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SMH Good Food Guide 2026 Unveiled With Record Scope and Critics’ Picks

An awards night at Carriageworks confirmed new hats alongside top honors for venues across NSW and the ACT.

Overview

  • The 41st Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide launched at Carriageworks before a 500-strong industry crowd, marking the Guide’s largest edition with more than 600 independent reviews.
  • Pastry chef Lauren Eldridge was named Chef of the Year, with Corner 75 taking T2 Tea Restaurant of the Year, Eleven Barrack winning New Restaurant of the Year, and EXP. Restaurant named Regional Restaurant of the Year.
  • Three hats were awarded to Quay, Sixpenny, Oncore by Clare Smyth, and Saint Peter, reaffirming the Guide’s highest tier of excellence.
  • The digital-first Guide now lives in the Good Food app, which hosts the full review set and searchable collections, complemented by a free 80-page liftout featuring 115 Critics’ Picks.
  • Editors highlighted a shifting dining map with gains in the inner west and greater west, including Lidcombe’s first-ever hat, while several eastern suburbs venues lost hats, alongside expanded recognition for regional wine bars.