Paradise Bakehouse in Bundaberg, Queensland, has won the top prize in the Official Great Aussie Pie Competition for 2025, taking home gold for Australia's Best Meat Pie. The bakery, which recently expanded to three locations, also won the same award in 2023 and Best Gourmet Pie in 2021.
The four-day competition was held in Sydney at Fine Food Australia, with results announced live on Facebook. Paradise Bakehouse's Vietnamese owner, Lam Khong, was overcome with gratitude upon receiving the trophy. Co-owner Huyen Nguyen credited customers for the win, saying, 'We wouldn't have achieved first place without customer support.'
The bakery faced over 200 competitors and more than 1,500 entries. Nguyen noted that Lam has been perfecting his skills for nearly 11 years, learning recipes from his mother. The secret to their success remains a family secret.
Other winners included The Pie Father in Rosebery, New South Wales, which took second place. The Plain Sausage Roll category was won by Banana Boogie in South Australia, and the Gourmet Vegan Pie section was won by Mt Barker County Bakehouse in Western Australia with a Roasted Cauliflower, Black Truffle, and Provolone Cheese Pie.
A Beef Wellington pie, made by Jack's Café and Bakery, won the Most Innovative Pie category. Judges confirmed that no one fell ill after tasting it, a lighthearted reference to recent news about a fatal Beef Wellington incident.
