Ranked: Geelong’s top 100 restaurants, bars and cafes revealed

The Addy has ranked Geelong’s best 100 restaurants and readers can now have their say. SEE THE LIST.

Abby Walter, Cam Ward, Lucy Crock and Sarah Bieske

less than 2 min read

October 17, 2024 - 6:00AM

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Osaka BBQ Torquay owner Allen Bo Li and owner chef Linson Shengmin Lin celebrate being in the top 10 of Geelong's best 100 restaurants. Picture: Alan Barber

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There is plenty of familiar fare on the Addy’s latest of our 100 top restaurants, which has been revealed today, but there is significant change too.

Geelong has not been immune from the continual pressures that the hospitality industry as a whole is confronting and this is reflected by something of a changing of the guard at the top of the tree.

The sublime Brae retains its place at No. 1, but three of last year’s top 10 are missing. While Aaron Turner has reimagined Igni (No. 2 in 2023) as robust northern Thailand barbecue eatery Songbird, both La Cachette (No. 4 in 2023) and Toki (No. 8) have closed their doors.

That has paved the way for a reshuffling in the top 10.

While a number of restaurants have remained, others are completely new to the list.

The highest debut is Torquay’s Samesyn (No. 4), which reopened in February after a seven-month makeover during which the restaurant’s entire approach to food and sustainability was reimagined.

Other newcomers include: Osaka BBQ (No. 5), the newest addition to Alex Yurong Pan’s stable that has taken over the Toki space in Gilbert St, Torquay; The Arborist (No. 6), the multi-level “hidden gem” in Little Malop St; Club Chin Chin (No. 8), the local year-long pop-up of the in-demand Melbourne restaurant that is located within GMHBA Stadium’s Joel Selwood Stand; Two Noble (No. 9), one of three distinct dining spaces now housed within Newtown’s historic Sawyers Arms Tavern; and Tarra (No. 10), which is one of the jewels inside Queenscliff’s striking new ferry terminal.

This year’s top 100 features more of a focus on restaurants, as opposed to cafes and bakeries catering primarily for the takeaway crowd. Among the notable exceptions is Cake Cult (No. 25), the after-dark dessert-only addition to the West End dining precinct.