By Vanessa Cavasinni, editor Australian Hotelier
Sydney’s pub community gathered on Monday night to toast the best of the business.
One week after the Time Out Melbourne Pub Awards, over 300 people gathered for the announcement of the Sydney award winners at Bank Hotel in Newtown.
The awards ranged from Best Pub Food (winner, The Erko) to Good Times Award (winner, The Imperial Erskineville). The major award of the night, Pub of the Year, was presented to Unicorn Hotel in Paddington.
Owners Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham were not expecting the win and had to be coerced onto the stage.
“We thought we lost everything, so we got pissed,” said Smyth when accepting the award.
Speaking to TheShout, Smyth said he was “utterly shocked” by the win.
“I cried off-stage, I was so overwhelmed. It’s an amazing thing to have our hard work and continued commitment recognised.”
There were two People’s Choice Awards, with The Lord Anson in Orange being named Best Regional Pub, and Time Out readers choosing Harts Pub in The Rocks as Best Pub for the second year in a row.
Harts Pub assistant manager, Gina Bolton, could not have been happier with the win, and said it came down to the team at the venue.
“We’ve got a great team of staff members that work hard to give great customer service and a warm welcoming attitude to our guests.
“Our approach is very relaxed and easy-going and I think that our customers really appreciate a friendly, reliable experience when they come in to Harts.”
The Time Out team bestowed the Legend Award on the Cricketer’s Arms in Surry Hills, with Time Out Australia CEO Michael Rodrigues stating, “This pub has barely changed in more than a decade because it’s the perfect reflection of both the neighbourhood and what’s best about Sydney.”
In the only person-specific award of the night, Amanda Verratti of Public House Petersham was named Publican of the Year.
"It all feels slightly surreal right now! I'm really proud of the community that we have built around Public House Petersham and being able to facilitate that has been really special. Just being nominated alongside everyone else in that category was humbling enough, to take it home is an amazing feeling.”
Verratti also told TheShout that the award was another step in affirming the position of women in the industry.
“It’s a really exciting time for the industry and in particular for women in hospitality. We need to recognise that it’s possible for women to build a career in the industry and we should all be supporting each other in achieving our personal goals. I feel honoured to have received this award and to be a part of such a thriving, inspirational time in the hospitality industry.”
The full list of winners can be found below.
Best Pub Food – The Erko
Best Beer List – Beer Deluxe
Pub Revival Award – East Village Sydney
Good Times Award – Imperial Hotel, Erskineville
Family-Friendly Award – The Newport
Dog-Friendly Award – The Carrington
Publican of the Year – Amanda Verratti, Public House Petersham
People’s Choice: Best Pub – Harts Pub
People’s Choice: Best Regional Pub – The Lord Anson
Legend Award – The Cricketers Arms, Surry Hills
Pub of the Year – The Unicorn