After a fiercely contested search for pastry prowess, one pie has risen above the rest in Ballarat’s beloved pie competition.

Flaky or crumbly? Chunky steak or classic beef? Potato-topped or chicken and leek? However you like yours, few Aussie staples inspire quite as much debate as the humble pie. And now, the arguments can finally be settled – at least in Ballarat, where the city’s iconic annual pie competition has returned for the whole month of August. 

Local judges have finger-licked their way through buttery pastry and oozy fillings to decide which flaky contender deserves the ultimate bragging rights of Ballarat’s Best Pie for 2026. One bake took out the upper crust after impressing judges with its pastry perfection and creative spin on familiar flavours. 

The official awards ceremony was held on Saturday 1 August 2026 at Itinerant Spirits, hosted by Tim Bone, MasterChef Australia semi-finalist, Good Chef Bad Chef co-host and judge for Ballarat’s Best Pie.  

And while the judges’ favourites are out, there is still an equally important title up for grabs. For the rest of August, 30 venues will showcase their very best pies to the public and compete for the title of People’s Choice Pie. So make sure to swing into Ballarat to fill your rumbling belly with the flakiest, tastiest pies and cast your own vote. And no, they’re not all beef. Spanning savoury to sweet, everyone will have a favourite. 

Ballarat’s Best Pie

Beating the entries of 29 other pie shops, The Shared Table‘s Sher Wagyu Reuben pie was crowned Ballarat’s Best Pie for 2026. Also snapping up top honours in the Best Savoury Pie category, this delicious parcel combines decadent braised wagyu with pastrami flavours, sauerkraut, cheese, dressing, and pickles in a rye-flour pastry, and is made with local produce.

“Delicious and surprising has been our motto since opening as we’ve always strived to serve fine food with a twist – mixing and matching many types of cuisines, often landing in fusions that surprise and delight our customers. That’s how our spin on the Reuben was born," explains Dianne Ray, owner of The Shared Table. 

Coming in a close second spot was Cookie Cult’s Struck Gold & It’s Sticky pie, available at Yellow Espresso, which also took home the Best Sweet Pie award. Third place was awarded to The Buninyong Hotel‘s Sri Lankan chicken curry pie – the result of a team of Sri Lankan-born chefs preparing a traditional dish from their homeland and serving it Aussie-style. 

Best Sweet Pie

Sugar addicts will be lining up at Yellow Espresso to try Cookie Cult‘s Struck Gold & It’s Sticky pie – the winner of the Best Sweet Pie category. The creation features a signature chocolate chip cookie base, soft sticky date pudding, vanilla custard, caramel sauce and honey glaze.  

Best Bakery Pie

Comfort food doesn’t get much better than Sovereign Hill’s slow-cooked blade steak pepper pie, which was awarded Ballarat’s Best Bakery Pie for 2026. Drawing inspiration from the 1850s goldfields, the slow-roasted brisket encased in a golden crust is rich, warming and packed with flavours. Try it for yourself at Hope Bakery at Sovereign Hill. 

Brilliantly Unexpected Pie

Butter puff pastry, salted palm sugar caramel, pandan cheesecake and coconut mochi come together to form Flying Chillie’s pandan flower pie – the winner of this year’s Brilliantly Unexpected Pie category. Drawing on Asian flavour profiles, this mouthwatering creation is available at The Salty Sparrow Cafe Ballarat. 

How to vote for People’s Choice Pie

Voting for the Ballarat People’s Choice Pie is open from 1 to 31 August and can be cast at the official Ballarat’s Best Pie voting page. Enter the draw to win a Ballarat escape valued at over $2000. 

While in Ballarat, discover the city’s old world charm with these 15 things to do, and book into our top picks of accommodation options.