South Australia’s Restaurant Botanic has taken out top honour at this year’s Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards, being crowned ‘Restaurant of the Year’ for 2023.
“There’s no question that Restaurant Botanic is a bravura performance,” says Gourmet Traveller editor Joanna Hunkin.
“It combines fun and adventure with polish and poise. Chef Justin James doesn’t attempt perfection but rather embraces the beauty of irregularity and nature, making the most of the restaurant’s iconic location and using the garden’s bounty to create something uniquely of its place.”
The country’s leading chefs and restaurant personalities came together to celebrate the annual awards, which are Australia’s longest-running restaurant awards and a highlight of the hospitality calendar.
Neil Perry, Shannon Martinez, Ben Shewry, Brigitte Haffner, and Andrew McConnell were amongst the top chefs to attend the event, which marked the first time the awards have been announced in person, following more than two years of Covid restrictions and disruptions.
In South Australia, Restaurant Botanic claimed both the state prize and was named Restaurant of the Year, while the creative duo behind Willunga wine bar Muni – Mug Chen and Chia Wu – were named Best New Talent.
See the full list of winners from the Gourmet Traveller 2023 Restaurant Awards here.
