SINK YOUR TEETH IN AND VOTE FOR WA’S BEST STEAK SANDWICH

The Australian Hotels Association (WA) has officially opened voting for the 2026 AHA & Little Creatures WA’s Best Steak Sandwich competition.

This year, more than 40 Perth venues and 16 regional venues are putting their steak sandwiches to the ultimate taste test in WA’s most iconic culinary showdown, now in its 19^th year.

The high-stakes competition features two categories – Perth Metropolitan and Country WA – and culminates in an exciting live cook-off judged in front of peers by a panel of experts. Finalists are chosen through a combination of online public voting and mystery judge visits, with the top four from each division advancing to compete on stage.

Steak sandwiches are judged on meat tenderness, flavour, presentation, originality, sauces, value and sides, such as chips — and, in the words of AHA(WA) CEO Bradley Woods, their “fangability”.

“WA’s chefs are pulling out all the stops, and it’s up to diners, and our mystery tasting judges, to decide who makes the cut,” said Mr Woods.

“The Best Steak Sandwich competition celebrates the ultimate pub classic, and showcases the creativity, skill and passion that make WA’s hospitality scene so vibrant,” he added.

This year, the competition adds a tasty twist to the voting process. To keep it fair, diners must upload a photo of their steak sandwich or a copy of their purchase receipt. The image must clearly show the sandwich and/or the venue name and date of purchase – a simple way for fans to back their favourite local venue.

The contest can drive significant additional sales for participating venues, boosting their profile and attracting new customers.

Key dates

• Voting closes: 27 April 2026
• Finalist announced: Four in each category on 31 May 2026
• Winners revealed: At the live cook-off during Hospitality Expo — regional winner on 30 June 2026, metro winner on 1 July 2026

COUNTRY WA VENUES