Sydney venue The Baxter Inn has taken out Bar of the Year at the 2017 Australian Bar Awards.
Next-door neighbour The Barber Shop collected two gongs, for Gin of the Year as well as Bar Operator of the Year, which went to owner Mike Enright.
Also picking up awards were PS40 (Cocktail List of the Year), Eau de Vie (Hotel Bar of the Year), the Lobo Plantation (Rum Bar of the Year), The Dolphin (New Pub of the Year) and Big Poppa’s (Best Bartender’s Bar).
Merimbula’s Dulcie Cottage won Regional Bar of the Year and Tio’s Cerveceria took home the Phil Bayly Award for Tequila Bar of the Year.
Sydney bars won both new awards this year: Charlie Parker’s in Paddington took out the inaugural award for Best Sustainable Bar Program and Restaurant Hubert picked up Restaurant Bar of the Year.
Australian Bartender Magazine’s Bar Awards are the industry’s most respected independently run awards because winners are chosen by peers. Finalists were chosen after a round of public voting, but the overall winners were voted by their fellow finalists.
Daniel Gregory from Brisbane bar Canvas won Bartender of the Year, with New South Wales’ Jonothan Carr (Kittyhawk) and James Irvine (Swillhouse) in second and third place, respectively.
Australian Bartender Magazine Bar Awards 2017 Winners
Bartender of the Year
Winner: Daniel Gregory
2nd Place: Jonothan Carr
3rd Place: James Irvine
Bar of the Year – State Awards:
ACT: Highball Express
NSW: The Baxter Inn
NT: Lazy Susan’s
QLD: Cobbler
SA: Hains & Co
TAS: Salamanca
VIC: The Beaufort
WA: Mechanics Institute
Cocktail Bar of the Year – State Awards:
ACT: Bar Rochford
NSW: PS40
NT: The Pearl
QLD: Seymour’s Cocktails & Oysters
SA: Maybe Mae
TAS: Robbie Brown’s
VIC: Black Pearl
WA: Dominion League
Cocktail List of the Year:
PS40, Sydney
Rookie of the Year:
Ella Rhodes, Cobbler
Live Music Bar of the Year:
Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall, Brisbane
Bar Operator of the Year:
Jared Merlino, Sydney
Small Bar of the Year:
Bad Frankie, Melbourne
Wine Bar of the Year:
Embla, Melbourne
Outstanding Contribution Award:
Mike Enright (The Barber Shop)
New Bar of the Year:
Above Board, Melbourne
Hotel Bar of the Year:
Eau de Vie, Sydney
Cocktail Bar of the Year:
Black Pearl, Melbourne
Whisky Bar of the Year:
Whisky & Alement, Melbourne
Best Sustainable Bar Program:
Charlie Parker’s, Sydney
Rum Bar of the Year:
The Lobo Plantation, Sydney
Bar Team of the Year:
The Gresham, Brisbane
Bar Manager of the Year:
Dimitri Rtshiladze, Mechanics Institute
Nightclub of the Year:
The Emerson, Melbourne
Regional Bar of the Year:
Dulcie’s Cottage, Merimbula
Pub Operator of the Year:
Merivale
Best Bar Food:
Seymour’s Cocktails & Oysters, Brisbane
Training Program of the Year:
The Exchange/The Blend CCA & Beam Suntory
Brand Ambassador of the Year:
Samuel Ng, Four Pillars Gin
Restaurant Bar of the Year:
Restaurant Hubert, Sydney
Best Specialty Beer Venue:
Boilermaker House, Melbourne
New Pub of the Year:
The Dolphin, Sydney
The Phil Bayly Award for Tequila Bar of the Year:
Tio’s Cerveceria, Sydney
Gin of the Year:
The Barber Shop, Sydney
Best Bartender’s Bar:
Big Poppa’s, Sydney
Bar of the Year:
The Baxter Inn, Sydney
