After a fiercely contested search for pastry prowess, one pie has risen above the rest in Ballarat’s beloved pie competition.
Flaky or crumbly? Chunky steak or classic beef? Potato-topped or chicken and leek? However you like yours, few Aussie staples inspire quite as much debate as the humble pie. And now, the arguments can finally be settled – at least in Ballarat, where the city’s iconic annual pie competition has returned for the whole month of August.
Local judges have finger-licked their way through buttery pastry and oozy fillings to decide which flaky contender deserves the ultimate bragging rights of Ballarat’s Best Pie for 2026. One bake took out the upper crust after impressing judges with its pastry perfection and creative spin on familiar flavours.
The official awards ceremony was held on Saturday 1 August 2026 at Itinerant Spirits, hosted by Tim Bone, MasterChef Australia semi-finalist, Good Chef Bad Chef co-host and judge for Ballarat’s Best Pie.
And while the judges’ favourites are out, there is still an equally important title up for grabs. For the rest of August, 30 venues will showcase their very best pies to the public and compete for the title of People’s Choice Pie. So make sure to swing into Ballarat to fill your rumbling belly with the flakiest, tastiest pies and cast your own vote. And no, they’re not all beef. Spanning savoury to sweet, everyone will have a favourite.
Ballarat’s Best Pie
The Shared Table’s Sher Wagyu Reuben pie struck gold. (Credit: Chris McConville)
Beating the entries of 29 other pie shops, The Shared Table‘s Sher Wagyu Reuben pie was crowned Ballarat’s Best Pie for 2026. Also snapping up top honours in the Best Savoury Pie category, this delicious parcel combines decadent braised wagyu with pastrami flavours, sauerkraut, cheese, dressing, and pickles in a rye-flour pastry, and is made with local produce.
“Delicious and surprising has been our motto since opening as we’ve always strived to serve fine food with a twist – mixing and matching many types of cuisines, often landing in fusions that surprise and delight our customers. That’s how our spin on the Reuben was born," explains Dianne Ray, owner of The Shared Table.
Coming in a close second spot was Cookie Cult’s Struck Gold & It’s Sticky pie, available at Yellow Espresso, which also took home the Best Sweet Pie award. Third place was awarded to The Buninyong Hotel‘s Sri Lankan chicken curry pie – the result of a team of Sri Lankan-born chefs preparing a traditional dish from their homeland and serving it Aussie-style.
Best Sweet Pie
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Try Cookie Cult’s Struck Gold & It’s Sticky pie at Yellow Espresso. (Credit: Chris McConville)
The pie won 2nd place overall, as well as the best sweet pie category. (Credit: Chris McConville)
Sugar addicts will be lining up at Yellow Espresso to try Cookie Cult‘s Struck Gold & It’s Sticky pie – the winner of the Best Sweet Pie category. The creation features a signature chocolate chip cookie base, soft sticky date pudding, vanilla custard, caramel sauce and honey glaze.
Best Bakery Pie
This richly flavoured bake from Sovereign Hill is worth every crumb. (Credit: Chris McConville)
Comfort food doesn’t get much better than Sovereign Hill’s slow-cooked blade steak pepper pie, which was awarded Ballarat’s Best Bakery Pie for 2026. Drawing inspiration from the 1850s goldfields, the slow-roasted brisket encased in a golden crust is rich, warming and packed with flavours. Try it for yourself at Hope Bakery at Sovereign Hill.
Brilliantly Unexpected Pie
Flying Chillie’s pandan flower pie features Asian-inspired flavours. (Credit: Chris McConville)
Butter puff pastry, salted palm sugar caramel, pandan cheesecake and coconut mochi come together to form Flying Chillie’s pandan flower pie – the winner of this year’s Brilliantly Unexpected Pie category. Drawing on Asian flavour profiles, this mouthwatering creation is available at The Salty Sparrow Cafe Ballarat.
How to vote for People’s Choice Pie
Voting for the Ballarat People’s Choice Pie is open from 1 to 31 August and can be cast at the official Ballarat’s Best Pie voting page. Enter the draw to win a Ballarat escape valued at over $2000.
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Eleanor Edström is Australian Traveller’s Associate Editor. Previously a staff writer at Signature Luxury Travel & Style and Vacations & Travel magazines, she's a curious wordsmith with a penchant for conservation, adventure, the arts and design. She discovered her knack for storytelling much earlier, however – penning mermaid sagas in glitter ink at age seven. Proof that her spelling has since improved, she holds an honours degree in English and philosophy, and a French diploma from the University of Sydney. Off duty, you’ll find her pirouetting between Pilates and ballet classes, or testing her friends’ patience with increasingly obscure vocabulary.
From cycling and comedy to boating and begonia appreciation, there’s an event in regional Victoria that’s sure to have you circling dates on your calendar.
1. Festival of Sails
The Melbourne to Geelong passage race will be held for its 183rd year. (Image: Salty Dingo)
When: 24–26 January Where: Melbourne and Geelong
This five-day regatta of sailing and onshore entertainment at Geelong’s waterfront includes Australia’s oldest sporting event, the Melbourne to Geelong passage race which, in 2026, will be held for its 183rd year. But you don’t have to be a yachtie, sailor or boat-enthusiast to enjoy the nautical excitement; there’s also a three-day line-up of entertainment, food and live music, including the anchoring of tall ships – ever a firm family favourite.
2. Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
Catch the best cyclists as they wind through Victoria’s coastal towns. (Image: Visit Victoria)
When: 31 January – 1 February Where: The Bellarine Peninsula
Meandering (at pace) along the Bellarine Peninsula and the Surf Coast is this annual cycling event that welcomes everyone from families to serious athletes. Since its beginnings in 2015, the race has become a huge hit with spectators flocking along to cheer on Lycra-clad competitors. Starting and finishing in Geelong’s Velo Village, this is the hub of the non-race activity with food and drink, roaming performers, lawn games and face painting.
3. Riverboats Music Festival
The annual music festival is staged under majestic red gums by the Murray River.
When: 13–15 February Where: Echuca–Moama
Get along to bop and sway under the canopy of red gums at this annual music festival. Hosted by the twin towns of Echuca–Moama, the stage is set for Murray River-adjacent revelling as historic paddlesteamers peacefully chug alongside the event. As well as music, there’s dancing, food trucks and plenty of atmosphere to absorb.
4. Neerim ArtsFest
Admire stunning works at Neerim ArtsFest. (Image: Nicky Cawood)
When: 28 February – 15 March Where: Gippsland
This biennial Gippsland festival celebrates sculptural artists with an esteemed award in two categories, large outdoor and small indoor. The public is invited to enjoy the works over the exhibition period as they’re placed throughout Neerim South and surrounding venues. For 2026, the theme ‘The Spirit Soars’ leads artists to create stunning pieces that explore the expression of freedom in a thrilling visual capacity.
5. ChillOut Festival
Think colourful street parades and burlesque performances.
When: 5–9 March Where: Daylesford
Pride in the country has been cheered on every March in Daylesford since 1997 with the riotous annual LGBTQIA+ ChillOut Festival. This colourful regional spectacle is an inclusive celebration of diversity that plays out across a vibrant parade, burlesque performances, a bush dance and a carnival. Get bedazzled, find a wig and stick on the false eyelashes for this fun party.
6. Port Fairy Folk Festival
Celebrate folk music at the Port Fairy Folk Festival. (Image: Lucinda Goodwin)
When: 6–9 March Where: Port Fairy
In 2026, this beloved festival will be one year shy of its 50th anniversary. From folk fans to festival-lovers, this long-running event brings plenty of good vibes to guarantee an incredible experience. While music is at the heart of the festival, there’s also a range of workshops, exhibitions and family entertainment across dance, film and folk art. For its 49th year, the line-up so far includes Blair Dunlop, Elephant Sessions, and the musical duo Felicity Urquhart and Josh Cunningham.
7. The Ballarat Begonia Festival
Gasp at delicate blooms at The Ballarat Begonia Festival.
When: 7–9 March Where: Ballarat
In bloom since 1953, this horticultural event places a collection of rare begonias at the centre of festivities, honouring the flower’s presence in Ballarat since the 1800s. During its history, the event has been visited by Queen Elizabeth II and, in 2015, it featured the launch of the largest outdoor Lego flower. Apart from a display of around 500 species of the flower of the moment, there’s also a begonia parade, entertainment, live music, food and presentations.
8. The Bendigo Easter Festival
The majestic Chinese dragon Dai Gum Loong dance is an annual tradition at The Bendigo Easter Festival.
When: 3–6 April Where: Bendigo
Held in the city’s Rosalind Park, the annual Easter Festival has been a highlight of Bendigo’s calendar of events since 1871. A carnival of colourful activity, the festival welcomes everyone and rolls out the good times with everything from a Good Friday Easter egg hunt to live music and performances, a Rotary market and Gala Parade. Don’t miss the world’s longest imperial dragon rhythmically roaming the historic streets as part of the Easter Sunday festivities.
9. Grape Escape
Enjoy a wine tasting experience. (Image: Anthony Evans Photography)
When: 1–3 May Where: The Grampians
Backdropped by gorgeous Grampians/Gariwerd National Park, this much-loved bacchanalian-inspired festival of food, wine and music is a high-priority for gourmands. Held at Halls Gap Reserve, a Tasting Ticket includes a tumbler that unlocks free wine, beer and cider tastings and, if you are partaking, there’s a shuttle bus to get you back to your digs afterwards. Be sure to book your accommodation early for this one – its popularity is undisputed.
10. Comedy in the Vines
Get the good times rolling at Cherryhill Orchards. (Image: Saige Prime)
When: 24–26 October Where: Yarra Valley
The premise of Yarra Valley’s Comedy in the Vines, held at Cherryhill Orchards, is that wine and laughs pair well. Few arguments can be made, so get along this month (or next year), to have a giggle and a gamay. This year, taking the stage is the likes of Merrick Watts, Tommy Little, Ray O’Leary and Takashi Wakasugi. There are also masterclasses, a riesling and oyster shot bar, and plenty of food and music between gigs.
