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Melbourne fine diner Yiaga has won the Visa One to Watch award for 2026 from The 50 Best Restaurants less than 12 months after opening in Fitzroy Gardens.
Melbourne fine diner Yiaga has been named the winner of the Visa One to Watch award for 2026 by The 50 Best Restaurants. The announcement came today, less than 12 months after the restaurant opened in the heart of Melbourne's Fitzroy Gardens.
The award will be presented at a ceremony in Lima, Peru on November 4. The organisation, formerly called The World's 50 Best Restaurants, recently underwent a rebrand. The annual list and its awards, including this one, will be handed out at that event. Yiaga opened as chef-owner Allen's first restaurant as chef-owner.
It was a feat of ambition and design and teamwork, and from the very beginning it showed, despite Allen retaining his role as executive chef at a three-hatted restaurant. Yiaga was awarded three hats, making Allen the first Australian chef to hold three Good Food hats at two restaurants simultaneously. Three weeks ago, Allen became a father. The timing has been intense.
It has been hectic, a sleep-deprived Allen said, having been up all night with a newborn. But it is amazing to have this happen in our first year. The award, as described by the governing body, celebrates an emerging restaurant with exceptional potential to become a leading name in the industry in the years ahead. Yiaga is surrounded by greenery in East Melbourne's Fitzroy Gardens.
Past Winners Achieve Global Success
Past winners have included Barcelona's Disfrutar in 2017, which went on to be named The World's Best Restaurant 2024. California's SingleThread won in 2018 and has regularly appeared on both The World's 50 Best Restaurants and North America's 50 Best Restaurants lists. London's Ikoyi won in 2021 and was No.15 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants list last year. Sydney restaurant Sepia won the award in 2015.
Run by chef and owner Martin Benn and his partner and co-owner Vicki Wild, it then went on to debut at number 84 on the 51 to 100 long list. That same year Sepia was named. Yiaga stood out because it is a real love letter to Australia, says Rachael Hogg, senior content editor for The 50 Best Restaurants.
Australian Design Elevates Dining
The team seamlessly connects the food on the plate with the restaurant's natural surroundings, through to the restaurant's design, where Australian materials and local craftsmanship elevate every single touchpoint of the dining experience. Allen gives credit to his whole team for the achievement.
When he describes everything from the work ethic of his head chef, Michael McAuley, to the way the staff handles and cares for the precious pottery made specifically for certain dishes, the phrase treats it as if it were their own is repeated often. The expression labour of love comes up a lot, too, especially when referring to the many artisans who have contributed to the physical crafting of the restaurant.
Allen Expands Vision Beyond Yiaga
Those contributions range from the bricks that were hand-made to create the walls, to the chairs where customers sit. Allen also gives credit to the setting, calling Fitzroy Gardens one of the best parks in the world. Despite so much positive feedback and so many glowing accolades in such a short timeframe, Allen's ambition shows no signs of slowing. He has dreams of turning Yiaga into a hub of culinary learning and community.
We in no way think that what we are doing now is the be all and end all, he says. In 10 years' time, he says, he hopes he can look back at 2026 and say, that was cool, but what we are doing now is 10 times better.
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theage:Melbourne restaurant wins major global dining prize in its first year 
brisbanetimes:Melbourne restaurant wins major global dining prize in its first yearThis story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
Visa One To Watch Award The 50 Best Restaurants Melbourne Dining Fitzroy Gardens Melbourne Fine Dining
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