Ballarat's Best Pie
Vote for your favourite pie — 36 sweet and savoury creations are going crust to crust throughout this month-long competition.
Overview
Consider yourself a pastry connoisseur? Don't miss the chance to help decide Ballarat's Best Pie, as this much-loved food event returns for its third year. Featuring 36 sweet and savoury creations produced by the city's most inventive chefs and bakers, several awards make sure the best of the best are properly recognised by filling fanatics.
Running from Friday, August 1–Sunday, August 31, there are seven categories in total, with some of the returning awards including Best Pie, Best Sweet Pie and Best Bakery Pie. The 2025 competition is also adding several new accolades, including the Pie with Purpose — awarding a low-waste, innovative or local produce approach — and the People's Choice Pie, where you're invited to cast your vote.
Heading up the judging is an esteemed panel featuring MasterChef Australia contestant and Ballarat local Tim Bone, and acclaimed food writer Richard Cornish. Joined by renowned cook, author and television presenter Julia Busuttil Nishimura as MC, they'll come together on Saturday, August 2, to hand out the top prizes. However, you'll have plenty more time to vote online or using the QR code at each venue.
Having become a veritable hub for top-notch baking and cuisine in general, Ballarat has a huge range of flaky goodness to explore. Some of the best might just include 1816 Bakehouse's butter chicken pie, the Aussie Oggie Pastry Co's prawn and scallop pie, and the limoncello meringue pie at Kilderkin Distillery. Plan your visit to the Central Highlands and see if the winners stand up to your scrutiny.
Information
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