This year’s AHA NSW Awards for Excellence ‘Cheap Eat Meal Under $20’ category has exceeded expectations, with a slew of entrants battling it out for a spot in the finals.
While many pub-goers are concerned about rising costs, they still value their local pubs.
John Whelan, AHA NSW CEO said hotels are responding to this by providing cheap tasty meals for their patrons.
“These pub meals under $20 are great value – and it’s fantastic more than 35 pubs nominated their quality ‘Cheap eats’ meals for the AHA NSW Awards this year. Today, every dollar counts, and NSW pubs are working hard to produce restaurant quality meals for those on a tight budget,” he said.
Judges travelled across NSW to blind-taste meals, evaluating them on several criteria.
It wasn’t easy.
Eventually judges narrowed down the list to 15 finalists:
- Australian Hotel and Brewery – Rouse Hill
- Bellbird Hotel – Bellbird
- Bradford Hotel – Rutherford
- Bushrangers Bar and Brasserie – Largs
- Carousel Inn – Rooty Hill
- Clarendon Tavern – Clarendon
- Crown Hotel – Grafton
- Deepwater Hotel – Deepwater
- Five Islands Hotel – Cringila
- Great Northern Hotel – Teralba
- Imperial Hotel Coonabarabran – Coonabarabran
- Rutherford Hotel – Rutherford
- Shortland Hotel – Shortland
- Tahmoor Inn – Tahmoor
- The Coopers Hotel – Newtown
On 29 October, one of these pubs will be crowned NSW’s best pub for the best cheap eat meal (under $20) at a gala event at Royal Randwick Racecourse, Sydney.
A full list of finalists in all AHA NSW Awards for Excellence categories can be found here.