Zareh, a 40-seat Collingwood eatery open barely 12 months, named Gourmet Traveller's 2026 restaurant of the year

Gourmet Traveller named Melbourne's Zareh its 2026 restaurant of the year at a Sydney ceremony on 17 August. Co-owners Tom Sarafian and Jinane Bou-Assi opened the 40-seat Collingwood room in August 2025, serving Armenian, Egyptian and Lebanese dishes built on family heritage and Victorian produce. Past winners include Saint Peter, Attica and Quay. Sarafian called the restaurant "a love letter from us to Lebanon."