It was golden in colour, with crusts on both top and bottom. It looked the way a good, old-fashioned pie should.

The Mallow Hotel has won the honour of creating Ballarat’s best pie for 2016, with Fairfax food writer Richard Cornish visiting town to judge all 20 entrants.

Mr Cornish said the Mallow’s stout slow braised beef and mustard pie served with stoemp mash and an apple witlof slaw was “beautifully made”.

“It came out looking like a winner, there was something about it,” he said.

Joint runner-ups were The Western Hotel and Sebastianns. Sovereign Hill was awarded best sweet pie, while Saltbush Kitchen received a special mention and Mitchell Harris won best local ingredient. Mr Cornish commended the entrants for their focus on local produce.

“There was a real emphasis on local growers for the beef, lamb, goat, mushroom. Everyone was really getting how important it is to local food culture,” he said.