For the fourth consecutive year Ballarat’s Best Pie competition will return to the Victorian city throughout August.

In 2026 the hugely popular event will see 30 savoury and sweet pies be put in the spotlight at some of the city’s top restaurants, bakeries and cafes from August 1 to 31.

Included in the 2026 categories will be:

• Best savoury pie
• Best sweet pie
• Best bakery pie
• Brilliantly unexpected pie
• Pie with purpose
• People’s choice pie

The People’s Choice pie will be determined by public vote, with locals encouraged to cast  their vote during August. The winner will be announced in early September.

In 2025 the winners included Mrs Browne’s Bakes’ raspberry goldfields cookie pie at Naomi and I, which was awarded the 2025 Grand Prize Winner and Best Sweet Pie titles. The Peach and Portuguese custard pie at Lydiard General came in second while the Apple sty pie at Mondegreen Cafe was third.

The Best Savoury Pie and Brilliantly Unexpected Pie awards both went to Hotel Canberra’s Stables Cafe & Bar for their Lechon paksiw pie, and the Turret Bakehouse claimed Best Bakery Pie for their Beef rendang pie. Finally, the Pie with Purpose award was given to The Shared Table for their Feral Pie.