The people have spoken! After a month filled with flaky pastry delights, Ballarat’s People’s Choice Pie has been crowned.
After a heated competition and thousands of public votes, the People’s Choice Pie for 2026 is Emma’s Bakery with its Meredith Dairy goat deluxe pie.
Taking second place is Mrs Browne Bakes with its Banana and honey miso caramel gold fever hand pie.
And in third place is Sovereign Hill with its Slow-cooked blade steak pepper pie.
Running across August, the 2026 edition of Ballarat’s Best Pie has been a major success. Thirty restaurants, bakeries, breweries and artisans across Ballarat lent their talents to the competition, resulting in over 23,000 pies sold and enjoyed throughout the month.
Blending regional produce with creativity and craft, this year’s line-up spanned everything from nostalgic comfort food to brilliantly unexpected interpretations, with several new entrants bringing fresh flavours to the trail.
Many venues recorded sell-out days and worked hard to keep up with the demand from locals and visitors alike.
The success and exposure served as an impressive show of support for Ballarat’s hospitality scene, encouraging locals to get out and about in winter and inspire visitors to venture out and see what makes the city so special.
Quote attributable to Hon. John Pandazopoulos, Tourism Midwest Victoria Chair
“Ballarat’s Best Pie has once again proven itself to be a drawcard for our region, with visitors planning entire day trips and weekend stays around their pie-itinerary.
It’s a fantastic example of how a simple, well executed idea can drive real visitation and economic value for Midwest Victoria, and we’re already looking forward to building on that success next year.
Congratulations to everyone who took part! The producers, chefs and venues whose creativity and hospitality made this campaign such a success.”
Quote attributable to City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Tracey Hargreaves
“Ballarat’s Best Pie brought our community together through a shared love of great food, with thousands of locals and visitors getting behind 30 outstanding pie creations throughout August.
The People’s Choice Pie is particularly special because it reflects the genuine enthusiasm of those who have visited venues, tried the pies, and cast their vote.
Congratulations to all participating venues for showcasing the incredible talent, creativity and local produce that make Ballarat’s food scene so unique.”
Media enquiries:
hello@tourismmidwestvic.com.au
Tourism Midwest Victoria