The Edgy Veg Awards are back for 2026. Which dish will win our hearts?
If you think vegetables are boring, bland or only something you eat out of guilt, the Edgy Veg Awards 2026 would like a very polite (but firm) word with you.
Returning to the Macedon Ranges for the fifth year of vegetable-powered fun, and to Mount Alexander Shire for the second fabulous year, the Edgy Veg Awards in April is a month-long competition for the Most Vegelicious Dish, created by our talented local chefs.
Local cafés, restaurants, bars and pubs will throw down the gauntlet to prove that vegetables can be crave-worthy, indulgent and absolutely worth travelling for. This is not a food festival where you stand around clutching a paper plate. This is a full-scale culinary showdown.
Here’s how it works: local venues create a signature vegelicious dish featuring seasonal veg and compete for the coveted title of Most Vegelicious Dish. The twist? You decide the winner. Explore 29 venues from Maldon to Gisborne, taste your way through the region, and rate each dish for a chance to win prizes. Democracy has never tasted so good.
Expect everything from smoky, saucy comfort food to surprising fine-dining moments that will make you question your whole approach to cooking veggies. Even the most devoted carnivores have been known to mutter, “I could eat this again.”
This April, skip the cooking. Instead support your local venues and veggie farms far and wide by eating your way through the Edgy Veg Awards. Your tastebuds will thank you. Your favourite café might win. And vegetables? They’ll never be boring again.
Warning: side effects may include changed attitudes, full bellies and a sudden urge to order vegetables everywhere you go.
Plan your delicious Edgy Veg Trail now – visit edgyvegawards.com.au and Eat Well! Be Well!
Dates to put in your diaries
- Event Launch: 6:00pm, 25 March 2026 at Fook Shing, Kyneton (2025’s restaurant category winner in Macedon Ranges). Buy your tickets HERE: https://mrsg.org.au/shop/edgy-veg-launch-party for this incredible five course meal, trivia, games and photo booth.
- Competition runs all of April
- Find out who wins on May 12th
This project is delivered by Veg Action of the Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group and generously supported by Healthy Loddon Campaspe, Mount Alexander Shire Council and Macedon Ranges Shire Council, Bendigo Community Bank Gisborne & District, Snap Fitness Woodend and RT Edgar.
Event sponsors are thrilled to support Edgy Veg again in 2026.
Mount Alexander Shire Mayor, Toby Heydon said, "We’re proud to support the Edgy Veg Awards. 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.”
Macedon Ranges Shire Mayor, Kate Kendall said, "The Edgy Veg Awards celebrate what happens when local food, creativity, and health come together. We’re thrilled to back an initiative that encourages people to eat well while supporting local businesses, the farmers and producers in our own backyard. As a vegetarian myself, I'm excited!”
Healthy Loddon Campaspe Coordinator Kate Hardingham, says, “Strong local food systems are essential for healthy communities. Data from the Active Living Census tells us that residents in our region don’t eat enough vegetables, which is why initiatives like the Edgy Veg Awards that inspire fresh, seasonal, vegetable‑focused eating are so important. Healthy Loddon Campaspe is proud to support the Edgy Veg Awards to help celebrate and strengthen our regional food system.”
Kiera from Snap Fitness Woodend said, “We love sponsoring and supporting initiatives that bring our community together around health and positivity. The Edgy Veg Awards align perfectly with what we stand for at Snap Fitness Woodend."
Community Bank - Gisborne & District’s CEO Jo-Ann Irwin said, “Community Bank Gisborne & District is proud to support the Edgy Veg event through our community grants program and to see the lasting impact this funding has on its sustainability. This fun and flavour-filled initiative not only promotes healthy eating in an engaging and creative way but also celebrates the incredible local growers and food service businesses that make the Macedon Ranges such a vibrant and connected community.”
Jason York from RT Edgar says, “As a business rooted in the Macedon Ranges, we’re delighted to sponsor this celebration of vegetarian food and the amazing local restaurants that bring our community together. Events like this showcase the diversity, creativity and heart of our region — and we’re proud to support something that encourages connection, sustainability and local pride.”
Media contacts: print, online or radio
Claire Rowland, Veg Action at Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group [email protected] or 0412 565 722