Agnes shows its firepower to win Gourmet Traveller Australian Restaurant of the Year
Brisbane restaurant Agnes has taken out this year’s Gourmet Traveller Restaurant of the Year title, while Filipino favourite Serai in Melbourne won Best New Restaurant and Vue de Monde’s Hugh Allen scored Chef of the Year.
The much-lauded Brisbane venue is only the second Queensland restaurant in the 44 years the awards have been running to take the title.
The last Queensland restaurant to win was E’cco Bistro in 1997.
Agnes, which is hidden in a heritage building in Fortitude Valley’s backstreets, beat out top institutions including Sydney’s Aalia and Melbourne’s Etta.
“It is really lovely to be recognised because we do put our heart and soul into it and we work so hard to do our best for our customers,” Agnes co-owner Ty Simon said.
Agnes is unique in that it operates only on fire power and without gas or electricity.
Executive chef and co-owner Ben Williamson received enormous praise from the judges for the menu and service.
“It’s not only the artisan cooking style that makes Agnes noteworthy, the service team here is one of the best in the country, displaying expertise, enthusiasm and hospitality in equal measure,” Gourmet Traveller editor Joanna Hunkin said.
Simon put his staff firmly at the forefront of the restaurant’s success.
“The staff do so much to make our business great and hopefully with these kinds of awards they can see that all their hard work has been recognised,” he said.
For anyone wishing to taste its wares, Agnes will reopen on September 3.
Jonathan Jackson, 22nd August 2023
