Auckland modern Indian restaurant Cassia has been named the Supreme Winner of this year’s Metro Peugeot Restaurant of the Year Awards.
Owners Sid and Chand Sahrawat were presented with the award in front of an audience of Auckland’s most successful restaurant owners, chefs and special guests at the annual awards, held this evening at Shed 10 in Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour.
On top of the Supreme Winner award, Cassia was also named Best Smart Dining Restaurant and was a finalist for Restaurateur of the Year, Best Chef, Best Service, Best Wine List and Best Bar.
It is the first time Cassia has won the Supreme Award, since its entrance to the Top 50 last year with a runner up placing for Best New Restaurant and Best Chef, and inclusion in the Restaurateur of the Year category under Sid Sahrawat’s finalist nomination.
“Cassia stood out from the rest across all the factors we consider when judging,“ says Simon Wilson, Head Judge and Metro editor at large. “They’ve done extremely well to achieve this award.”
Cassia was named the winner of this year’s Mero Peugeot Restaurant of the Year Awards, succeeding Al Brown’s Depot.
Cassia succeeds Depot, which was the Supreme Award winner in 2015. Much-celebrated casual bistro Orphan’s Kitchen came in runner-up for the Supreme Award this year.
The Top 50 finalists, which were announced in March, were considered for six core category awards and 11 additional category awards, as well as the Supreme Winner award.
Among the restaurants that did notably well is new Ponsonby opening Saan, which took out the award for Best New Restaurant and Best New Fitout, was runner up for Best City Fringe Bistro and was also named as a finalist for Restaurateur of the Year and Best Chef.
“It’s fantastic to see newcomers to Auckland’s dining scene making such a strong impression from the moment they open,” says Simon Wilson. “For a first-time inclusion in the awards, this is a tremendous outcome.”
The Top 50 Restaurant of the Year booklet including the full list of winners will be on sale with the May issue of Metro magazine, from Tuesday 12th April 2016.
Other winning restaurants on the night included:
BEST FINE-DINING RESTAURANT
Merediths
Runners up: The French Cafe, The Grove
BEST SMART-DINING RESTAURANT
Cassia
Runner up: Cibo
BEST INNER-CITY BISTRO
Depot
Runner up: Odettes
BEST CITY-FRINGE BISTRO
Orphans Kitchen
Runners up (equal): Coco’s Cantina, Saan
BEST NEIGHBOURHOOD BISTRO
The Engine Room
Runner up: Cazador
BEST DESTINATION RESTAURANT
The Oyster Inn
Runner up: Casita Miro
