Celebrating the best bars and bartenders in Melbourne and Sydney, the nominees for the 2016 Time Out Bar Awards have been announced for both cities.
Winners across each of the categories – covering everything from party bars to bar food to new venues – will be revealed at the Awards ceremonies in their respective cities in December.
The awards are an institution in the bar industry with the Sydney gongs being given out for eight years now, while Melbourne’s version is relatively fresh at four years old.
According to Time Out Australia CEO Michael Rodrigues, the bars are put through their paces year on year to make sure that only the best make the cut.
“Each year the Time Out team secretly visit bars, give them a fresh review and nominate the best for our Awards,” he says. “The Awards are our way of saying thanks to the people and venues that keep [our] night-time culture vibrant.”
The top gong in each city is the coveted Bar of the Year trophy, while the People’s Choice Award hands voting to the public to choose the most popular bar of 2015 for each city.
“The Time Out Bar Awards pay tribute to the places we love to visit and the bartenders who shake up the best cocktails in town,” says Emily Lloyd-Tait, Time Out Sydney’s Bars and Pubs Editor. “The Awards are a celebration of the hard work the industry is putting in keeping [the] nightlife alive.”
The Bar Of The Year trophy and the Legend Award – for each city – will be announced on the night.
Voting for the People’s Choice award for both Sydney and Melbourne is open until Thursday 12 November, giving punters the chance to choose their favourite bar.
Melbourne nominees:
BEST NEW BAR
Arbory Bar and Eatery
Bar Exuberante
Boilermaker House
Heartbreaker
Union Electric
BEST WINE BAR
Bar Clarine
Bellota Wine Bar
Gerald’s Bar
Harry & Frankie
Smalls
BEST BAR FOOD
Bar di Stasio
Bellota
Hihou
Kirk’s Wine Bar
Le Bon Ton
BEST BARTENDER
Nathan Beasley – Black Pearl
Oscar Eastman – EDV
Michael Madrusan – The Everleigh
Jack Sotti – Boilermaker House
Nathan Taylor – Kodiak Club
BEST BAR TEAM
Black Pearl
Boilermaker House
EDV
The Everleigh
Romeo Lane
BEST COCKTAIL BAR
Bar Americano
Black Pearl
EDV
The Everleigh
Romeo Lane
BEST PARTY BAR
The Beaufort
Heartbreaker
Madame Brussels
The Mill House
Mr Wow’s Emporium
HOT TALENT AWARD
Wiremu Andrews, Smalls
Amelia Boot, Bad Frankie
Jenna Hemsworth, Lui Bar
Natalie Kerr, Lily Blacks
Luke Sanderson, Black Pearl
PEOPLE’S CHOICE
Arbory Bar and Eatery
Black Pearl
Boilermaker House
Bomba Rooftop
Boston Sub’s Jungle Boy
Doc Martin’s
Goldilocks
The Mill House
Polly
Union Electric
Sydney nominees:
BEST NEW BAR
Dead Ringer
The Old Clare Hotel
Rosie Campbell’s
Surly’s
This Must Be the Place
BEST COCKTAIL BAR
The Baxter Inn
Bulletin Place
Earl’s Juke Joint
Eau De Vie
Lobo Plantation
BEST WINE BAR
121 BC
Bentley Restaurant and Bar
Love Tilly Devine
Monopole
Wine Library
BEST NEIGHBOURHOOD BAR
The Bearded Tit
The Gretz
JB and Sons
Temperance Society
Wilhelmina’s
BEST BAR FOOD
Mary’s
Monopole
Rosie Campbell’s
Sokyo Lounge
Surly’s
BEST BARTENDER
Luke Ashton – TMBTP
Paige Aubort – Lobo Plantation
Bobby Carey – Earl’s Juke Joint
Tom Egerton – Eau De Vie
Jimmy Irvine – The Baxter Inn
BEST BAR TEAM
The Baxter Inn
Earl’s Juke Joint
Lobo Plantation
Papa Gede’s
The Rook
HOT TALENT AWARD
Shay Chamberlain – Bulletin Place
Rachelle Hair – The Baxter Inn
Nathan Pepper – Papa Gede’s
Freddy Rayfield – The Hazy Rose
Dale Schoon – Earl’s Juke Joint
THE PARTY STARTER AWARD
Astral People
Bad Deep
Motorik
One Day
Picnic
BEST PARTY BAR
Freda’s
Goro’s
Goodgod Small Club
Frankie’s Pizza by the Slice
Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern
PEOPLE’S CHOICE
The Barber Shop
Goros
Grain
The Hazy Rose
Lobo Plantation
O Bar and Dining
Papa Gedes
Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern
The Swinging Cat
Tokyo Bird
Melbourne: Monday 7 December at The Mill House in Flinders Lane.
Sydney: Sunday 6 December at Sky Terrace at the Star.
The 2016 edition of the Time Out Melbourne/Sydney Bar Guides will be launched in its respective cities at the award ceremonies.
Tickets to the awards night are available to the public.