A Hunter Valley restaurant has made Gourmet Traveller's annual shortlist of Australia's most exciting new culinary experiences.
EXP. restaurant is a finalist in the best destination dining category.
Frank Fawkner's hatted Pokolbin restaurant is up against Chauncy (Heathcote, Victoria), Elementary by Soul Co (Mt Gambier, South Australia), Nunu (Palm Cove, Queensland) and Wills Domain (Margaret River, Western Australia).
The winner will be announced on August 19 at a ceremony at Sydney restaurant, Catalina.
Finalists have also been named in the following categories: best new talent, best new restaurant, restaurant personality of the year, wine bar of the year and the readers' choice icon award.
Other awards presented on the evening will be the peer-voted chef of the year, outstanding contribution to hospitality, and the night's top award, restaurant of the year.
Gourmet Traveller editor Joanna Hunkin says the awards are more important than ever this year as the hospitality industry navigates a series of challenges.
"It's important we continue to lift up the industry and take time to celebrate these milestones and achievements," she said.
"There is no question 2024 is proving a tough year for hospitality, with many restaurateurs forced to make difficult decisions.
"At the same time, there are still plenty of success stories and new experiences to discover; the awards are here to remind Australians of the exceptional dining on offer across the country and to celebrate the joy of dining out."
Gourmet Traveller last year named EXP. restaurant as one of the top 25 restaurants in NSW, saying "chef-owner Frank Fawkner makes fearless moves at EXP... Ever picked a choux bun piped with taramasalata off a banksia cone or plucked honey-infused petits fours from a beeswax plate?"
Fawkner told the Newcastle Herald he and wife Emma were "stoked" to be finalists in the Gourmet Traveller 2025 Restaurant Awards.
"There are so many great restaurants to choose from. I guess we must be doing something right," he said, laughing.
"A destination dining venue is one where diners make a purposeful trip from afar to dine somewhere.
"We have repeat customers who drive from Sydney just to dine with us; some of them don't even stay in the Hunter, they dine with us and then drive straight back."
EXP. is hosting a seven-course dinner with M&J Becker Wines on Sunday, July 28. You can inspect the menu and book online at exprestaurant.com.au.
