Zareh Named Gourmet Traveller Restaurant of the Year

Melbourne’s Armenian-Lebanese eatery Zareh was announced as Gourmet Traveller’s restaurant of the year in the 2026 awards ceremony held in Sydney. The accolade, traditionally dominated by European-style fine-dining venues such as Saint Peter, Attica, Orana and Quay, marks a shift toward more casual, multicultural concepts. Zareh opened in August 2025 and draws on the Armenian, Egyptian and Lebanese heritage of co-owners Tom Sarafian and Jinane Bou-Assi, featuring dishes such as aish baladi made with locally milled flour, Tasmanian lamb kafta nayyah and spanner-crab-topped hummus.

The Guardian

The Gourmet Traveller awards, now in their 60th year, have increasingly highlighted Australia’s migrant culinary history. Winners this year also included Beppi’s (Italian), Saadi (modern Indian) and Yiaga (best new restaurant). The ceremony’s speeches repeatedly referenced the contributions of immigrant chefs and restaurateurs to the nation’s food culture.

The Guardian

• Tom Sarafian – Co-owner of Zareh; grandson of the restaurant’s namesake.

The Guardian

• Jinane Bou-Assi – Co-owner of Zareh; instrumental in shaping the menu’s cross-cultural focus.

The Guardian

• Marc Polese – Owner of Beppi’s; highlighted immigrant contributions while accepting the “enduring excellence” award.

The Guardian

Sarafian described the win as “imposter syndrome” for a venue that is not fine dining, suggesting that Zareh represents a new, more casual approach that still handles food with excellence. Polese, receiving the enduring-excellence award, used his platform to salute the immigrants who have built Australia’s restaurant industry, noting recent political rhetoric that has targeted newcomers.

The Guardian

• “I guess it’s imposter syndrome because it’s not fine dining, but we may be part of the new sort of scene that handles food [just] as well … but a bit more casual in their approach,” — Tom Sarafian

The Guardian

• “We want to … show people Indian food is more than just a bowl of curry,” — Aditya Suresh

The Guardian

• “I came to Australia as an immigrant … As a kitchen hand, I was making $10 an hour, and that’s my beginning,” — Sam Young

The Guardian

These remarks, delivered during the awards ceremony, illustrate the personal immigrant journeys behind the celebrated establishments and underscore the broader cultural significance of Zareh’s achievement.

The Guardian