The nation's chefs and restaurateurs have chosen Melbourne's Attica as Australia's top restaurant, with Dan Hunter, from regional Victorian restaurant Brae, named as the country's top chef.
Australian Financial Review Top Restaurants, presented by Qantas, is the only awards in which chefs and restaurateurs from 500 venues across the nation voted for their favourite dining experiences.
The results, announced at a gala dinner at Sydney's The Star on Monday, whittled the 500 down to a list of the top 100 in the country. 
"I've never tried to be better than anyone else, I've always just tried to be a better version of myself," owner Ben Shewry said.
"It's not about the building, it's about the group of humans running the business," he said.
"When you receive an award you take a moment - one day - to think about it, then you work to reach another level. I judge success on being better than what I was 10 months ago."
Shewry said the diners that got the most out of an Attica experience were those who came with an open mind.
"When you come to Attica you come for an experience, you don't come for dinner and go to a show afterwards," he said.
Awards co-director Terry Durack said Shewry had built the idea of dining at Attica into a unique and personal experience.
"It's eccentric and sincere, with his passion for growing his own produce and for Australia's own native meats and plants shining through the entire philosophy," Mr Durack said.
Award co-director Jill Dupleix said the dining experience at Attica was full of surprises, interactive, deeply engaging, and very Melburnian.
"Ben Shewry risked all in 2015 by buying out his long-term partners at Attica and making it his own, so this is a great reward for taking that risk," Ms Dupleix said.
Brae chef Dan Hunter said chefs today had to be more than good technicians, they've got to be creative, team leaders with business acumen.
"You're open to criticism and public scrutiny," Mr Hunter said.
"Awards like this set the benchmark and shine a light on the hard work you do. But chefs are only one of many people that make a restaurant."
Addressing the Australia's Top Restaurants Business of Food Forum on Monday, Jason Atherton, the man behind 19 restaurants worldwide as part of the Social Group, said restaurants can't afford not to make money.
"Nobody wants to be as successful culinary-wise as me, but I had to put business first," Mr Atherton said.
"Gordon Ramsay said to me, the industry is a marathon, not a race. Being a top restaurant these days is not just about producing the best food."
Last year's Top Restaurants winner Sepia won the new award for Top Service Team, recognising the people who take great food and turn it into a memorable experience - for the right reasons.
Sepia co-owner Vicki Wild said good service starts from the welcome at the door and was about "reading the guests".
The People's Choice Award was won by Canberra's Asian streetfood diner, Akiba.
Africola was named best restaurant in South Australia, while in Western Australia that title went to Restaurant AmusÃ©.
Gerard's Bistro was voted best in Queensland, Franklin won in Tasmania and Monster Kitchen and Bar in the ACT.