The Tattersalls Hotel team accepted the award before an audience of more than 1,200 industry peers and community leaders.

The prestigious event was held for the first time at the WINX Stand at Royal Randwick Racecourse, it celebrated hospitality excellence across 46 categories.

In addition to the main regional title, Tattersalls Hotel also won Individual Hotel Operator of the Year, Best Restaurant and Best Steak Sandwich.

Regional pubs took home silverware in a range of categories including crowd favourite -the People’s Choice Award – won by Bogan Gate Pub.

Regional Chef of the Year went to Crown Hotel Grafton’s Damien Duggan, while Best Regional Local was won by Hotel Gosford.

Best Live Music Venue was awarded to joint winners Drifter’s Wharf at Gosford and the Tourist Hotel, Queanbeyan, while the White Cliffs Hotel was named Best Bush Pub.

The Entrance Social Club took top honours for Best Regional Re-development and Tea Gardens Hotel won Best Traditional Pub Accommodation (under $130).

In the hotly contested food categories, regional pubs made their mark winning five of the top awards. Elanora Hotel, East Gosford won Best Steak, Country Club Hotel Tooleybuc took out Best Parmi, Fernhill Tavern Port Macquarie won Best Cheap Eat Meal (under $15) and The Prince of Merewether took the coveted title for Best Burger for the second year running.

Shortland Hotel was also among the regional winners taking the award for Best Draught Beer Quality while Tacking Point Tavern at Port Macquarie won Best Retail Liquor Outlet.

Regional hospitality staff also shone brightly at this year’s awards taking home the Industry Rising Star Award which went to the Headlands Hotel’s Tahlia Grant and Employee Excellence in Service was awarded to Camden Valley Inn’s Kayleigh Barnes.

Warilla Hotel took the gong for Best Sporting Entertainment, while Public House Albury won Best Marketing Activity.

Winners for Best Regional Casual Dining included Hotel Gosford (Northern) Central Hotel Shellharbour (Southern) and Imperial Hotel Coonabarabran (Western).

“The AHA NSW Awards for Excellence is a chance to come together and recognize the best in the business from outstanding operators to exceptional food and beverage offerings, accommodation, design and community engagement,” AHA NSW CEO John Whelan said.

“This year, the calibre of our finalists and winners has yet again proven the hospitality offering across NSW is nothing short of world-class.”

A full list of winners at this year’s AHA NSW Awards for Excellence can be found at www.ahaawardsnsw.com.au

Introduced in 2022, the special ‘People’s Choice Award’ gives members of the community a chance to get behind their favourite local pub by voting it the best in the state.

In 2022, with more than 10,000 total votes, country favourite the Collie Hotel took top honours, while this year pubs from Sydney to the Hunter, the Snowy Mountains, Parkes and just about everywhere in between have made the top twelve list of finalists.

The state’s most beloved watering hole will be crowned at the gala awards event to be held on Tuesday, 31 October at Royal Randwick Racecourse.

AHA NSW CEO John Whelan said it was great to see patrons getting behind their local pub and making their vote count.

“The introduction of this category last year proved incredibly popular – because people are extremely passionate about their local pub,” Mr Whelan said.

“With this award the public decides the winner, so I encourage everyone who loves their local to vote and let all of NSW know their pub is the best in the state.”

The current leading ‘people’s choice’ locals (in alphabetical order) are:

• Banjo Paterson Inn, Jindabyne
• Bogan Gate Pub, Bogan Gate
• Bull and Bush Hotel, Medowie
• Camellia Hotel, Rosehill
• Coachman Hotel Motel, Parkes
• Cooee Hotel, St Georges Basin
• Gerogery Hotel, Gerogery
• Lakeside Village Tavern, Raymond Terrace
• Lawrence Tavern, Lawrence
• The Bradford Hotel, Rutherford
• The Fiddler, Rouse Hill
• Wharf Bar, Manly

Voting in the “People’s Choice” category is now open. It ends at 11.59pm on Friday, 29 September 2023. All voters have the chance to win a prize.

The list includes 529 finalists across a record-breaking 46 categories, including the new Disability Inclusion and Access Award category.

Battling it out for the title of Metropolitan Hotel of the Year are nominees from Sydney such as The Light Brigade and The Riley to eastern suburbs pub the Coogee Bay Hotel and north-west favourites The Fiddler and The Duke of Dural (last year’s winner). Newcomer Willowdale Hotel, which opened in May this year, also made the list.

Contenders for Regional Hotel of the Year include Port Macquarie pubs Settlers Inn and Tacking Point Tavern, Hunter pubs Nags Head Hotel, The Prince of Merewether, Huntlee Tavern and The George Tavern, and further south, Central Hotel Shellharbour and The Warilla Hotel.

This year’s awards will be held on Tuesday, 31 October at Royal Randwick Racecourse.

“The AHA NSW Awards for Excellence is an opportunity to recognise excellence and innovation in the NSW hotel industry,” AHA NSW CEO John Whelan said.

“The calibre of finalists this year is the best we’ve seen.”

This year’s awards will also see a return of the People’s Choice Award with nominees from Sydney to the Hunter, the Snowy Mountains, Parkes and everywhere in between.

“The introduction of this category last year proved incredibly popular – because people are extremely passionate about their local pub,” Mr Whelan said.

“With this award the public decides the winner, so I encourage everyone who loves their local to vote and play a role in letting all of NSW know their pub is the best in the state.”