Best Pub Restaurant (Regional and Metropolitan)

Minimum Entrants
There must be a minimum of three entrants in a category for nominees to progress to the judging phase.

National Awards Eligibility
The winner of this category is eligible to enter the AHA National Awards.

Judging Costs
Venues progressing to judging in this category will be invoiced for the actual cost of the judging process.

About the Award
This award recognises excellence in hotels that provide a first-class dining experience through their restaurant offering.

To be eligible, the hotel must provide full table service for food and beverage and demonstrate a significantly high level of quality, with clear points of difference from a general bistro or casual dining venue.

Where an equivalent QR code ordering system is used, judging will continue to assess staff engagement, upselling and the expected level of interaction with customers.

Judging Process
Judging will assess the overall dining experience, including the venue, beverage offering, staff and service, menu and food.

What the Judges Will Assess
Venue

• Décor, design, ambience, atmosphere, lighting and comfort.
• Quality and presentation of the venue, including furniture, table settings, crockery, cutlery and glassware.
• Alignment with the local market and target clientele.
• Pricing relative to the local market, quality of the restaurant and overall dining experience.
• Hygiene and cleanliness throughout the venue, including restrooms.

Beverage

• Variety and quality of wines, including regional, Victorian and interstate selections.
• Variety of wines available by the glass.
• Variety of local and imported beers.
• Range of non-alcoholic beverages.
• Quality and usefulness of wine descriptions on the menu.

Staff and Service

• Quality of customer service and staff interactions.
• Staff presentation and professionalism.
• Knowledge of food, beverages and the ability to confidently recommend food and wine pairings.
• Efficiency of order taking, meal delivery and table clearing.
• Staff attentiveness, efficiency and discretion.
• Staff grooming and presentation.
• Knowledge of Responsible Service of Alcohol.
• Telephone technique and customer communication.

Menu

• Menu presentation and design.
• Seasonal variation and use of seasonal produce.
• Value for money.
• Integration and presentation of specials.

Food

• Pricing relative to the quality and overall dining experience.
• Presentation, innovation, accuracy and composition of dishes.
• Originality, selection and variety of the menu.
• Quality and consistency of dishes.