Congratulations to the winners of the 2025 Edgy Veg Awards

Published on 12 May 2025

The Edgy Veg Awards have just concluded for the fourth year in the Macedon Ranges and have now expanded to Mount Alexander Shire, with 46 incredible, inventive venues on board. This event is also the longest-running trail in Australia that celebrates delicious food made 100% from plants.

From Gisborne to Maldon, innovative and passionate local chefs and food venues have embraced the Edgy Veg Awards, serving up vegelicious dishes that are not only bursting with flavour but are also good for our health and the planet.

This year’s event once again highlighted the talent of our local culinary scene, celebrating our region’s charm as an autumn tourist destination, and showcasing the diversity of cuisine made 100% from plants – from pasties and scones to vibrant ceviche. In doing so, it boosted foot traffic to local eateries and lent vital support to struggling veggie growers, both locally and further afield.

With more than 750 scores cast for presentation, taste and likelihood of ordering the dish again, diners have praised the vegelicious flavours, the imaginative ingredients and creative presentation of the Edgy Veg competing dishes. Each region has been awarded separate prizes.

Who has been crowned Edgy Veg Award winners for 2025?

Mount Alexander Shire

The highest-scoring dish for the restaurant, pub and bar category was Shedshaker Brewing, for their “elegantly presented and impeccably cooked” Gnocchi alla Romana dish, which was also described by one reviewer as “so flavoursome, light and filling. So well presented. Delicious.”

Jacqueline from Shedshaker said: “We love Edgy Veg and plant-based food because it’s so good for you as a person and for the planet. It’s so future-focused and people should just eat more plant-based food!”

The Railway Hotel placed a close second in this category.

In the café category, a cake from Five Flags Merchant has taken the award, with their sumptuous Toby’s Chocolate Cake with Seasonal Fruit Compote. Perfectly capturing voter sentiment about the winning cake, one voter stated, “This cake is a winner. Melt in your mouth moist chocolate cake with beautifully piped frosting and delicious local fruit compote on the side. Very satisfying, filling and at the right level of sweetness. Well done.”

Five Flags Merchant’s Natasha said: “We want to thank everyone who voted for our plant-based chocolate cake. Toby and I are seriously delighted at this award. Five Flag Merchants is launching a new winter menu in a couple of weeks including some tasty plant-based dishes that we can’t wait to share with everyone!”

Togs café came a close second in this category.

Mount Alexander also introduced a new category of bakeries this year, with Maldon Bakery taking the Award for their delicious Curried Lentil and vegetable pie, that according to one voter had “so much flavour in the sauce and lentils and the pastry is perfect too”.

Maldon Bakery’s Celia said: “We’re so excited to win the Edgy Veg Award! And to be part of this event, showcasing the fabulous plant-based food of the local area!”

Event sponsors are thrilled by the outcomes of Edgy Veg in 2025.

Mount Alexander Shire Council's Mayor, Cr Rosie Annear, said: "The Edgy Veg Awards have been a fantastic success in Mount Alexander Shire, with our local venues showing that healthy, vegelicious food can be exciting, satisfying and full of flavour. It’s been wonderful to see our community and visitors alike embrace veggie-rich dishes that support both their health and local business. Congratulations to all the winners and participants!"

Alicia O’Brien, Coordinator, Healthy Loddon Campaspe said: “Healthy Loddon Campaspe was thrilled with the success of the 2025 Edgy Veg Awards, especially in their first year running in Mount Alexander Shire. It was a fantastic way to celebrate our local eateries, showcase our regional food system, and promote fresh, seasonal produce.”

The event is organised by Veg Action of the Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group.

Image: Edgy Veg 2025 winners from Shedshaker, Five Flag Merchants and Maldon Bakery, and Mayor Rosie Annear.

Photography by Tiffany Warner.