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Victoria’s best new restaurants of 2026: Good Food Guide names 10 finalists

Critics expand shortlist after a bumper year for openings despite industry closures

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By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Sources2 outlets
Victoria’s restaurant scene endured a year of openings and closures, but critics say the quality of new venues was the strongest this decade, prompting The Age Good Food Guide to double its usual shortlist from five to 10 finalists for New Restaurant of the Year.

The Age Good Food Guide has named 10 finalists for its New Restaurant of the Year award, expanding the traditional five-venue shortlist after what it called the strongest year of new openings this decade.

In a year when every shiny new addition seemed matched by another venue turning out the lights, the guide’s critics said the quality among new openings was remarkable. The finalists include Roma, a tribute to Rome from Con Christopoulos, and Cote Basque, the latest from Andrew McConnell and Jo McGann, which brings Basque Country cooking to a favourite city dining room.

Also featured is Little Rose, chef Rosheen Kaul’s first restaurant as owner-chef. The guide said experienced restaurateurs poured decades of experience into heartfelt homages to the places that inspire them, from Rome to the Basque Country, and that the new venues together mark an exciting revival of the CBD that has been slowly building.

The expanded shortlist reflects how difficult critics found it to choose just five finalists in a year that mixed joy with industry pain, with a string of restaurant closures across Victoria recorded earlier in 2026.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The expanded shortlist signals a turning point for Melbourne dining after a year of high-profile closures, giving diners a curated list of venues worth watching.
  • The focus on owner-chefs and experienced hospitality figures reopening city dining rooms suggests a shift toward personal, character-driven restaurants.
  • The award outcome, announced when the Good Food Guide launches in October, could shape reservations and industry momentum into 2027.

Background

The Age Good Food Guide is an annual restaurant awards publication that traditionally names five finalists for New Restaurant of the Year. This year, critics decided that a five-strong list could not capture the strength of the Victorian opening scene. While 2026 saw constant churn, with openings matched by closures, the guide described the quality of newcomers as remarkable. The shortlist highlights a mix of high-concept and humble venues, many of them led by established names opening their own restaurants for the first time or reviving familiar city dining rooms.

Key Perspectives

Good Food Guide critics: They see the current crop of openings as the strongest of the decade, marked by confidence, craft and a return to personal projects such as Little Rose and Roma. Restaurateurs: Figures like Andrew McConnell and Jo McGann are betting on distinctive regional concepts, such as Basque grilling, to draw diners back to the city centre. Industry observers: The continued run of closures across Victoria is a reminder that strong openings are still happening against a difficult trading backdrop, and the guide’s optimism is tempered by those losses.

What to Watch

  • The Good Food Guide launch in October, when the New Restaurant of the Year winner is announced.
  • Whether the current pace of new openings continues into 2027 or softens under ongoing cost pressures.
  • How much the expanded shortlist influences diner traffic and reservations at the 10 finalists.

Sources

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Articles published under the Zotpaper byline are synthesized from multiple source publications by our AI editor and reviewed by our editorial process. Each story combines reporting from credible outlets to give readers a balanced, comprehensive view.

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