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Sitchu Awards 2026: Vote for Victoria’s Finalists For Your Chance to Win
Five finalists across ten categories, nominated by you. Now it’s time to back your favourites.
The Sitchu Awards celebrate the restaurants, bars, cafes, boutique hotels, small businesses, wellness spots and weekend escapes that have become part of how we live.
Across ten categories in Victoria, the 2026 finalists are in: five per category, curated by our editors from your nominations. They’re the places you keep going back to and can’t stop recommending, the ones you’d queue for, drive for or secretly want to gatekeep. You’ve helped shape the shortlist. Now you can help decide who takes home the title.
Voting runs from 10am AEDT on October 23 to 11.59pm AEDT on November 4. If you nominated earlier, vote with the same email address to go in the draw to win $1,000.* Scroll down to back your favourites.
New to the Sitchu Awards? Meet past winners and more here.
Sitchu Awards 2026 Key Dates
Finalists announced and voting opens: 10am AEDT, October 23
Voting closes: 11.59pm AEDT, November 4
Winners announced: November 25
Sitchu Awards 2026 Finalists in Victoria
This year’s ten categories celebrate the places we eat, drink, stay, shop and unwind.
Best Restaurant
The tables worth booking, from buzzy new openings to tried-and-true favourites that never miss.
Kadota Restaurant, Daylesford
Gimlet, Melbourne CBD
Julietta, South Yarra
Lexy Restaurant & Bar, Melbourne CBD
Serai, Melbourne CBD
Best Neighbourhood Bar
A glass of local vino, a crafted cocktail or the easy hum of your favourite haunt.
Da Bepi Bar, Brunswick
Neighbourhood Wine, Fitzroy North
Natural Science Wine & Liquor, Blackburn
Albert’s Wine Bar, Armadale
Gracie’s Wine Room, South Yarra
Best Deli or Sandwich Spot
Where the sandwiches are stacked high, the flavours bold and tomorrow’s cravings are guaranteed.
Hector’s Deli, Prahran, Carlton, Normandy Chambers, Little Collins, Fitzroy, South Melbourne & Richmond
Mr. Baller, Moorabbin
Baba’s Deli, Port Melbourne & Ivanhoe
Nico’s Deli, Fitzroy, Melbourne CBD, Brunswick East & Stamford
Stefanino Panino, Brunswick & Collingwood
Best Coffee Spot
From perfectly pulled espresso shots to artisan brews, the cafes that get it right every single time.
Patricia Coffee Brewers, Little Bourke St & Lonsdale St
Tone Coffee, Prahran & North Melbourne
Good Measure, Carlton
Market Lane Coffee, Fitzroy North, Melbourne CBD, Brunswick, Carlton, Prahran Market, Queen Vic Market, South Melbourne & Brunswick East
Standing Room Coffee, Carlton, Fitzroy, RMIT University & Melbourne School of Design
Best Cafe or Bakery
The spots doing morning rituals right, from flaky pastries and fresh bakes to breakfasts worth lingering over.
Baker Bleu, Cremorne, Caulfield North, Hawksburn & South Yarra
Lune Croissanterie, Armadale, Fitzroy & Melbourne CBD
Titch, South Melbourne
Bread Club, North Melbourne & Albert Park
Candied Bakery, Spotswood
Best Small Town for a Weekend Escape
Where country charm, good food and a change of pace make for the perfect weekend away.
(Australian towns with a population under 30,000 that provide distinctive travel experiences such as food, accommodation, activities)
Daylesford, Daylesford & Macedon Ranges
Castlemaine, Goldfields
Bright, High Country
Sorrento, Mornington Peninsula
Trentham, Daylesford & Macedon Ranges
Best Boutique Hotel
Character-filled stays with beautiful details, thoughtful touches and a reason to stay a little longer.
(Boutique hotels under 100 rooms)
Jackalope Hotel, Merricks North
Hotel Sorrento, Sorrento
Lake House, Daylesford
Surf Hotel, Torquay
Lancemore Milawa, Milawa
Best Small Local Business (Lifestyle & Homewares)
Independent names bringing personality to our homes, from considered pieces to those finds you’ll want to keep forever.
(Independently owned businesses, not part of a franchise, chain, or larger corporate group, operating from no more than three physical retail locations.)
La Luna Home & Gift, Collingwood
Pinky’s Store, Preston
Mr Kitly, Brunswick
The Hub General Store, Collingwood
Bungalow Trading Co, Brighton
Best Small Local Business (Beauty & Fashion)
The independent labels, boutiques and beauty businesses putting their own stamp on style.
(Independently owned businesses, not part of a franchise, chain, or larger corporate group, operating from no more than three physical retail locations.)
Obus, Northcote
Shine Skin & Body, Richmond
Stable, Albert Park
Variety Hour, Fitzroy
Somebuddy Loves You, Fitzroy
Best Health & Wellness Business
Fitness studios, treatments and wellness spaces helping us switch off, recharge and feel good in our own skin.
Sense of Self, Collingwood
Aalto & Tonic, Edithvale
Soak Bathhouse, South Yarra & South Melbourne
Inner Studio, Collingwood & South Yarra
Alba Thermal Springs & Spa, Mornington Peninsula
How to Vote in the Sitchu Awards 2026
Our editors have counted your nominations and curated five Victorian finalists in each category. Now it’s over to you.
Back your favourites using the voting form below. You can vote in as many categories as you like.
Use the same email you nominated with to complete your entry in the draw to win $1,000.* Entries made with different emails can’t be linked.
Get your votes in before 11.59pm AEDT on November 4.
Winners and runners-up will be announced on November 25.
The prize winner will be drawn on or after November 5. Full terms and conditions, including finalist eligibility and prize details, are available here.
Voting closes at 11.59pm AEDT on November 4.
Sitchu Awards 2026 Frequently Asked Questions
The Sitchu Awards 2026 feature 50 Victorian finalists across ten categories, celebrating the state’s best restaurants, neighbourhood bars, cafes, bakeries, boutique hotels, small businesses, wellness destinations and weekend escapes. The shortlist includes Melbourne favourites such as Gimlet, Hector’s Deli, Lune Croissanterie and Market Lane Coffee, alongside regional destinations including Jackalope Hotel, Lake House Daylesford and Alba Thermal Springs. Each category features five finalists selected by Sitchu editors from reader nominations. Explore the full Victorian shortlist above and vote for your favourites between 23 October and 4 November 2026.
The winners of the Sitchu Awards 2026 will be announced on Wednesday 25 November 2026, after voting closes at 11.59pm AEDT on Wednesday 4 November 2026. Winners will be revealed on the dedicated Sitchu Awards 2026 Victoria winners page, alongside runners-up and a short note on what makes each place worth the visit. Until voting closes, share the finalists with friends and back your favourites in every category. Subscribe to the Sitchu newsletter or follow Sitchu on Instagram to be among the first to know when the results go live.
To be eligible for the $1,000 cash prize, you must take part in both the nominations and the voting for the Sitchu Awards 2026. Nominations ran from 4 to 13 October 2026, and voting runs from 23 October to 4 November 2026. Use the same email address for both stages to ensure your entries can be linked. The winner will be drawn and notified on or after 5 November 2026. The Sitchu Awards are presented in partnership with Poco Vino. Full terms and conditions, including entry requirements and prize details, are available on the Sitchu Awards 2026 terms and conditions page, so check them before you vote.
Voting for the Sitchu Awards 2026 opens at 10am AEDT on Friday 23 October 2026, when the finalists are announced, and closes at 11.59pm AEDT on Wednesday 4 November 2026. You can vote on the Sitchu Awards 2026 Victoria finalists page by choosing your favourite finalist in each category. Nominations closed on 13 October 2026, so voting is your chance to back the places you love. Share the finalists with friends and rally behind your local picks before voting closes.
Sitchu editors counted every reader nomination submitted between 4 and 13 October 2026, then curated five finalists in each of the ten Victorian categories, so every finalist began as a reader recommendation. To be eligible, businesses and venues must have been operating prior to 1 July 2026. Some categories, including Best Small Town for a Weekend Escape, Best Boutique Hotel and the Best Small Local Business categories, carry additional eligibility criteria, which are outlined in the full Sitchu Awards 2026 terms and conditions.
