Two of the state’s most popular restaurants have taken out top honours in the annual Hostplus Restaurant & Catering Queensland and Northern Territory awards on Monday night.
Brisbane fine diner Montrachet in Bowen Hills won Restaurant of the Year in southeast Queensland, while Townsville’s Bridgewater Q scored the title for North Queensland.
SCROLL TO BOTTOM FOR FULL LIST OF WINNERS

Chef of the Year Tom Manvell with owner of southeast Queensland’s restaurant of the year Montrachet, Shannon Kellam. Picture: Josh Woning
“We are tremendously lucky to have so many absolute gems in the hospitality sector
spanning the width and breadth of the Sunshine State,” said R&CA boss Wes Lambert.
In what was a year like no other for the hospitality industry thanks to COVID, the awards proved an opportunity to recognise those who had made it through and the hard work it took to ensure they did.
Chef of the Year went to Montrachet’s Tom Manvell; while the Casual Dining of the Year award was claimed by Little Glass Room Espresso Bar in Brisbane’s Mount Gravatt, which also took out best cafe.
The Gambaro family brought home two gongs for best formal seafood restaurant for Gambaro Seafood in Petrie Terrace and best Formal Italian for Persone in Brisbane’s CBD; while Spicers Retreats also performed a double act, winning best Asian restaurant with The Balfour Kitchen in New Farm, and best fine dining for Homage in Granchester.

Homage in Grandchester, which took out best fine dining restaurant.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS
ASIAN RESTAURANT
The Balfour Kitchen – Spicers Balfour Hotel, New Farm
BREAKFAST RESTAURANT
PawPaw Café, East Brisbane
CAFÉ DINING
Little Glass Room Espresso Bar, Mount Gravatt
COFFEE SHOP
Room with Roses, Brisbane CBD
CONTEMPORARY AUSTRALIAN RESTAURANT – FORMAL
Bridgewater Q, South Townsville
CONTEMPORARY AUSTRALIAN RESTAURANT – INFORMAL – NORTH QUEENSLAND
Zinc, Port Douglas
CONTEMPORARY AUSTRALIAN RESTAURANT – INFORMAL – SEQ
Carmody’s Restaurant – Southport Sharks, Southport

Nicholas Stevenson, owner and manager Bakehouse, which won Best Steak Restaurant – Informal. Picture: Cordell Richardson
EUROPEAN RESTAURANT
Montrachet, Bowen Hills
FINE DINING RESTAURANT
Homage Restaurant – Spicers Hiddenvale, Grandchester
INDIAN/SUB-CONTINENT RESTAURANT
Indian Empire on Runaway Bay, Runaway Bay
ITALIAN RESTAURANT – FORMAL
Persone Italian Restaurant, Brisbane CBD
ITALIAN RESTAURANT – INFORMAL
Massimo Restaurant & Bar, Brisbane CBD
JAPANESE RESTAURANT
Kiyomi – The Star Gold Coast, Broadbeach
MEXICAN RESTAURANT
Hot Tamale, Darwin
MIDDLE EASTERN RESTAURANT
Taboon, Robina

Tim Johnson from Corbett & Claude which won Best Pizza Restaurant.
PIZZA RESTAURANT
Corbett & Claude, Brisbane CBD
RESTAURANT IN A CLUB/HOTEL/CASINO
Tamarind Restaurant – Pullman Reef Hotel, Cairns
RESTAURANT IN A WINERY
Oceanview Estate Winery and Restaurant, Oceanview
SEAFOOD RESTAURANT – FORMAL
Gambaro Seafood Restaurant, Petrie Terrace
SEAFOOD RESTAURANT – INFORMAL
Boardwalk Bistro on Hastings, Noosa Heads
SPECIALTY RESTAURANT
The Polish Place, North Tamborine Mountain
STEAK RESTAURANT – FORMAL
Moo Moo The Wine Bar & Grill, Broadbeach
STEAK RESTAURANT – INFORMAL
Bakehouse Steakhouse, Ipswich
THAI RESTAURANT
Jumbo Thai Restaurant & Bar, BRISBANE BDD
TOURISM RESTAURANT
The Waterline Restaurant at Keppel Bay Marina, Rosslyn Bay
WINE BAR/BREWERY & BOUTIQUE SPIRITS
Snapper Rocks Bar & Kitchen, Darwin
WEDDING CATERER
Blackbird Private Dining & Events, Brisbane CBD
HEALTHY KIDS MENU AWARD
The Waterline Restaurant at Keppel Bay Marina, Rosslyn Bay
APPRENTICE CHEF OF THE YEAR
Ryan Phipps – Mr Soy Boy, Cairns
CHEF OF THE YEAR
Tom Manvell – Montrachet
PRODUCT SUPPLIER
FoundU, MILTON

Project Tokyo won the Consumer Vote
CONSUMER VOTE
Project Tokyo, Mermaid Waters
HOSPO HEROES AWARDS
FRIGG Café & Catering, Labrador
PIVOT & INNOVATION AWARD
Comuna Cantina, Everton Park
The American Bourbon Bar & Grill, Springwood
Wine & Dine’m Catering, Woolloongabba
LIFETIME ACHIEVER
Jimmy Shu
CASUAL DINING OF THE YEAR
Little Glass Room Espresso Bar, Mount Gravatt
CATERER OF THE YEAR
Customs House, Brisbane CBD
RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
SEQ WINNER – Montrachet, Bowen Hills
NQ WINNER – Bridgewater Q, South Townsville
Originally published as Qld’s best restaurants revealed – the full list