Bendigo declared a ‘City of Gastronomy’ by UN

Bendigo has become the first Australian city to be declared a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, joining cities like Parma in Italy and Phuket in Thailand.

Sonia Anthony, owner of popular restaurant Masons of Bendigo, said the city has earned the title.

“There’s a whole range of different experiences around food and beverages,” she told 3AW’s Tom Elliott.

“I think it’s not just a day trip anymore, you can really take a number of days.”

And Masons of Bendigo’s signature dish?

“Very popular is the McIver Farm pork dish that we have. They’re based only 40 minutes from Bendigo and it’s the most incredible pork you’ve ever tasted!”

There are seven UNESCO Creative City categories, awarded for — gastronomy, music, literature, crafts and folk art, design, media arts, and film.

Melbourne was declared a UNESCO City of Literature in 2008.

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Image: Walter Bibikow