Melbourne restaurant wins major global dining prize in its first year

The award, as described by the governing body, “celebrates an emerging restaurant with exceptional potential to become a leading name in the industry in the years ahead”.

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Past winners have included Barcelona’s Disfrutar (2017), which went on to be named The World’s Best Restaurant 2024; California’s SingleThread (2018), which has regularly appeared on both The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and North America’s 50 Best Restaurants lists, and London’s Ikoyi (2021), which was No.15 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list last year.

Sydney restaurant Sepia won the award in 2015. Run by chef and owner Martin Benn and his partner and co-owner Vicki Wild, it then went on to debut at number 84 on the 51–100 (the long list). That same year Sepia was named The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2015 Restaurant of the Year.

“Yiaga stood out because it’s a real love letter to Australia,” says Rachael Hogg, senior content editor for The 50 Best Restaurants. “The team seamlessly connects the food on the plate with the restaurant’s natural surroundings, through to the restaurant’s design, where Australian materials and local craftsmanship elevate every single touchpoint of the dining experience.”