By Andy Young
Time Out Melbourne and Time Out Sydney have revealed the nominees for the 2017 Bar Awards, which celebrate the best bars and bartenders in each city.
Both cities have a total of 11 awards up for grabs but the awards do reflect the growing difference between the nightlife of the two cities. While the category of Best Party Bar has been retained for Melbourne, it has been removed from Sydney’s awards. Time Out said this reflected the vibrant and dynamic bar scene in Melbourne that continues to deliver great venues for dancing and mingling after-hours. However in Sydney the lockout laws have brought changes to the city’s drinking and dining scene, so while the Best Party Bar award has been removed, it have been replaced with Best Restaurant Bar.
Time Out’s National Food and Drink Editor, Emily Lloyd-Tait, said of Sydney: “Between the lockout laws, and changing customer demands businesses are having to get more creative in their offerings. The line between restaurants and bars has blurred to the point of non-distinction, and both kinds of establishments are benefiting from this.”
Speaking about the Melbourne awards, she added: “Melbourne continues to lead the country with its inventive bar scene. Melbourne venues exceed expectations in their food and cocktail offerings, while pushing an educational agenda that champions small local producers and home-grown talent.”
Nominees have been named for both cities in the Best New Bar, Best Wine Bar, Best Bartender, Best Cocktail Bar and Best Bar Team categories. In Sydney there are further nominations for Best Neighbourhood Bar, Best Restaurant Bar, while in Melbourne the additional categories are Best Bar Food and Best Party Bar.
Both cities also have Legend, Bar of the Year and People’s Choice Awards which will be revealed on the night, with no nominees announced. The People’s Choice is opened to Time Out readers who can vote via the Time Out Melbourne, or the Time Out Sydney websites.
Full list of nominees are:
Melbourne Bar Awards
Best New Bar
- Above Board
- Bar Liberty
- Bodega Underground
- Heartattack and Vine
- Loretta's
Best Cocktail Bar
- Bar Americano
- Black Pearl
- Eau de Vie
- The Everleigh
- Romeo Lane
Best Wine Bar
- Bar Liberty
- Embla
- Gerald's Bar
- Marion
- Smalls
Best Party Bar
- Cherry Bar
- Heartbreaker
- Hats and Tatts
- Lazerpig
- Leonard's House of Love
Best Bar Food
- Bar Lourinha
- The Beaufort
- Lûmé
- Loretta's
- Smalls
Bartender of the Year
- Trish Brew, Gin Palace
- Joe Jones, Romeo Lane
- Dave Molyneux, The Everleigh
- Serena O'Callaghan, Boston Sub's Jungle Boy
- Jack Sotti, Boilermaker House
Best Bar Team
- Black Pearl
- Boston Sub's Jungle Boy
- The Everleigh
- Romeo Lane
- Whisky and Alement
Hot Talent Award
- Cennon Hanson, Bad Frankie
- Hannah Lawson, Loretta's
- Andrea Marseglia, Boilermaker House
- Mel Musu, The Rooks Return
- Liana Oster, Bar Americano
Sydney Awards
Best New Bar
- Bibo
- Jangling Jack's
- Kittyhawk
- Leadbelly
- PS40
Best Cocktail Bar
- The Barber Shop
- The Baxter Inn
- Bulletin Place
- Earl's Juke Joint
- Eau de Vie
- Kittyhawk
- Lobo Plantation
- Papa Gede's
- PS40
- This Must Be The Place
Best Wine Bar
- 121 BC
- Bibo
- Dolphin Wine Room
- Love Tilly Devine
- Monopole
Best Neighbourhood Bar
- The Bearded Tit, Redfern
- Crooked Tailor, Castle Hill
- The Gretz, Enmore
- Leadbelly, Newtown
- Uncle Kurt's, Parramatta
Best Restaurant Bar
- Bar Brosé
- Big Poppa's
- Continental
- Dead Ringer
- Hubert
Best Bartender
- Michael Chiem, PS40
- Charlie Lehmann, Ramblin' Rascal Tavern
- Stuart Morrow, The Baxter Inn
- Mikey Nicolian, Continental
- Dre Walters, Kittyhawk
Best Bar Team
- The Baxter Inn
- Big Poppa's
- Eau de Vie
- Kittyhawk
- Ramblin' Rascal Tavern
Hot Talent Award
- Marcus Dullard, Continental
- Jemima McDonald, Earl's Juke Joint
- Zach Morgan, Bulletin Place
- Ryan Snedden, Lobo Plantation
- Evan Stroeve, Shady Pines Saloon