An ever changing guide to food & drink in Hobart

nipaluna / Hobart and surrounds

Here is a fairly comprehensive list of food & drink recommendations for this beaut city! I am a very food focused person so most relate to food but there’s also some activity and nature reccos thrown in there, too. I cannot vouch for everything on the list as some I haven’t yet managed to get to, but they’ve been endorsed by friends. I also imagine this will be an ever changing list when I can be bothered to add detail or when places close down… RIP Cygnet Port Cannery.

Aloft – STUNNING views of the Derwent. This place has elegant meals and is also vegan and vegetarian friendly. They usually have seasonal menus that change regularly. Book ahead.

Bar Wa Izakaya – Serving up ramen 7 days a week. These guys don’t joke around. Fresh ingredients, a good range of meal options.

Bear With Me – Classic breakfast or brunch spot. Lovely vibe among the team and the space is clean and fresh.

Blue Eye – An old school seafood joint where even if you don’t like seafood, there’s something for you.

Boodle Beasley – Great hang out spot in the beer garden. Good food options too (burgers, bao, stews, other bits n bobs).

Cascade Brewery – Gorgeous beer garden and fun to do the tour of the place if beer is your thing.

Criterion Café – A sweet little café with lots of classics. It’s in a nice location too, so go for a little jaunt around the surrounding streets.

Cyclo Vietnamese Restaurant - unfussy, fresh street food

Dana Eating House – Modern South-East Asian with great hospitality. They cater really well to vegans and vegetarians and have interesting drinks selection.

Dier Makr – They do fancy set menus. Local produce. Ever changing menu. Amazing, interesting, delicious food. Worth going for a special time but make sure to book in advance!

Farm Gate Markets – The Sunday markets are mostly fresh produce and food stalls. Bathurst Street is closed off and it’s a wonderful vibe, especially good on a beautiful day. Most stalls are specialised and sell their few specific goods, rather than a one stall shop all situation.

Fico – A European style restaurant that makes Tassie produce shine. It’s serving Nona’s kitchen and modern food all in the same breath.

Fish Frenzy – Casual and counter service restaurant. Local seafood that includes, but is not limited to: scallops, seafood platters, classic fish and chips. There is also a good wine and beer selection!

Ginger Brown – This is a South Hobart institution that serves breakfast and coffee. It’s a family friendly spot.

Hamlet – A social enterprise that offers training and community to those who need it. They do great food and make things like bread, cheese, and preserves on site. They also have a range of products on offer for gifts (condiments, cards, socks, and more).  

Hobart Brewing Company – Massive beer garden that has fire pits to keep you toasty. It offers local beers, local bands and local food trucks.

Kalbi – A Korean restaurant that is strongly recommended. They’re in North Hobart and reasonably priced.  

La Sardina Loca – Tapas, but the serving size of each dish is decent. Fun to go with a small party of people so you get to try lots of different things. This place is open late and can get rowdy on the weekend, with amazing cocktails on offer. It’s really consistently good.

Little Missy Patisserie – Absolutely incredible range of savoury and sweet treats. Tarts, pies, salads, slices, muffins, cakes, the list goes on. It is a very unassuming shopfront but when you walk inside, you’re met with a cabinet full to the brim of scrumptious looking food. It’s recommended that you bring your own Tupperware to make it cheaper! Perfect if you’re en route to a picnic.

Lucinda – A wine bar that does have some small yum snacks. Local, international, organic and natural wines.

Lupin – Amazing bruschetta and the bread in general is local and delicious. They also have fun wines.

Machine Laundry Café – Good, hearty breakfasts and you actually can get your laundry done there. This one is right in Salamanca but they have a couple of sister cafes too: Madame Clark’s (Kingston) and Plain Jane (Moonah).

Macquarie Street Foodstore – A sweet café that is a good spot if you have kids.

Me Wah – Amazing Tasmanian wine list. And the dim sum is also delicious.

New Sydney Hotel – This one is a Hobart institution, known for having the best Guinness in town, apparently! It has crispy pig’s ears, which aren’t for everyone but do sound like an experience. It has a big open fire and friendly people.

Peacock and Jones – This place is part of The Henry Jones Art Hotel (which is meant to be a really great hotel to stay). The food is sophisticated yet casual and they use local and seasonal produce. Probs best to book ahead for this one. 

Peppina – This is a fancy restaurant that is part of the newly developed Tasman Hotel. It is rustic, Northern Italian food by chef, Massimo Mele (if that means anything to you). Hard to get a booking but the bar can be a back-up option.

Pigeon Hole – A café that is fairly cosy, with breakfast offering as well as baked goods.

Pigeon Whole – This one has a W and is the bakery! This is a good place to stop before a walk/hike and stock up on bread, coffee, treats.

Pot Sticker Dumpling House – As the name suggests, dumplings!

Preachers – American style burgers. You eat them on an old bus and there’s also lots of outdoor seating. This is a good place to take kids/teenagers.

Room For a Pony – Great spot. Usually busy but there are heaps of places to sit so generally easy to get a meal. They do yum breakfasts and lunches, as well as pizza at night sometimes. This is in the heart of North Hobart.

Salamanca Markets (Saturdays) – A pretty tourist-y market in my opinion but something to experience, for sure. This one has mostly craft and food stalls, not produce. That’s what Farmgate on a Saturday is for!

Sisterhood – Café in Sandy Bay. Fresh and yum produce. Good flavour combos and range of meals, but not necessarily the biggest portion sizes.

Slaetzer-Dixon Wines – A winery in North Hobart. Really nice views of Hobart from the top of North Hobart, so go for a little gander around before stopping in here. Could even go to the Aquatic Centre for a pre wine swim?

Sonny – A tiny wine bar that doesn’t take reservations and generally fills up quickly. Small menu with homemade pasta and other yum little bites.

Souv Road – Souvlaki! Restaurant open only at night.

Story Bar – At the base of MACq 01 hotel, the setting is idyllic along the water. Good for a pre-dinner snack and drink.

Sunbear – A really cosy café that does good coffee and good food. A fairly small menu that often changes and offers things like toasties, salads and combos of yummy things.

Suzie Luck’s – South-East Asian food with imaginative takes on traditional dishes.

Stefano Lubiana Winery (on the way to New Norfolk) – They do wine tastings from Wednesday to Sunday and they also have a restaurant on site called, Osteria Vista.

Templo – Seasonal menu that changes almost weekly, using local produce. Would recommend their long lunch. Prepare yourself for good wines and delicious food that’s best shared with others.

The Astor Grill – Steaks in an old-fashioned, 1920s hotel. It’s a fancy vibe with white tablecloths, table service and a decent wine list so make sure to wear your fancy duds.

The Crescent – A great pub in North Hobart that has been spruced up. It has a French influence on classic pub meals. A real crowd pleaser.

The Hanging Garden – This venue was created by David Walsh (MoNA) and includes multiple bars and semi-permanent food stalls. There’s lots of greenery and it’s a lovely spot to spend an afternoon.

The Point Revolving Restaurant – Perhaps considered tacky by some, this restaurant is at the top of the Wrest Point Hotel & Casino, and as the name suggests, it revolves. So you can enjoy a pretty decent meal with an ever changing view. Best enjoyed in the day time.

The Tasmania Inn – Classic cosy inn menu with lots of meat in different forms. You can also stay at the inn if you have a big night.

The Winston – Buffalo style chicken wings with plenty of options. They also do hearty sandwiches that are perfect with their selection of North American beers.

The Whaler – People say it has arguably the best burger in town. Also offers late night drinks, with a decent selection of beers. It’s right in the heart of Salamanca.

Ti Ama – Incredible pizza and pasta. I tried a squid ink spaghetti with guanciale, eggplant & sundried tomato sugo and seaweed here, that changed my life. Sort of hip, trendy vibe, with lots of Instagram-able disco balls and pink décor – but the food and wine was quality. They stock a few Stefano Lubiano wines (winery in Tas). On the edge of Salamanca and Sandy Bay.

Tom McHugo’s – Luxe pub meal. Cosy and friendly atmosphere with a range of different dishes made from local producers. It’s possible to walk in but bookings are recommended.

Villino Coffee – Locally roasted coffee.

Willing Brothers Wine Merchants – A small space with about 300 wines. A small food menu to match, which is simple but flavourful.

Wursthaus – A wonderful deli where you can grab prepared sandwiches, pies, treats, as well as gourmet deli meats and goodies.

Hobart – Activity / Experience / Day Trip

New Norfolk (you could stop here on the way to Mount Field)
Agrarian Kitchen (Saturday & Sunday kiosk) – Expensive but a quality dining experience with fresh produce from their gardens onsite. Menu is seasonal.

HEAPS of antique stores, including but not limited to:
• Willow Court Antique Centre
• Nurses Quarters Antique Store
• Drill Hall Emporium
• Ring Road Antique Centre
View Guide to Antique shopping in New Norfolk video

Other places in New Norfolk
• Black Swan Bookshop – Beautiful books, as well as coffee and treats
• Miss Arthur Home Goods – Fancy homewares
• Miss Strange – Second hand and vintage clothing