The annual Eat-Drink-Design Awards has announced the 2013 shortlist for eighty-one projects from across Australia and New Zealand. This initiative recognises design excellence in the hospitality arena, and is the only awards program in Australasia that celebrates the relationship between eating and drinking experiences and good design. There is no doubt Australian collective design efforts have previously focussed heavily on the residential sector – we all know that Australian architects & interiors designers know how to design beautiful homes really, really well – just check out any shortlist of previous design awards, and residential category is almost always the longest and strongest by far. Needless to say, it is really fantastic to see our hospitality sector maturing and realising the importance of good design, in line with the rest of the world. Clients are developing an appetite for sophisticated venues, and the industry as a whole is raising the bar and creating a benchmark of excellence in Australia. Love it.

This year’s judging panel brought together the expertise of the design and hospitality communities, including chef and restaurateur Christine Manfield, author and food writer John Birmingham, architect Domenic Alvaro, design writer Rachel Hurst and Cameron Bruhn of Architecture Media.

Here are just a few of my favourites. By the way, huge congratulations to all shortlisted entries. Gold stars from team Yellowtrace. Boom.

Prahran Hotel by Techne Architects. Photo by Peter Clarke.

Gazi by March Studio. Photo by Mark Ashkanasy.