Ballarat’s Best Pie is back and BIGGER than ever!

More pies than ever, more awards than ever and more deliciousness than ever. Ballarat's Best Pie is back for thirds this August and you don't want to miss out.

Take your pick from 36 savoury and sweet pies at some of the city’s top bakeries, cafes, restaurants and bars.

With twists on traditional flavours through to ambitious creations, there’s sure to be a pie to satisfy all taste buds and palates.

The winners

Ballarat's Best Pie 2025

Grand prize: Mrs Browne Bakes’ raspberry goldfields cookie pie at Naomi & i

Second: Peach & Portuguese custard pie at Lydiard General

Third: Apple sty pie at Mondegreen Cafe

Best Savoury Pie

Lechon paksiw pie at Hotel Canberra’s Stables Cafe & Bar

Best Sweet Pie

Mrs Browne Bakes’ raspberry goldfields cookie pie at Naomi & i

Best Bakery Pie

Beef rendang pie at Turret Bakehouse

Brilliantly Unexpected Pie

Lechon paksiw pie at Hotel Canberra’s Stables Cafe & Bar

Pie with Purpose

Feral pie at The Shared Table

People's Choice Pie

To be decided by a public vote running until 31 August, with the winner announced in early September. Cast your vote and go into the draw to win a luxury Ballarat escape (or staycation!) valued at over $1500. The full terms and conditions can be found over at Visit Ballarat.

The judges

• Acclaimed Peruvian-born chef Alejandro Saravia
• Melbourne restaurant critic and presenter Kara Monssen
• MasterChef Australia semi-finalist and Good Chef Bad Chef co-host Tim Bone
• Esteemed food journalist Richard Cornish
• City of Ballarat Deputy Mayor Cr Ben Taylor

The awards

The 2025 Ballarat's Best Pie Awards were held on Saturday 2 August at Itinerant Spirits.

Each category winner was awarded a one-off hand-painted pie dish crafted by Ballarat's ceramics queen Shelby Sherritt.

Savoury pies

Sweet pies