EMBLA IS NAMED TIME OUT MELBOURNE’S RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Time Out Melbourne has announced the winners of its 2016 Food Awards, celebrating Melbourne’s best restaurants, cafés and food trucks across 14 categories. Russell Street wine bar and eatery Embla was named Restaurant of the Year during the lively awards event at The Cut Steakhouse in Alfred Place in the city. Embla beat off stiff competition from nine other top Melbourne restaurants to take out the main prize. The World Loves Melbourne is a huge fan of Embla.
It was also victorious in the category of Best Casual Dining Restaurant. “Embla represents everything that’s great about Melbourne dining right now,” said Time Out’s chief restaurant critic, Larissa Dubecki. “You can go to what is nominally a wine bar and be served a fabulous meal that doesn’t have to break the bank.
Chef of the Year went to Aaron Turner of Geelong destination restaurant Igni, which was also named Best Fine Dining Restaurant. At the other end of the dining spectrum the award for Best Cheap Eat went to Fitzroy Indian eatery Mukka, while Taiwanese snacksonwheels Ghost Kitchen took the prize for Best Food Truck.
Best Café went to Eltham’s Second Home, while in another sign of the times the People’s Choice Award: Best Restaurant (sponsored by OpenTable) went to Fitzroy vegan restaurant Smith & Daughters.
Time Out readers had the chance to vote in four People’s Choice Awards this year.
In addition to People’s Choice: Best Restaurant were three awards sponsored by Mastercard.
People’s Choice: Best Takeaway Lunch Spot was won by the George Calombaris chain Jimmy Grants. (Another family favourite of ours).
People’s Choice: Best Takeaway Coffee went to St Ali in South Melbourne and People’s Choice: Best Latenight Snack Vendor was the vegan franchise Lord of the Fries.
A new category, the Drinks Service Award, was added for 2016.
The award acknowledges innovative beverage service that complements restaurant food offerings, and was won by South Melbourne’s Lûmé.
The Time Out Legend Award was given to Ben Shewry, of famous Ripponlea restaurant Attica, for revitalising notions of Australian food and bringing it to an international audience. We say bravo! For us this is Melbourne's best dining experience.
The winners were revealed by host Sean Baxter at a night of celebration where top chefs rubbed shoulders with Time Out readers.
Over 300 Melburnians filled the new venue and they were served canapés and wines as well as beers by Young Henrys, Fever Tree gin & tonics, Cargo Crew badges and for those who stuck it out until the end they walked away with Friday Florista flowers.
Guests also danced the night away to classic vinyl tunes spun by DJ Mel Musu from The Rooks Return. These awards were made possible thanks to Mastercard, Hydrodol, OpenTable, Cargo Crew, Fever Tree and Young Henrys. All your booking, payment, hangover revival and fashion needs sorted.
FULL LIST OF NOMINEES AND WINNERS:
Restaurant of the Year
Attica
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
Embla WINNER
Estelle by Scott Pickett
French Saloon
Igni
Lee Ho Fook
Marion Wine Bar
Oakridge
Ôter
Chef of the Year
Ian Curley, French Saloon
Florent Gerardin, Ôter
Andrew McConnell, Marion Wine Bar
Aaron Turner, Igni WINNER
Dave Verheul, Embla
Best Fine Dining Restaurant
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
Ides
Igni WINNER
The Lakeside Mill
Matteo’s
Best Casual Dining Restaurant
Bar Liberty
Embla WINNER
Host
Marion Wine Bar
Tulum
Best Cheap Eat
Biggie Smalls
Dexter
Hawker Hall
Mukka WINNER
POW Kitchen
Hot Talent Award
Sushil Aryal, Cutler & Co
Jo Barrett, Oakridge WINNER
Natasha Burnett, Pei Modern
Stephen Clark, San Telmo
Zack Furst, Ides
Drinks Service Award
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
Ides
Lûmé WINNER
Pretty Mama
The Roving Marrow
Best Café
Bawa
Higher Ground
Left Field
Mammoth
Second Home WINNER
Best Food Truck
Billy van Creamy
Ghost Kitchen WINNER
Mr Burger
Smokin’ Barry’s
Taco Truck
Legend Award
Ben Shewry WINNER
MasterCard presents People’s Choice: Best Takeaway Lunch Spot
Jimmy Grants WINNER
MasterCard presents People’s Choice: Best Takeaway Coffee
St Ali WINNER
MasterCard presents People’s Choice Best: Latenight Snack Vendor
Lord of the Fries WINNER
OpenTable presents People’s Choice: Best Restaurant Award
Smith & Daughters WINNER
More detail: https://www.timeout.com/melbourne/restaurants/timeoutfoodawards