Australian Bartender | The 20th Annual Bartender Magazine Australian Bar Awards Finalists announced! The best bars, bartenders and operators are all here!

by and shared on nolasydney.com with the permission of

July 13, 2021

The Bar Awards in 2019 | Credit: Australian Bartender

It’s been a long wait. You, the Australian bar industry, have had your say over three months of voting (and a year’s hiatus), and now the results are in: these are the finalists for the 20th annual Bartender Magazine Australian Bar Awards.

These are strange times, that’s for sure, so we hope that this list of finalists (with 12 in most categories) brings a smile to many faces around the country.

The Bar Awards will take place on Tuesday the 21st of September this year at Doltone House, and is just one of the 30-plus events in store for Sydney Bar Week this year, which takes place from September 19th to 21st — click here to visit the barweek.com.au and check out the full timetable.

And if you’re a finalist in this year’s awards, you can book your tickets now, by simply clicking here and downloading the form. Tickets are exclusively available for sponsors and the bar trade. And if, for COVID-related reasons, the Bar Awards can’t go ahead, tickets will be fully refundable.

To all the finalists: congratulations! We’ll see you in September at the Bar Awards.

Bar Operator of the Year

Proudly sponsored by Uber Bar Tools

  • Alex Dowd & Jeremy Blackmore, Tio’s & Cantina OK!, NSW

  • Barrelhouse Group, NSW

  • Dimitri Rtshiladze, Foxtrot Unicorn, WA

  • Drunken Monkey Group, QLD

  • Jacob Goss, Rum Diary & Hooch, VIC/ Rum Diary Newcastle, NSW

  • Made in the Shade, VIC

  • Martin Lange, Cobbler, Death & Taxes, Savile Row, QLD

  • Natalie Ng, Door Knock, NSW

  • Speakeasy Group, NSW & VIC

  • Stefano Catino, Maybe Sammy, Sammy Jnr, Dean & Nancy on 22, NSW

  • Swillhouse, NSW

  • The Hospo Group Cairns, QLD

Cocktail List of the Year

Proudly sponsored by Moet Hennessy

  • Above Board, VIC

  • Byrdi, VIC

  • Cantina OK!, NSW

  • Death & Taxes, QLD

  • Double Deuce Lounge, NSW

  • Maybe Mae, SA

  • Maybe Sammy, NSW

  • Nick & Nora’s Melbourne, VIC

  • PS40, NSW

  • RE, NSW

  • The Cumberland Manly, NSW

  • The Everleigh, VIC

Cocktail Bar of the Year

Proudly sponsored by Moet Hennessy

  • Above Board, VIC

  • Black Pearl, VIC

  • Byrdi, VIC

  • Charlie Parker’s, NSW

  • PS40, NSW

  • The Everleigh, VIC

  • Maybe Mae, SA

  • Maybe Sammy, NSW

  • Apollonia, NSW

  • The Cumberland, NSW

  • RE, NSW

  • Romeo Lane, VIC

Bar of the Year

Proudly sponsored by Campari Australia

  • Bar Margaux, VIC

  • Beneath Driver Lane, VIC

  • Burrow Bar, NSW

  • Double Deuce Lounge, NSW

  • Fortunate Son, NSW

  • Foxtrot Unicorn, WA

  • Jangling Jacks, NSW

  • Memphis Slims, SA

  • Nick & Nora’s Melbourne

  • The Baxter Inn, NSW

  • The Duke of Clarence, NSW

  • The Gresham, QLD

New Bar of the Year

  • Apollonia, NSW

  • Bar Margaux, VIC

  • Dean & Nancy on 22, NSW

  • Double Deuce Lounge, NSW

  • Fortunate Son, NSW

  • Foxtrot Unicorn, WA

  • High Jinks, ACT

  • Nick & Nora’s Melbourne

  • Re, NSW

  • The Cumberland, NSW

  • The Gidley, NSW

  • Will’s at Coogee Pavilion, NSW

Rookie of the Year

Proudly sponsored by The Blend by Beam Suntory

  • Dane Solley, 18th Amendment Bar Ballarat, VIC

  • Edoardo Braci, Will’s at Coogee Pavilion, NSW

  • Fred Mundy, El Grotto, WA

  • Grace Rawlins, Memphis Slims House of Blues, SA

  • Jacob Ransom, NOLA Smokehouse & Bar, NSW

  • Jay Heart, Evolve Spirits Bar, TAS

  • Johnny Truong, Smoke & Oak, NT

  • Julie Restrepo, Hains & Co., SA

  • Kate Bartlett, Cobbler, QLD

  • Liam Gavin, Door Knock, NSW

  • Meg Litherland, PS40, NSW

  • Storm Evans, Cantina OK!, NSW

Best Sustainable Bar Program

Proudly sponsored by ecoSPIRITS

  • Births & Deaths, NSW

  • Byrdi, VIC

  • Charlie Parker, NSW

  • Ends & Means, VIC

  • Maybe Mae, SA

  • Re, NSW

Pub of the Year

  • Coogee Pavilion, NSW

  • Hats & Tatts, VIC

  • Imperial Hotel Erskineville, NSW

  • The Beresford, NSW

  • The Buena Vista Hotel, NSW

  • The Dolphin, NSW

  • The Eltham Hotel, Byron Bay, NSW

  • The Harbord Hotel, NSW

  • The Hotel Esplanade, VIC

  • The Lincoln, VIC

  • The Prince St Kilda, VIC

  • The Unicorn, NSW

Host of the Year

  • Ana Mitchell, 18th Amendment Bar Geelong, VIC

  • Carmen Ianni, Palmer & Co., NSW

  • Chau Tran, Burrow Bar, NSW

  • Daniel Hilton, The Lobo, NSW

  • Ethan Taitoko, Old Mate’s Place, NSW

  • Hayden Lambert, Above Board, VIC

  • Isabella Larcombe, High Jinks, ACT

  • Kayla Grigoriou, Bar Torino, SA

  • Olivia Rockwell, Continental Deli CBD, NSW

  • Pete Ehemann, The Cumberland, Manly, NSW

  • Stefano Catino, Maybe Sammy, NSW

Small Bar of the Year

  • Above Board, VIC

  • Bad Frankie, VIC

  • Bar Topa, NSW

  • Burrow Bar, NSW

  • Cantina OK!, NSW

  • Door Knock, NSW

  • Hooch & Fellow, QLD

  • Maker, QLD

  • Old Mate’s Place, NSW

  • Romeo Lane, VIC

  • Rosella’s, QLD

  • The Cumberland, NSW

Bar Manager of the Year

  • Damien Kos-Beckwith, 18th Amendment Bar, VIC

  • Emma Crisp, El Grotto, WA

  • Evan Stroeve, Re, NSW

  • Jacob Cohen, Savile Row, QLD

  • James Irvine, Four Pillars Laboratory, NSW

  • Kayla Reid, Nick & Nora’s Melbourne, VIC

  • Mary White, The Lobo, NSW

  • Noriel Calub, High Jinks, ACT

  • Ollie Howe, Mindil Beach Casino, NT

  • Petr Dvoracek, The Cumberland, NSW

  • Shirley Yeung, Fotrot Unicorn, WA

  • Steve McDermott, The Duke of Clarence, NSW

Regional Bar of the Year

  • 18th Amendment Bar Geelong, VIC

  • Births & Deaths Wollongong, NSW

  • Blue Kahunas Newcastle, NSW

  • Coal & Cedar Newcastle, NSW

  • Dulcie’s Cottage Merimbula, NSW

  • Flamingo’s Tiki Bar Cairns, QLD

  • High Jinks Canberra ACT

  • Hooch & Fellow Townsville QLD

  • Howlin’ Wolf Wollongong, NSW

  • Rosella’s Gold Coast, QLD

  • The Rum Diary Bar Newcastle, NSW

  • Three Wolves Cairns, QLD

Bar Team of the Year

Proudly sponsored by The Exchange

  • Above Board, VIC

  • Black Pearl, VIC

  • Burrow Bar, NSW

  • Cantina OK!, NSW

  • Door Knock, NSW

  • Double Deuce Lounge, NSW

  • Maybe Mae, SA

  • Maybe Sammy, NSW

  • Mechanics Institute, WA

  • Old Mate’s Place, NSW

  • Re, NSW

  • The 18th Amendment Bar Geelong, VIC

Best Specialty Beer Venue

Proudly sponsored by Young Henrys

  • Beer Mash, VIC

  • Bitter Phew, NSW

  • Bloodhound Corner Bar, QLD

  • Boilermaker House, VIC

  • Brewski Bar, QLD

  • Cookie, VIC

  • Frankie’s Pizza, NSW

  • Keg & Brew, NSW

  • Mr West, VIC

  • NOLA, SA

  • Petition Beer Corner, WA

  • The Local Taphouse, NSW

Brand Ambassador of the Year

Proudly sponsored by Bartender magazine

  • Alice Newport, Pernod Ricard

  • Brendan Scott Grey, The Exchange

  • Cameron Pirret, CCA

  • Garth Foster, Moet-Hennessy

  • Georgina Mann, Bacardi Martini Australia

  • Geraint David, Southtrade International

  • Grant Shearon, Brown-Forman

  • Hayley Dixon, Proximo Spirits

  • James Irvine, Four Pillars

  • Krystal Hart, Diageo

  • Luke Sanderson, Hendrick’s Gin

  • Ross Blainey, Glenfiddich & The Balvenie

  • Sai Merchant, Diplomatico Rum

  • Tristram Lilliburne-Fini, Campari Australia

Training Program of the Year

Proudly sponsored by Bartender magazine

  • Ananas

  • Campari Academy

  • Diageo Bar Academy

  • Fine Drinks Movement

  • Rums of the Caribbean by Bacardi Martini

  • The Blend/The Exchange by Beam Suntory & CCA

Hotel Bar of the Year

  • Bentley Bar at The Radisson, NSW

  • Evolve Spirts Bar at Macq01 Hotel, TAS

  • Flaggerdoot, Jackelope Hotel, VIC

  • Grain, Four Seasons, NSW

  • Hennessy Bar, Mayfair Hotel, SA

  • IXL Long Bar, Henry Jones Art Hotel, TAS

  • Lui Bar, The Rialto, VIC

  • Miss Moneypenny’s Broadbeach, Avani Hotel, QLD

  • Monster Kitchen & Bar, Ovolo Nishi, ACT

  • Rooftop Bar at QT, VIC

  • Shadow Wine Bar, The Alex, WA

  • Zeta Bar at Hilton Hotel, NSW

Tequila Bar of the Year

  • Barrio Cellar, NSW

  • Bodega Underground, VIC

  • Caballitos, WA

  • Cantina OK!, NSW

  • El Grotto, WA

  • Esteban, NSW

  • Hot Tamale, NT

  • Mamasita, VIC

  • Mejico, NSW

  • Mesa Verde, VIC

  • Pancho Villa, TAS

  • Tio’s Cerveceria, NSW

Whisky Bar of the Year

Proudly sponsored by Glenfiddich

  • Bar Lafayette, WA

  • Boilermaker House, VIC

  • Cobbler, QLD

  • Death & Taxes, QLD

  • Evolve Spirits Bar, TAS

  • NOLA Smokehouse & Bar, NSW

  • The Baxter Inn, NSW

  • The Doss House, NSW

  • The Elysian Whisky Bar, VIC

  • The Gresham, QLD

  • Varnish on King, WA

  • Whisky & Alement, VIC

Rum Bar of the Year

Proudly sponsored by Bacardi Rum

  • Burrow Bar, NSW

  • Flamingo’s Tiki Bar, QLD

  • Grandma’s, NSW

  • Hains & Co., SA

  • Hula Bula, WA

  • Jacoby’s Tiki Bar, NSW

  • Rude Boy, TAS

  • Rum Bar Airlie Beach, QLD

  • Sneaky Tony’s, WA

  • The Lobo, NSW

  • The Palm Royale, VIC

  • The Rum Diary Bar, VIC

Gin Bar of the Year

Proudly sponsored by FORDS gin

  • Bar Torino, SA

  • Covent Garden, QLD

  • Dutch Courage, QLD

  • Frisk, WA

  • Gin Lane, NSW

  • Gin Palace, VIC

  • Hains & Co, SA

  • Moya’s Juniper Lounge, NSW

  • Society Salamanca, TAS

  • The Barber Shop, NSW

  • Union Electric, VIC

  • W Churchill, WA

Restaurant Bar of the Year

  • Alberto’s Lounge, NSW

  • Bar Margaux, VIC

  • Big Poppa’s, NSW

  • Bistecca, NSW

  • Capitano, VIC

  • Continental Deli Bar & Bistro CBD, NSW

  • Dead Ringer, NSW

  • Long Chim, WA

  • Mjolner Sydney, NSW

  • NOLA Smokehouse & Bar, NSW

  • Restaurant Hubert, NSW

  • The Gidley, NSW

Best Live Music Venue

  • Beneath Driver Lane, VIC

  • Black Bear Lodge, QLD

  • Brooklyn Standard, QLD

  • Cherry Bar, VIC

  • Cry Baby Bar, SA

  • Donny’s Manly, NSW

  • Frankie’s Pizza, NSW

  • Lefty’s Music Hall, QLD

  • Memphis Slims House of Blues, SA

  • Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern, NSW

  • Shady Pines Saloon, NSW

  • Suzie Wong’s Good Time Bar, QLD

Best Bartenders’ Bar

Proudly sponsored by Jägermeister

  • Black Pearl, VIC

  • Brooklyn Standard, QLD

  • Cantina OK!, NSW

  • Cry Baby Bar, SA

  • Hats & Tatts, VIC

  • Heartbreaker, VIC

  • Howlin’ Wolf Wollongong, NSW

  • Mechanics Institute, WA

  • Old Mate’s Place, NSW

  • Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern, NSW

  • Shady Pines Saloon, NSW

  • Spleen, VIC

Wine Bar of the Year

Proudly sponsored by Unico Zelo

  • 10 William St, NSW

  • Annata, NSW

  • Arlechin, VIC

  • Bar Liberty, VIC

  • Bar Rochford, ACT

  • Big Poppa’s, NSW

  • City Wine Shop, VIC

  • Dear Sainte Eloise, NSW

  • Embla, VIC

  • Hellbound, SA

  • Poly, NSW

  • Willing Bros Wine Merchants, TAS

Bar of the Year State

  • ACT – High Jinks, Bar Rochford, Hippo Co., Molly

  • NSW – The Baxter Inn, Old Mate’s Place, Fortunate Son, Duke of Clarence, Jangling Jacks

  • NT – Hot Tamale, Snapper Rocks, Sandbar, Smoke & Oak

  • QLD – The Gresham, Cobbler, Alba Bar & Deli, Brooklyn Standard, Savile Row

  • SA – Memphis Slims House of Blues, Maybe Mae, Hains & Co, Bar Torino, Cry Baby

  • TAS – Rude Boy, Gold Bar, Evolve Spirits Bar

  • VIC – Bar Margaux, Bad Frankie, Black Pearl, Rum Diary Bar, Union Electric

  • WA – Mechanics Institute, Foxtrot Unicorn, Neon Palms, Varnish on King

Cocktail Bar of the Year State

  • ACT – Molly, Bar Rochford, Highball Express, High Jinks

  • NSW – Maybe Sammy, Charlie Parker’s, PS40, The Cumberland, Apollonia, Re, Burrow Bar, Double Deuce Lounge

  • NT – Smoke & Oak, Hot Tamale, Chow

  • QLD – Death & Taxes, Savile Row, Maker, Cielo Rooftop

  • SA – Maybe Mae, Hains & Co, Anchovy Bandit, Bar Torino

  • TAS – Evolve Spirits Bar, Void Bar @ MONA, The Story Bar, Rude Boy, IXL Long Bar

  • VIC – Byrdi, Above Board, Romeo Lane, The Everleigh, Eau de Vie Melbourne, Nick & Nora’s Melbourne

  • WA – Neon Palms, Bar Lafayette, Foxtrot Unicorn

Covid Hero Award

Proudly presented by ECOSpirits

  • COVID-19 EAD

    The Melbourne-based team, founded by Jason ‘Jackie’ Chan, have supported the hospitality community through COVID

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION

Proudly presented by William Grant & Sons

  • Natalie Ng, Door Knock

Read the original article on australianbartender.com.au