Australia's Top 100 Restaurants list unveiled - as voted by Australia's top chefs and restaurateurs

Gastrology bloggers attended the event courtesy of Qantas.

The Australian Financial Review’s Australia’s Top 100 Restaurants’ list has been revealed Monday, May 18 at Crown Melbourne, with Sydney’s Sepia taking the number one spot.

Martin Benn of Sepia Restaurant accepted the award for Top Chef

Australia’s Top Restaurants presented by Qantas and Vittoria Coffee was launched in February this year, with the full list of 500 finalist restaurants being compiled by a distinguished Australia-wide panel of Good Food Guide editors, reviewers and industry experts. This is the only national restaurant awards program of its kind which is decided solely by peer voting, with the restauranteurs and chefs of the Top 500 restaurants in the country voting on one another to decide the order of the Top 100 Restaurants. Further special awards were announced, with Sepia’s head chef and co-owner Martin Benn presented with Australia’s Top Chef, and Catalina NSW awarded the publically voted People’s Award.

Chef Ben Shewry of Attica Restaurant accepted the award for second best

Sepia, run by husband and wife team Martin Benn and Vicki Wild, pipped Melbourne superstar Ben Shewry’s Attica and Peter Gilmore’s Quay in Sydney. Together, they now form the top three restaurants in the country.

Chef Peter Gilmore of Quay Restaurant accepted the award for third best

The top 10 restaurants traditional rivals Victoria and New South Wales split honours evenly at five apiece.

Making all things possible and joining The Australian Financial Review’s Top Restaurants awards this year are two iconic Australian brands and supporters of excellence in Australian dining - Qantas and Vittoria Coffee.