A Maleny restaurant that prides itself on culinary creativity in Asian fusion flavours, a Mooloolaba Italian favourite and a pizzeria serving traditional fare on hand-stretched bases have been recognised nationally in awards celebrating Australia’s finest hospitality businesses.
The Tamarind Restaurant, at Spicers Tamarind Retreat in Maleny, has been named the National Winner of Best Restaurant in a Hotel/Resort at the 2023 Australia Restaurant and Catering Hostplus National Awards for Excellence.
It beat Bangalay Dining in the Bangalay Luxury Villas in Shoalhaven Heads (silver) and Harrisons Restaurant in the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort at Port Douglas (bronze) in the strongly contested category.
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Tamarind Restaurant also was honoured as Silver Runner-up for Best National Asian Restaurant (Raku, Canberra – gold; CHU Restaurant by China Doll, Rooty Hill, NSW – bronze).
In addition, at the awards held in Sydney on November 20, much-beloved Mooloolaba restaurant Bella Venezia was awarded bronze in the Italian Restaurant – Formal category. Sydney’s Pilu at Freshwater won gold and Melbourne’s Cecconi’s Flinders Lane took silver in the same category on the night.
In the Pizza Restaurant catergory, Verona Pizza and Wine Bar at Birtinya claimed the gold medal.
“Our Napoli-style pizza is hand-stretched by our pizzaiolo and topped with fresh, local ingredients paired with imported Italian ingredients, and cooked to perfection in our Valoriani oven,” its website says.
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Businesses across the restaurant, cafe and catering sector that had previously won awards in their respective categories at a state and territory level were formally recognised at the event.
The National Awards for Excellence are a highlight of the association’s calendar, celebrating the achievements of Australia’s finest hospitality businesses.
Set within a lush Blackall Range rainforest, The Tamarind Restaurant combines stylish dining with what it describes as “modern Asian with a Thai heart”.
The latest accolades for Tamarind Restaurant come after it scored 14 points in 2023 and 2022 in the Australian Good Food Guide.
“It is fantastic to be recognised by our peers in the hospitality industry as the best that Australia has to offer, and our extraordinary team, led by executive chef Daniel Jarrett, are to be congratulated for their ongoing dedication and culinary creativity,” Spicers Tamarind Retreat general manager Ryan Dillon said.
For the second year running, Bella Venezia – celebrating 40 years this year – claimed the coveted Bronze Award in the Formal Italian category, solidifying its standing among the nation’s culinary elite.
Bella Venezia director Kristine Young said the team was “immensely proud and honoured to receive the Bronze Award”, as the category was renowned for its stringent judging process, with anonymity and a comprehensive set of criteria defining the evaluation.
The honour was testament to the exceptional quality, innovation and consistency in delivering unparalleled dining experiences.
“This recognition reaffirms our team’s dedication to culinary artistry, service excellence, and our passion for presenting the true essence of Italian cuisine to our patrons,” she said.
See the full list of awardees here.
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