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The 20 Essential Hobart Restaurants

Where to find world-class distilleries, country bakehouses, and creative fine dining in scenic Tasmania

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Tasmania, the island-state at the bottom of Australia, is having a moment. “Tassie,” as Australians call it, has always offered naturalist escape with its rugged mountains, beautiful beaches, and abundant wildlife. But the opening of the irreverent Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) in 2011 sparked a “MONA effect” in Hobart (and across the island), bringing new outside attention and internal energy to the capital city’s cultural offerings. Alongside a thriving art scene, the city’s restaurants are blooming, with confident local chefs stepping up their game and buzz attracting mainland chefs to open new projects.

“We’re in proximity to a lot of really great farmers and produce. That’s the starting point,” says Analiese Gregory, one of the chefs who helped spark the Hobart renaissance. Local oysters, wasabi, truffles, leatherwood honey, and apples infuse dishes with Tassie character. Chefs at all kinds of restaurants rely on the Tasmanian pantry, from old-school eateries like Jackman & McRoss or Tom McHugo’s to Italian pasta specialist Templo, Cantonese stalwart Me Wah, and international darling Masaaki’s Sushi (set to reopen in Geeveston after a move in the spring). Meanwhile, pure water and a temperate climate make fertile ground for world-class distilleries (especially whiskey and gin), as well as wine, beer, and cider.

Even as the dining scene heats up, Hobart maintains the charm of a small town, with walkable streets and warm service everywhere you go. That relaxed vibe has given the city an edge over Sydney and Melbourne. “When I lived in Sydney, Hobart was always the place I’d come to when I was stressed and needed R&R and time away,” Gregory says.

For a perfect post-hike meal or a lazy breakfast before a visit to MONA, here are Hobart’s 20 essential restaurants.

Editor’s Note: Eater is not updating international maps at this time given disruptions to global travel during the COVID-19 crisis.

Prices per person, excluding alcohol:
$ = Less than 20 Australian dollars (Less than $14 USD)
$$ = 21 - 49 Australian dollars ($15 - $34 USD)
$$$ = 50 - 75 Australian dollars ($35 - $52 USD)
$$$$ = 76 Australian dollars ($52 USD and up)

Originally from Montréal, Audrey Bourget is a food and travel journalist based in Australia, where she writes for local and international media.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

The Agrarian Kitchen Eatery

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While you can walk between most of Hobart’s restaurants, the Agrarian Kitchen Eatery is worth a 35-minute drive (or 70-minute bus trip) to New Norfolk. Rodney Dunn and Séverine Demanet have transformed the town’s old mental asylum into a charming lunch destination showcasing produce from their own farm and the local area. Nearly everything is made in-house, including bread, cheese, and charcuterie (the chefs even use offcuts for XO sauce). Be sure to hit highlights like the fried sourdough potato cakes and seasonal vegetable dishes. Dunn also runs cooking classes at the farm alongside guest teachers from the community. [$$$ - $$$$]

A shallow bowl with chunks of radish tossed with greens, bits of salmon, and cheese, with a spoon and fork resting on the edge of the dish on a wooden tabletop.
Radish salmon salad

Founded by eccentric professional gambler David Walsh, MONA is a fun, challenging, and unpretentious museum that has always exhibited a strong connection with food. On-site, you’ll find a winery, brewery, cafes, bars, and two restaurants, the Source and Faro. The latter is surrounded by art installations and views of the Derwent River. If you like to travel in style, board the MONA ferry, which is decked out with a “posh pit” serving drinks and canapes. During the museum’s annual Dark Mofo festival in June, MONA hosts a massive winter feast bringing together chefs from all over the country. [$ - $$$$]

The buildings of the MONA museum on an islet at sunset with water all around, small stones poking out of the water, and pillowy clouds against a blue sky.
The view of MONA across Berriedale Bay
Remi Chauvin

Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania

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Hobart might not be as multicultural as Melbourne or Sydney, but the city has become more diverse as the Australian government has instituted policies to encourage immigrants to settle in the area. The Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania, a local nonprofit helping migrants find jobs and health services, opens its doors to the public each Friday for lunch prepared by refugees from countries like Eritrea, Syria, and Afghanistan. The menu changes every week, but it could feature options like Ethiopian injera flatbread with goat curry, or qatayef, a sweet Arabic dumpling filled with walnuts. [$]

As seen from above a plate nearly filled with spongy injera flatbread, topped with a colorful curries and yogurt beside a small bowl of green dip
Injera with potato and silverbeet alicha with fenugreek yogurt and green adjika
Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania [Official Photo]

Born in Brunswick

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After leaving his hometown for Melbourne, Con Vailas came back a few years ago to a Hobart far more bustling than the one he left. He returned to open Born in Brunswick, inspired by Melbourne cafe culture, in hip North Hobart. Floor-to-ceiling windows and skylights let the sun shine on the restaurant’s plant-lined walls, while the menu features Aussie staples like avocado toast, hotcakes, and potato hash. But chef Josh Retzer also pushes the bounds of cafe fare by incorporating native ingredients and foraged herbs. Do not miss his weekend specials, like cured wallaby on cheddar polenta or octopus okonomiyaki with saltbush, a salty native herb. [$ - $$]

A shallow bowl full of eggs scrambled with duck meat, studded with curry leaves and lemongrass, with a thick slice of sourdough on the side, with other dishes blurred in the background.
XO scrambled eggs with barbecue duck, curry leaves, lemongrass, and sourdough

Hill Street Grocer

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If you’re looking to stock up on local food when you arrive in Hobart, Hill Street Grocer is a mandatory pit stop. The family-owned gourmet grocer has three stores in town (and a few more across the state). Head to the West Hobart store, pick up something from the cheese fridge, select some bread sourced from the best bakeries in town, and obtain a few prepared salads from the deli, then take your haul to St Davids Park for a picnic lunch. [$ - $$]

On the right, shelve of a cheese fridge with cheeses and labels, with a cold storage room and counter ahead with various jams and spreads arrayed for sale.
The cheese selection at Hill Street Grocer

You’ll feel a bit smug if you manage to get one of the 20 seats at Templo (especially when Dark Mofo brings crowds to town), an Italian restaurant on one of Hobart’s quieter streets. You’ll feel even better if that seat is at the communal table, where you get a good view of chef Matt Breen and his acolytes in the kitchen. Handmade pastas, like gnocchetti with big chunks of slow-cooked lamb, are the main draw. For 70 Australian dollars ($48), the chef’s menu gives you a taste of everything on offer. A short stroll away, the team has recently opened Sonny, an exceptional wine bar with a tight menu (including pasta). Don’t choose. Go to both. [$$$]

A large slate wall, the top half filled with a chalk menu, the bottom with a long horizontal cut-out window to the kitchen, where cooks are visible working, and a shelf jutting toward the camera with a few plates and bottles of wine
A view of the kitchen at Templo
Chris Crerar

Farm Gate Market

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Chefs and food lovers fill the Farm Gate Market on Bathurst Street on Sunday mornings. Chat with farmers about their golden beetroots or white asparagus, and then sit down for a bite at one of the prepared food stalls. Top picks include brown rice congee with venison and fermented mix-ins from Rough Rice, Pacha Mama Mexican’s wallaby burrito, Bruny Island oysters shucked to order, and Lady Hester’s apple and elderflower sourdough donut. [$]

A server, standing over a prep station with eight bowls of different ingredients, holds a bowl of congee in one hand while using the other hand to ladle in greens on top of other colorful toppings
Congee with fermented pickles at the Rough Rice stall

Franklin Bar & Restaurant

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Franklin has had a big impact on Hobart’s food scene, thanks in large part to former chef Analiese Gregory, who zealously pushed the restaurant’s farm-to-table program. The restaurant, which is all polished concrete and kangaroo hides, serves a regularly changing menu driven by local products like sea urchin, native herbs, whole lamb, abalone, and seasonal vegetables, nearly all cooked over fire. The menu changes regularly, but you’ll always find a version of the King Edward potato galette, cooked perfectly soft inside and crisp outside, thanks to the restaurant’s Scotch oven. [$$$ - $$$$]

A shucked oyster, topped with a large lump of sea urchin roe, sits on a small dish beside a lemon wedge on a cold dark surface
Native angasi oyster with sea urchin roe

Pigeon Whole Bakers

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You’ll notice this bakery’s offerings listed on menus at several cafes and restaurants around town, which is always a good sign, but there’s nothing quite like going straight to the source. Set in the old Mercury newspaper building, Pigeon Whole is small but welcoming. A selection of classic pastries and sandwiches are displayed on the counter, sourdough loaves rest on wooden shelves nearby, and large windows behind the counter let you peek at the hardworking bakers. Grab a coffee and a wild fennel palmier, sit in the corner, and watch passersby on Argyle Street. [$]

A counter with rolls, croissants, pies, and other pastries on display
Pastries at Pigeon Whole

Tom McHugo's

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Ask any local about their favorite hangout in Hobart, and nine times out of 10 you’ll hear about Tom McHugo’s. “It’s the hub of the community,” explains Adam James of fermented foods purveyor Rough Rice. “On a Monday, you’ll find most of the hospitality industry having their day off there.” Built in 1842, the place looks like an old-school Australian pub with a patterned carpet and simple wooden bar. Tom McHugo’s does serve classic pub fare like chicken parmigiana and steak with fries, but ever since Tom Westcott and Whitney Ball took over a few years ago, the team has added more creative dishes, like kohlrabi with kefir cream and braised blood sausage. The tap list is 100 percent Tasmanian, while the wine list features both local and international drops. [$ - $$]

The storefront of Tom McHugo’s, a large door with the name of the restaurant in cursive above, set in a large red brick building on a street corner
Outside Tom McHugo’s

Flippers Cooked Seafood

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Sit-down restaurants have taken things up a notch in Hobart in the last few years, but traditional, takeaway fish and chips joints will always have a place in the waterfront city. Head to Constitution Dock, where half a dozen floating eateries sell fresh and cooked seafood from to-go windows. The most famous, Flippers, deep-fries local trevalla, flake, and grenadier, as well as calamari and scallops. Order the substantial fisherman’s basket to taste a bit of everything. Squeeze on some lemon juice, dip the fish in tartar sauce, and enjoy while watching boats come and go. If you prefer to eat away from menacing seagulls, head to the family-friendly Fish Frenzy on the Elizabeth Street Pier, where you can sit inside. [$]

A floating storefront, set against a pier, with service windows placed low just over the edge of the dock, with the name Flippers on the side of the boat
The floating Flippers restaurant

Lark Cellar Door & Whisky Bar

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Distilleries began taking advantage of Tasmania’s ideal conditions for growing barley in the early 1800s, but Gov. John Franklin imposed a prohibition in 1838 that lasted for over 150 years. In 1992, Bill Lark helped lobby to overturn the law, then launched Lark Distillery soon after, earning him the moniker “the godfather of Australian whisky.” At Cellar Door and Whisky Bar, you can taste Lark’s single malts, as well as other local whiskies like the award-winning Sullivans Cove. Get comfortable on a leather couch inside the moody bar or sit in the courtyard looking at Constitution Dock as you enjoy a tasting flight, a cheeseboard, and a Pigeon Whole Bakers baguette. [$ - $$]

The exterior of a white brick window with a large icon of the Lark distillery with the name and an illustration of a bird, above entry doors.
Outside Lark Cellar Door

Dier Makr

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There’s an air of mystery around items on the blackboard menu at Dier Makr. A description like “pork, miso” doesn’t let much on, but you’ll have full faith in owners Kobi Ruzicka and Sarah Fitzsimmons once you taste the pork neck poached in yogurt, served with charred sugarloaf cabbage and miso sauce. The couple are part of the wave of chefs and hospitality workers who moved from the mainland in the last few years. While they only offer a tasting menu at Dier Makr, they do let guests choose their own wine from the walk-in cellar. If you can’t commit to a whole tasting menu, Ruzicka and Fitzsimmons also run wine bar Lucinda in the same building, where they offer a few dishes alongside minimal-intervention wines. [$$$]

A soft boiled egg sits inside a small red nest on a white plate
“Tomato” at Dier Makr
Luke Burgess

After falling in love in Northern Italy and spending a year searching for the perfect city to settle down, Naples-born Federica Andrisani and Tasmanian Oskar Rossi opened Fico (meaning fig in Italian) in the heart of Hobart. The chef-owners lean toward European and Italian flavors with dishes like lamb brain tortellini and thick Parmesan and onion panna cotta. But they are not scared to veer away from that wheelhouse to serve crowd pleasers like soy-cured kingfish bites with wasabi cream. On Sunday, the couple create a lunch tasting menu with their morning haul from Farm Gate Market. [$$$ - $$$$]

Four well stuffed tortellini in a small pool of sauce topped with herbs for garnish
Lamb brain tortellini

The Glass House Hobart

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The Glass House sits right on the water with a 280-degree view of Sullivans Cove, making it a dazzling spot for a drink and a bite. Spring for a cocktail or a glass of Tasmanian sparkling, along with oysters, scallop ceviche, or sea urchin sashimi with local wasabi. The location is perfect for a sundowner (sunset drink) on the way back from MONA, since the ferry stops right next to the restaurant. [$$ - $$$]

A rouge cocktail in a nick and nora glass with a small flower for garnish set against a blurry background of the view of the bay outside large restaurant windows
Gin cocktail with Escubac, fino sherry, citrus, and pinot noir reduction
The Glass House

Pigeon Hole Cafe

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Small, family-fun Weston Farm specializes in olive oil, vegetables, and peonies. In 2013, the owners acquired this cozy West Hobart cafe (once run by the Pigeon Whole Bakers team) to showcase their organic produce, making many items in-house with ingredients straight from the farm. Order creative options like peony jelly with smoked paprika or duck eggs with fennel, or get the simple mushroom toastie or a generous grazing platter. Settle in at the back of the cafe, where the wall is lined with jars of tomatoes, beans, and cucumbers pickling away. [$ - $$]

A plate loaded with many different little piles of vegetables, a soft boiled egg cut open, a large slice of toast, and several small bowls of sauce
Grazing platter

Salamanca Market

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The Saturday Salamanca Market, held among the historic sandstone buildings of Salamanca Place, is the state’s most popular attraction. Running since 1972, it now counts over 300 stalls selling fresh produce, handicrafts, and street food. Many visitors make a beeline for the famous curried scallop pie at Smith’s Speciality Pies, but there’s plenty more to enjoy, like beef rendang from Indonesian Kitchen, cider from Simple Cider, and blackberry jam from Joanna’s Jams. [$]

A farmers market seller sits on the side of one of several crates of apples talking with a customer while crowds walk by on the left and others sit at tables behind on the right
Shoppers and sellers at the Salamanca Market

Jackman & McRoss

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Come here for Australian bakery staples like chunky beef pies, duck sausage rolls, or a slice of lamington (sponge cake coated in chocolate and coconut). There are three locations in Hobart, but head to the original, which opened in 1998 in a red brick building set among the cute cottages of the city’s oldest neighborhood, Battery Point. You can feel the area’s history while eating inside the light-filled cafe, adorned with industrial details, or sitting out front beneath throwback signage. [$]

The old-style sign of Jackman & McRoss bakery on a red brick building with huge windows into the dining room, and diners seated at outdoor patio tables.
Outside Jackman & McRoss

Me Wah Restaurant

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You wouldn’t expect an upscale Cantonese restaurant in a suburban Sandy Bay shopping center, but look for the pair of guardian lions to find the immaculate Me Wah. Since the Tso family opened the first Me Wah in Launceston in 1998, the restaurant has become a Tasmanian institution, especially with a second location opening in Hobart in 2007. Try the pillowy Huon Valley mushroom dumplings, roasted pork belly bites, or locally sourced crayfish and abalone. On weekends, visit for yum cha to eat trevalla dumplings and chicken feet. [$$$ - $$$$]

A long plate with a cooked lobster served whole, topped with noodles and sliced vegetables, on a white table cloth with several wine glasses in the background
Lobster at Me Wah
Me Wah

Cascade Brewery

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A pleasant 1.5-mile nature walk on the Cascade Track will lead you to the oldest continuously operating brewery in the country, which is also the second-largest Tasmanian beer producer. Take a tour of the Gothic-looking brewery or simply admire it from the lush gardens of the brewhouse, lager in hand. [$ - $$]

Two full glasses of beer sit on a table while far off in the background the stone Cascade Brewery building rises into the sky
Beers and a view at Cascade Brewery

The Agrarian Kitchen Eatery

While you can walk between most of Hobart’s restaurants, the Agrarian Kitchen Eatery is worth a 35-minute drive (or 70-minute bus trip) to New Norfolk. Rodney Dunn and Séverine Demanet have transformed the town’s old mental asylum into a charming lunch destination showcasing produce from their own farm and the local area. Nearly everything is made in-house, including bread, cheese, and charcuterie (the chefs even use offcuts for XO sauce). Be sure to hit highlights like the fried sourdough potato cakes and seasonal vegetable dishes. Dunn also runs cooking classes at the farm alongside guest teachers from the community. [$$$ - $$$$]

A shallow bowl with chunks of radish tossed with greens, bits of salmon, and cheese, with a spoon and fork resting on the edge of the dish on a wooden tabletop.
Radish salmon salad

MONA

Founded by eccentric professional gambler David Walsh, MONA is a fun, challenging, and unpretentious museum that has always exhibited a strong connection with food. On-site, you’ll find a winery, brewery, cafes, bars, and two restaurants, the Source and Faro. The latter is surrounded by art installations and views of the Derwent River. If you like to travel in style, board the MONA ferry, which is decked out with a “posh pit” serving drinks and canapes. During the museum’s annual Dark Mofo festival in June, MONA hosts a massive winter feast bringing together chefs from all over the country. [$ - $$$$]

The buildings of the MONA museum on an islet at sunset with water all around, small stones poking out of the water, and pillowy clouds against a blue sky.
The view of MONA across Berriedale Bay
Remi Chauvin

Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania

Hobart might not be as multicultural as Melbourne or Sydney, but the city has become more diverse as the Australian government has instituted policies to encourage immigrants to settle in the area. The Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania, a local nonprofit helping migrants find jobs and health services, opens its doors to the public each Friday for lunch prepared by refugees from countries like Eritrea, Syria, and Afghanistan. The menu changes every week, but it could feature options like Ethiopian injera flatbread with goat curry, or qatayef, a sweet Arabic dumpling filled with walnuts. [$]

As seen from above a plate nearly filled with spongy injera flatbread, topped with a colorful curries and yogurt beside a small bowl of green dip
Injera with potato and silverbeet alicha with fenugreek yogurt and green adjika
Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania [Official Photo]

Born in Brunswick

After leaving his hometown for Melbourne, Con Vailas came back a few years ago to a Hobart far more bustling than the one he left. He returned to open Born in Brunswick, inspired by Melbourne cafe culture, in hip North Hobart. Floor-to-ceiling windows and skylights let the sun shine on the restaurant’s plant-lined walls, while the menu features Aussie staples like avocado toast, hotcakes, and potato hash. But chef Josh Retzer also pushes the bounds of cafe fare by incorporating native ingredients and foraged herbs. Do not miss his weekend specials, like cured wallaby on cheddar polenta or octopus okonomiyaki with saltbush, a salty native herb. [$ - $$]

A shallow bowl full of eggs scrambled with duck meat, studded with curry leaves and lemongrass, with a thick slice of sourdough on the side, with other dishes blurred in the background.
XO scrambled eggs with barbecue duck, curry leaves, lemongrass, and sourdough

Hill Street Grocer

If you’re looking to stock up on local food when you arrive in Hobart, Hill Street Grocer is a mandatory pit stop. The family-owned gourmet grocer has three stores in town (and a few more across the state). Head to the West Hobart store, pick up something from the cheese fridge, select some bread sourced from the best bakeries in town, and obtain a few prepared salads from the deli, then take your haul to St Davids Park for a picnic lunch. [$ - $$]

On the right, shelve of a cheese fridge with cheeses and labels, with a cold storage room and counter ahead with various jams and spreads arrayed for sale.
The cheese selection at Hill Street Grocer

Templo

You’ll feel a bit smug if you manage to get one of the 20 seats at Templo (especially when Dark Mofo brings crowds to town), an Italian restaurant on one of Hobart’s quieter streets. You’ll feel even better if that seat is at the communal table, where you get a good view of chef Matt Breen and his acolytes in the kitchen. Handmade pastas, like gnocchetti with big chunks of slow-cooked lamb, are the main draw. For 70 Australian dollars ($48), the chef’s menu gives you a taste of everything on offer. A short stroll away, the team has recently opened Sonny, an exceptional wine bar with a tight menu (including pasta). Don’t choose. Go to both. [$$$]

A large slate wall, the top half filled with a chalk menu, the bottom with a long horizontal cut-out window to the kitchen, where cooks are visible working, and a shelf jutting toward the camera with a few plates and bottles of wine
A view of the kitchen at Templo
Chris Crerar

Farm Gate Market

Chefs and food lovers fill the Farm Gate Market on Bathurst Street on Sunday mornings. Chat with farmers about their golden beetroots or white asparagus, and then sit down for a bite at one of the prepared food stalls. Top picks include brown rice congee with venison and fermented mix-ins from Rough Rice, Pacha Mama Mexican’s wallaby burrito, Bruny Island oysters shucked to order, and Lady Hester’s apple and elderflower sourdough donut. [$]

A server, standing over a prep station with eight bowls of different ingredients, holds a bowl of congee in one hand while using the other hand to ladle in greens on top of other colorful toppings
Congee with fermented pickles at the Rough Rice stall

Franklin Bar & Restaurant

Franklin has had a big impact on Hobart’s food scene, thanks in large part to former chef Analiese Gregory, who zealously pushed the restaurant’s farm-to-table program. The restaurant, which is all polished concrete and kangaroo hides, serves a regularly changing menu driven by local products like sea urchin, native herbs, whole lamb, abalone, and seasonal vegetables, nearly all cooked over fire. The menu changes regularly, but you’ll always find a version of the King Edward potato galette, cooked perfectly soft inside and crisp outside, thanks to the restaurant’s Scotch oven. [$$$ - $$$$]

A shucked oyster, topped with a large lump of sea urchin roe, sits on a small dish beside a lemon wedge on a cold dark surface
Native angasi oyster with sea urchin roe

Pigeon Whole Bakers

You’ll notice this bakery’s offerings listed on menus at several cafes and restaurants around town, which is always a good sign, but there’s nothing quite like going straight to the source. Set in the old Mercury newspaper building, Pigeon Whole is small but welcoming. A selection of classic pastries and sandwiches are displayed on the counter, sourdough loaves rest on wooden shelves nearby, and large windows behind the counter let you peek at the hardworking bakers. Grab a coffee and a wild fennel palmier, sit in the corner, and watch passersby on Argyle Street. [$]

A counter with rolls, croissants, pies, and other pastries on display
Pastries at Pigeon Whole

Tom McHugo's

Ask any local about their favorite hangout in Hobart, and nine times out of 10 you’ll hear about Tom McHugo’s. “It’s the hub of the community,” explains Adam James of fermented foods purveyor Rough Rice. “On a Monday, you’ll find most of the hospitality industry having their day off there.” Built in 1842, the place looks like an old-school Australian pub with a patterned carpet and simple wooden bar. Tom McHugo’s does serve classic pub fare like chicken parmigiana and steak with fries, but ever since Tom Westcott and Whitney Ball took over a few years ago, the team has added more creative dishes, like kohlrabi with kefir cream and braised blood sausage. The tap list is 100 percent Tasmanian, while the wine list features both local and international drops. [$ - $$]

The storefront of Tom McHugo’s, a large door with the name of the restaurant in cursive above, set in a large red brick building on a street corner
Outside Tom McHugo’s

Flippers Cooked Seafood

Sit-down restaurants have taken things up a notch in Hobart in the last few years, but traditional, takeaway fish and chips joints will always have a place in the waterfront city. Head to Constitution Dock, where half a dozen floating eateries sell fresh and cooked seafood from to-go windows. The most famous, Flippers, deep-fries local trevalla, flake, and grenadier, as well as calamari and scallops. Order the substantial fisherman’s basket to taste a bit of everything. Squeeze on some lemon juice, dip the fish in tartar sauce, and enjoy while watching boats come and go. If you prefer to eat away from menacing seagulls, head to the family-friendly Fish Frenzy on the Elizabeth Street Pier, where you can sit inside. [$]

A floating storefront, set against a pier, with service windows placed low just over the edge of the dock, with the name Flippers on the side of the boat
The floating Flippers restaurant

Lark Cellar Door & Whisky Bar

Distilleries began taking advantage of Tasmania’s ideal conditions for growing barley in the early 1800s, but Gov. John Franklin imposed a prohibition in 1838 that lasted for over 150 years. In 1992, Bill Lark helped lobby to overturn the law, then launched Lark Distillery soon after, earning him the moniker “the godfather of Australian whisky.” At Cellar Door and Whisky Bar, you can taste Lark’s single malts, as well as other local whiskies like the award-winning Sullivans Cove. Get comfortable on a leather couch inside the moody bar or sit in the courtyard looking at Constitution Dock as you enjoy a tasting flight, a cheeseboard, and a Pigeon Whole Bakers baguette. [$ - $$]

The exterior of a white brick window with a large icon of the Lark distillery with the name and an illustration of a bird, above entry doors.
Outside Lark Cellar Door

Dier Makr

There’s an air of mystery around items on the blackboard menu at Dier Makr. A description like “pork, miso” doesn’t let much on, but you’ll have full faith in owners Kobi Ruzicka and Sarah Fitzsimmons once you taste the pork neck poached in yogurt, served with charred sugarloaf cabbage and miso sauce. The couple are part of the wave of chefs and hospitality workers who moved from the mainland in the last few years. While they only offer a tasting menu at Dier Makr, they do let guests choose their own wine from the walk-in cellar. If you can’t commit to a whole tasting menu, Ruzicka and Fitzsimmons also run wine bar Lucinda in the same building, where they offer a few dishes alongside minimal-intervention wines. [$$$]

A soft boiled egg sits inside a small red nest on a white plate
“Tomato” at Dier Makr
Luke Burgess

Fico

After falling in love in Northern Italy and spending a year searching for the perfect city to settle down, Naples-born Federica Andrisani and Tasmanian Oskar Rossi opened Fico (meaning fig in Italian) in the heart of Hobart. The chef-owners lean toward European and Italian flavors with dishes like lamb brain tortellini and thick Parmesan and onion panna cotta. But they are not scared to veer away from that wheelhouse to serve crowd pleasers like soy-cured kingfish bites with wasabi cream. On Sunday, the couple create a lunch tasting menu with their morning haul from Farm Gate Market. [$$$ - $$$$]

Four well stuffed tortellini in a small pool of sauce topped with herbs for garnish
Lamb brain tortellini

The Glass House Hobart

The Glass House sits right on the water with a 280-degree view of Sullivans Cove, making it a dazzling spot for a drink and a bite. Spring for a cocktail or a glass of Tasmanian sparkling, along with oysters, scallop ceviche, or sea urchin sashimi with local wasabi. The location is perfect for a sundowner (sunset drink) on the way back from MONA, since the ferry stops right next to the restaurant. [$$ - $$$]

A rouge cocktail in a nick and nora glass with a small flower for garnish set against a blurry background of the view of the bay outside large restaurant windows
Gin cocktail with Escubac, fino sherry, citrus, and pinot noir reduction
The Glass House

Related Maps

Pigeon Hole Cafe

Small, family-fun Weston Farm specializes in olive oil, vegetables, and peonies. In 2013, the owners acquired this cozy West Hobart cafe (once run by the Pigeon Whole Bakers team) to showcase their organic produce, making many items in-house with ingredients straight from the farm. Order creative options like peony jelly with smoked paprika or duck eggs with fennel, or get the simple mushroom toastie or a generous grazing platter. Settle in at the back of the cafe, where the wall is lined with jars of tomatoes, beans, and cucumbers pickling away. [$ - $$]

A plate loaded with many different little piles of vegetables, a soft boiled egg cut open, a large slice of toast, and several small bowls of sauce
Grazing platter

Salamanca Market

The Saturday Salamanca Market, held among the historic sandstone buildings of Salamanca Place, is the state’s most popular attraction. Running since 1972, it now counts over 300 stalls selling fresh produce, handicrafts, and street food. Many visitors make a beeline for the famous curried scallop pie at Smith’s Speciality Pies, but there’s plenty more to enjoy, like beef rendang from Indonesian Kitchen, cider from Simple Cider, and blackberry jam from Joanna’s Jams. [$]

A farmers market seller sits on the side of one of several crates of apples talking with a customer while crowds walk by on the left and others sit at tables behind on the right
Shoppers and sellers at the Salamanca Market

Jackman & McRoss

Come here for Australian bakery staples like chunky beef pies, duck sausage rolls, or a slice of lamington (sponge cake coated in chocolate and coconut). There are three locations in Hobart, but head to the original, which opened in 1998 in a red brick building set among the cute cottages of the city’s oldest neighborhood, Battery Point. You can feel the area’s history while eating inside the light-filled cafe, adorned with industrial details, or sitting out front beneath throwback signage. [$]

The old-style sign of Jackman & McRoss bakery on a red brick building with huge windows into the dining room, and diners seated at outdoor patio tables.
Outside Jackman & McRoss

Me Wah Restaurant

You wouldn’t expect an upscale Cantonese restaurant in a suburban Sandy Bay shopping center, but look for the pair of guardian lions to find the immaculate Me Wah. Since the Tso family opened the first Me Wah in Launceston in 1998, the restaurant has become a Tasmanian institution, especially with a second location opening in Hobart in 2007. Try the pillowy Huon Valley mushroom dumplings, roasted pork belly bites, or locally sourced crayfish and abalone. On weekends, visit for yum cha to eat trevalla dumplings and chicken feet. [$$$ - $$$$]

A long plate with a cooked lobster served whole, topped with noodles and sliced vegetables, on a white table cloth with several wine glasses in the background
Lobster at Me Wah
Me Wah

Cascade Brewery

A pleasant 1.5-mile nature walk on the Cascade Track will lead you to the oldest continuously operating brewery in the country, which is also the second-largest Tasmanian beer producer. Take a tour of the Gothic-looking brewery or simply admire it from the lush gardens of the brewhouse, lager in hand. [$ - $$]

Two full glasses of beer sit on a table while far off in the background the stone Cascade Brewery building rises into the sky
Beers and a view at Cascade Brewery

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