Subscribe 
Sitchu Awards 2026: Nominate Your Local Favourites & Win
It’s time to brag about your local. Nominate your favourite spots for the 2026 Sitchu Awards.
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 NSW, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, Western Australia, the ACT and Tasmania, we want to hear about 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. If it’s your go-to, it deserves a nomination.
Now it’s over to you, and if you need an extra nudge, you could win a $1,000* cash prize just for getting involved across nominations and voting. Nominations open October 4 until October 13, so scroll down and tell us about your favourites.
New to the Sitchu Awards? Meet past winners and more here.
Sitchu Awards 2026 Key Dates
Nominations: 4pm AEDT, October 4 to 11.59pm AEDT, October 13
Finalists announced and voting opens: 10am AEDT, October 23 to 11.59pm AEDT, November 4
Winners announced: November 25
Sitchu Awards 2026 Categories
This year’s ten categories celebrate the places we eat, drink, stay, shop and unwind.
To be eligible, businesses and venues must have been operating prior to 1 July, 2026.
Best Restaurant: The tables worth booking, from buzzy new openings to tried-and-true favourites that never miss.
Best Neighbourhood Bar: A glass of local vino, a crafted cocktail, or the easy hum of your favourite haunt.
Best Deli or Sandwich Spot: Where the sandwiches are stacked high, the flavours bold, and tomorrow’s cravings are guaranteed.
Best Coffee Spot: From perfectly pulled espresso shots to artisan brews, the cafes that get it right every single time.
Best Cafe or Bakery: The spots doing morning rituals right, from flaky pastries and fresh bakes to breakfasts worth lingering over.
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)
Best Boutique Hotel: Character-filled stays with beautiful details, thoughtful touches and a reason to stay a little longer.
(Boutique hotels under 100 rooms)
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.)
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.)
Best Health & Wellness Business: Fitness studios, treatments and wellness spaces helping us switch off, recharge and feel good in our own skin.
How to Nominate & Vote for the Sitchu Awards 2026
Choose your state or territory below and open the nomination form.
Nominate your favourites in as many categories as you like before nominations close on October 13.
Sitchu editors will count the nominations and curate the five finalists per category, per state or territory, announced on October 23.
Come back between October 23 and November 4 to vote for the winners.
To be eligible, the winner of the $1,000* cash prize must participate in both nominations and voting, and will be drawn and notified on or after November 5.
*Full terms and conditions, including eligibility of finalists and prize details, are available here.
Nominate Now
Nominations close at 11.59pm AEDT on October 13. Nominate your local favourite below.
Australian Capital Territory Nominations
Sitchu Awards 2026 Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, businesses are encouraged to share the Sitchu Awards 2026 nomination links with their customers and community. Winners are decided by public vote from October 23 to November 4, so rallying your regulars can make a real difference.
No, nominating for the Sitchu Awards 2026 is free. You can nominate your favourite local spots in any of the 10 categories before nominations close on October 13. Full eligibility details are available in the terms and conditions.
Nominations for the Sitchu Awards 2026 are open from October 4 to 13, 2026. Sitchu’s editors then determine five finalists per category, per state, announced on October 23. Public voting runs from October 23 to November 4, and winners and runners-up in each state will be announced on November 25, 2026.
There are 10 categories in the Sitchu Awards 2026: Best Restaurant, Best Neighbourhood Bar, Best Deli or Sandwich Spot, Best Coffee Spot, Best Cafe or Bakery, Best Small Town for a Weekend Escape, Best Boutique Hotel, Best Small Local Business – Lifestyle & Homewares, Best Small Local Business – Beauty & Fashion, and Best Health & Wellness. Four are new for 2026, and they replace the nine categories from 2025.
To nominate for the Sitchu Awards 2026, choose your state from the nomination links on this page and fill out the form. You can nominate local venues, businesses and destinations across the 10 categories in NSW, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, Western Australia, the ACT and Tasmania. Nominations close on October 13, 2026.
By taking part in the Sitchu Awards 2026, you could win $1,000 cash, paid straight into your bank account.
To go into the draw, there are two steps:
- Nominate: Submit at least one nomination between 4pm AEDT Sunday 4 October and 11:59pm AEDT Tuesday 13 October 2026.
- Vote: Vote for at least one finalist between 10am AEDT Friday 23 October and 11:59pm AEDT Wednesday 4 November 2026.
Use the same email address for your nomination and your vote. If you use different emails, your entries can’t be linked and won’t count.
Each eligible person gets one entry into the draw, no matter how many nominations or votes they submit. The winner will be drawn at random on or after Thursday 5 November 2026 and notified by email within 14 days. They’ll have 10 business days to respond and claim the prize.
Entry is open to The T&Cs say Australian residents aged 18 or over.. Full details are in the Sitchu Awards 2026 Terms & Conditions.
