You beauty! Bangalow restaurant takes home top gong

BANGALOW’S You Beauty has claimed the prestigious regional restaurant of the year title at the Good Food Guide Awards, beating strong contenders across NSW.

Bar Heather and Raes Dining Room in Byron Bay were also finalists in the category, along with EXP. restaurant in the Hunter Valley and Humbug in Newcastle.

Critics praised You Beauty, which is helmed by sustainable chef Matt Stone, for its creative crocodile toast and rabbit rillettes and its use of local produce, including Jersey milk mozzarella from cheesemaker Debra Allard and peaches marinated in pandanus vinegar by wild-food forager Peter Hardwick.

Stone said lots of regular customers had been congratulating them on the win, bookings from new customers were strong, and staff were buzzing.

“It was a very, very lovely surprise for us all,” he said.

Stone said the fact that three Byron Shire restaurants were listed in the top five was a wonderful achievement for the region.

“The abundance of produce we have around us is amazing,” he said. “There’s such a variety of Australian native foods, tropical foods and artisan producers. It’s a phenomenal area for that and being a tourist area we are lucky enough to have visitors all the time.”

You Beauty’s sister venue, Italian eatery Ciao, Mate!, received a Critic’s Pick selection while The Eltham Hotel, which is also operated by the Mosey on Inn crew, which includes Stone, Matt Rabbidge and Luke Sullivan, also featured in the guide.

Bistro Livi in Murwillumbah and Pipit in Pottsville were recognised with two hats.

Other restaurants from the region listed included Harvest Newrybar, Friday’s Field at Nashua, Three Blue Ducks at The Farm in Ewingsdale, Moonlight in Byron Bay, La Casita and Roco Ramen in Brunswick Heads, No. 35 Kitchen and Bar and Paper Daisy at Cabarita Beach, and Shelter at Lennox Head.