News The Edgy Veg Awards 2026: Your autumn food adventure

Keen to discover a drool-worthy new side of the Macedon Ranges this April? Sample, score, and celebrate the creative plant-based dishes competing in the Edgy Veg Awards — and help decide this year’s Most Vegelicious winner! 🏆

If you’ve ever needed proof that vegetables can be the star of the show (not just a side), this is it!

The Edgy Veg Awards 2026 are returning to Victoria’s gloriously autumnal Macedon Ranges and Mount Alexander Shire this April, bringing a whole month full of creative, veggie-packed dishes to cafés, restaurants, pubs, and bars across the region. 

“We’re proud to support the Edgy Veg Awards,” says Mount Alexander Shire Mayor, Toby Heydon, of the event, which this year spans nine villages across Central Victoria. 

“They shine a light on the growers, chefs, and communities strengthening our local food system — and they champion the kind of vegetable-forward eating that supports better health for everyone.“

Not only that, but it’s also great way to get a taste for just how satisfying and diverse plant-based eating can be. If you haven’t already got the Edgy Veg Awards on your bingo board for the year, it may be time to find a date with your equally food-obsessed pals and cheekily squeeze it in!

So… what exactly are the Edgy Veg Awards?

Think of the Edgy Veg Awards as a choose-your-own-adventure food trail — with a generous dash of friendly competition between participating eateries — where you get to help decide the winning plant-based dish!

Running all through April, it’s a great excuse to eat your way through some of Central Victoria’s most charming and picturesque villages, all while supporting food that’s good for your health, the community, animals, and the environment. 

Across 29 venues dotted throughout the countryside, all the way from Maldon to Gisborne, talented local chefs are dreaming up veg-forward dishes designed to surprise, delight, and win over the hearts of even the most devoted meat-lovers.

Each venue puts forward a signature plant-based menu item in the hopes of winning the highly coveted title of Most Vegelicious Dish. But instead of leaving it to a panel of judges, the power is in your hands!

Diners hit the road, taste-test dishes, and score their favourites, turning the whole experience into a region-wide food adventure.

“The Edgy Veg Awards celebrate what happens when local food, creativity, and health come together,” says Macedon Ranges Shire Mayor, Kate Kendall.

“We’re thrilled to support an initiative that encourages people to eat well while supporting local businesses, farmers, and producers in our own backyard. As a vegetarian myself, I’m excited!” 

What veggie dishes are competing on the trail this year? 

As always, there’s a whole smorgasbord of incredible-looking dishes battling it out for the top spot this year. Expect everything from smoky, saucy comfort food to surprising fine-dining moments that will make you question your whole approach to cooking veggies. 

Saff’s Cafe in Castlemaine has put forward a delightful-looking Autumnal Okonomiyaki, complete with wasabi aioli and pickled ginger salad, Little Vic’s in Riddell’s Creek is serving up a cosy and colourful Roast Pumpkin and Pomegranate Pizza, and Maldon Bakery has entered their Berry and Rhubarb Pudding into the ring.

And that’s just a taste of what’s on the menu this year! Other tempting entrants include nourishing curries, creamy pastas, vegan takes on pub classics, and bold, flavoursome creations using only the freshest of seasonal, local produce. Check out the full list of competing dishes here.

How to join the Edgy Veg Awards shenanigans in 2026 🍁🌿🗺️

Getting involved is easy: Just map out your Edgy Veg trail, start tasting your way around the region, and score each dish online as you go.

The event runs all throughout April, so you have plenty of time to visit as many of the participating venues as possible. And it’s not just one of the competing dishes that has a shot at winning — there’s a Diner’s Prize Draw, too, which will be randomly drawn on the 12th of May. 

The more Edgy Veg dishes you rate, the better your chance of winning, so try to hit up as many spots as you can (not that this should take much convincing)! 

Ready to start plotting your Edgy Veg Awards adventure?

Whether you’re in it for the prizes, the dreamy countryside scenery, or the warm fuzzy feeling of supporting local growers and businesses — or simply eager to try some mouth-watering plant-based food — the Edgy Veg Trail is a delightful adventure to pop in your calendar this autumn.

Visit the Edgy Veg Awards website to explore venues, plan your dream route, and get all the delicious details.

Don’t be surprised if you come home with a few new favourite dishes — and a whole new take on what vegetables can do. Side effects may include unexpected new cravings, a full belly, and a sudden urge to order the plant-based option wherever you go!

The Edgy Veg Awards are proudly delivered by Veg Action of the Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group, which promotes plant-based food in the region. The event is also supported by amazing local sponsors: Healthy Loddon Campaspe, Mount Alexander Shire Council and Macedon Ranges Shire Council, Community Bank Gisborne & District, Snap Fitness Woodend, and RT Edgar.