SMAC AWARDS 2014..the nominees

It's that time of the year again, the SMAC Awards have just been announced and we're very proud to announce the finalists in the Best Eats category, which I had the honor of helping to curate this year:

Fredas

Chippendale and its gritty backdrop has proven itself to be a ‘watch this space’ pocket of inner Sydney in 2011/12. Part cocktail bar, part cafe, Freda’s is all good, presenting a happy mix of tasty food and booze, handled with a deft touch by a crew who know what they’re doing. You’ll most often find other like-minded hospitality people hanging here, which is always a good sign that there’s something special happening. A study in what a brave idea, executed with skill and good humour looks like.  Website

Cornersmith

Owners Alex Elliot-Howery and James Grant are tireless champions of doing things their way. From choosing a less than predictable location and making it work (despite the detractors), to pickling, curing, jamming and bottling their own products, there is a great deal of care in every aspect of how this business is run. The food experience is simple, honest and consistently high quality – and the extensive weekend queues prove it. Love them because good people doing great things with style and substance are what make eating out a pleasure. Website

Hartsyard

2012 has been a big year for Enmore Road. Old favourites have been joined by future classics such as Hartsyard, who have created an instantly warm, lived in and accessibly dynamic food experience in the inner west. Owners Gregory Llewellyn and Naomi Hart have managed to create the kind of place adored by locals and industry alike, thanks to a tasty mix of local producers (Young Henrys make their amber ale) and Americana cuisine, mixed with plenty of generosity and good humour. Website

Gelato Messina

As far as gelato goes, there are few in Australia who have done it better, longer and with more irreverence than Gelato Messina. From their humble Darlinghurst digs to a new Surry Hills outpost and a lab concocting snap-frozen craziness, Messina have created a holy trinity of time honored technique, unexpected flavour combinations and pop culture mastery, all served up in a little cup or cone. Website

Sixpenny

A restaurant where the kitchen is almost the same size as the dining room, where they grow a heap of their own produce and where the chefs help serve up the food? Not a predictable mix for a restaurant situated in Petersham, but it works. James Parry and Daniel Puskas have created their dream restaurant – dictated by the seasons, celebrating local produce and showcasing their combined culinary pedigree. Proof that talent and conviction is worth sitting up and paying attention to.