The Restaurant Pendolino from Sydney will join the national finalists for ‘Restaurant of the Year’ at the Restaurant & Catering Hostplus Awards for Excellence, following the completion of regional awards across Australia.
The Sydney establishment, which claimed the ‘NSW Restaurant of the Year – Sydney’ title at a record-breaking gala on 22 September, now faces competition from seven other state and territory winners for the national crown.
Joining Restaurant Pendolino in the prestigious category are:
- Les Bistronomes from Canberra (ACT)
- Arrana from Springwood (NSW Regional)
- Salsa Bar & Grill from Port Douglas (QLD North Queensland)
- Montrachet from Bowen Hills (QLD South East Queensland)
- Hentley Farm Restaurant from Seppeltsfield (SA)
- Donovans from St Kilda (VIC); and
- Blue Manna Bistro from Dunsborough (WA).
The national finalists represent the culmination of state-based awards, with NSW’s ceremony being the final regional event. More than 600 attendees gathered at Doltone House Sydney to celebrate the state’s hospitality excellence in what organisers called the largest NSW gathering in the program’s history.
NSW’s strong representation continues across multiple national categories. Doltone House Sydney Town Hall is among seven national finalists for Caterer of the Year, while the University of Sydney’s Forum Restaurant in Camperdown competes for Casual Dining of the Year alongside six other venues.
The diverse finalist field spans the country’s hospitality landscape, from Hanuman Restaurant in Alice Springs (NT) competing in Casual Dining of the Year, to speciality establishments like Tali Wiru at Ayers Rock Resort in Yulara (NT) in the Tourism Restaurant category.
Regional NSW venues feature prominently across categories, with establishments from Springwood, Newcastle, Merimbula, Broken Hill, and the Hunter Valley among national finalists. Sydney venues dominate speciality restaurant categories, including China Lane (Asian Restaurant), Kazan (Japanese Restaurant), and Porteño (Steak Restaurant – Formal).
The catering sector shows equally strong competition, with categories spanning corporate lounges to wedding venues. Singapore Airlines’ lounges across five major airports are finalists in the Corporate & Airline Lounge Caterer category, while education providers like Chartwells are featured multiple times across different institutions.
The awards program, representing more than 57,000 restaurants, cafés, and catering businesses nationwide, evaluates venues on comprehensive criteria including food quality, service standards, and overall dining experience.
National winners will be announced on 27 October 2025. The full list of finalists can be found here.
