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Michelin, schmichelin. Yes, it’s amazing news that Australia is now home to its first-ever Michelin Stars (nice one, SA), but we don’t need them to tell us how excellent Sydney’s dining scene is. We already know. That said, it’s still nice to get the international recognition we deserve. Enter, the Tatler Best Awards.
Now in its third edition, the Tatler Best Awards has named the 100 best restaurants in Asia-Pacific for 2026. Five Australian venues made the cut, including two right here in Sydney.
The final list was selected through a rigorous process involving more than 900 panellists across the region, bringing together seasoned critics, journalists and luxury travellers.
First up is Time Out Sydney fave Ester, a modern Australian restaurant in Chippendale anchored by a wood-fired oven by chef-owner Mat Lindsay. Speaking of Ester, the judges said: “A top dining destination in Sydney where global flavours shine.” The team recently opened a small wine bar, Pig Mary, also in Chippendale.
Saint Peter has also once again been named one of the best restaurants in the Asia-Pacific region. The fine-dining restaurant by chef Josh Niland takes a revolutionary approach to fish and seafood, using the whole creature and leaving almost nothing to waste. Case in point: a delicious coral trout consommé I had a few years back, featuring noodles made from the fish’s bones.
Of Saint Peter, the judges said: “A pioneer of sustainable seafood gastronomy in New South Wales”
Meanwhile, Melbourne’s legendary Cantonese institution Flower Drum was also named among the top 100 once again, while two Victorian venues made their Tatler Best Awards debut: Brae, Dan Hunter’s sustainable fine-dining destination set on an organic farm in Birregurra, and Embla, a beloved inner-city wine bar focused on wood-fired food.
Beyond the Top 100 rankings, the Tatler Best Awards unveiled 31 Best-in-Class winners, with Melbourne’s newly opened Yiaga named Best Design Restaurant in Asia-Pacific. This garden restaurant, helmed by Hugh Allen, the acclaimed executive chef of Vue de Monde, is well deserving of the crown.
Yiaga, an Indigenous word meaning ‘to seek and find’, is housed in a heritage 1908 pavilion in Melbourne’s Fitzroy Gardens. Inside, a continuous curved wall of 13,000 handmade terracotta tiles wraps the space in ochre warmth, while floor-to-ceiling glass offers views of the surrounding greenery. Diners have plenty of time to soak in the scenery as Allen’s tasting menu unfolds over multiple courses, showcasing Australia’s top-quality produce and native ingredients, paired with a wine list that is 70 per cent local.
You can check out the full list of the 100 best restaurants in Asia-Pacific here.
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