall Hotel of the Year was won by The Middle Hotel in Korumburra and beat out pubs in Echuca, Traralgon and Ballarat.
The equivalent award in metro Melbourne was taken out by the Notting Hill Hotel, lovingly known as “The Nott”, which also won best Retail Liquor Outlet.
The Middle Hotel in Korumburra also won a second prestigious award by scoring a perfect 100 per cent — The Parma of The Year.
Other finalists in the parmigiana category included the Albion Hotel in Kyneton, The Bay Hotel in Mornington, Fifth Province in St Kilda, Racecourse Hotel in Malvern East and Western Hotel in Ballarat.
Hotel Sorrento was named the Best Hotel Accommodation, while the best pub rooftop for the year went to South Melbourne’s Bells Hotel.
Paradise Valley Hotel in Clematis had the best cocktail list, according to the awards, recognising its creations such as the Caramilk Punch.
Chef of the Year was won by Rory Brown at Five Flags Hotel in Campbells Creek, Local Legend was taken out by Stewart McKinnon at the Barwon Heads Hotel and the Venue Manager of the Year was named as Matthew Connell at the Wharf Shed in Geelong.
The People’s Choice Award, voted by the general public, went to the much loved Star Hotel Sale.