The Best Places to Eat and Drink in Tasmania

Hobart

Tasmania’s capital city of Hobart has an exciting drinking and dining scene, so what better place to start your gourmet adventure through the island state. Begin your day in Battery Point, a historic suburb just a 10-minute walk from Hobart city centre. This neighborhood is known for its perfectly preserved cottages and for the most delicious bakery in town. Jackman & McRoss is part shop and part café, with shelves full of loaves and tarts, cabinets of sweet treats, and a delicious brunch menu.  

If you are lucky enough to be in Hobart on a Saturday, then a stop at the famous Salamanca Market is a must. The market is on Salamanca Place, a cobblestone square in Sullivans Cove, on Hobart's waterfront. Stock up on fresh produce and gourmet delicatessen treats for the ultimate picnic or indulge in the delicious hot breakfast and lunch options at the market or surrounding cafés. 

A unique way to enjoy the ferry to the Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) is to upgrade your regular ticket to Posh Pit access. Travel to Mona in style and feel like a VIP on the private deck as you are treated to champagne, beer, wine, and canapés, plus dessert on the ferry ride back to Hobart. 

Dinner options are endless, as Hobart punches above its weight with a wide range of restaurants offering various cuisine options and price points. Our favourites include the Asian-accented Tasmanian dishes at Aloft, Italian tasting menus at Fico, and the classic pub dishes at trendy and modern The Brick Factory. 

For a nightcap try a single malt whisky at Lark Distillery, the first licensed distillery in Tasmania since 1839, or an award-winning craft beer at Shambles Brewery. 

Enjoy Hobart’s vibrant food scene whilst staying in the state’s capital on our 10 Day Wonders of Tasmania Self Drive itinerary.

Bruny Island

Taste your way across Bruny Island visiting some of our favourite artisan producers on a gourmet adventure, whilst taking in the spectacular scenery of the rugged and windswept island. Bruny Island showcases a variety of artisan cheese, oysters, seafood, berries, fudge, wine, whisky, gin, beer, and a selection of cafes and restaurants. Start your day at the famous Get Shucked Oysters for the freshest shellfish you’ll ever taste, followed up with locally produced craft cheeses, beers, woodfired pizzas, and bread at the Bruny Island Cheese Co. 

Stop for a walk at The Neck to work up an appetite to keep feasting through the afternoon. The Truganini Lookout is a timber-stepped boardwalk that takes you to some of the most spectacular 360° panoramic views. The next stop is the Bruny Island Chocolate Company, award-winning family-owned chocolate, and confectionery business. Their little roadside shop offers a wide variety of chocolate products made on-site, including chocolate-coated nuts, honeycomb pieces, and silky-smooth fudge. 

Make sure to leave room for dessert at Bruny Island Berry Farm, enjoy delicious berry-based ice-creams, pancakes, scones with jam and cream, and great coffee. You can even pick your own berries during the warmer months. 

Experience the gourmet side of Bruny Island on a self-guided day tour as part of our 12 Day Tasmanian Discovery Road Trip itinerary.

Launceston

Launceston’s dining scene is heating up, and fast starting to rival Hobart for both casual and gourmet offerings. We suggest you start your day with a specialty coffee at Sweetbrew, they pour over 300 coffees per day so you know they’re good! Farm-to-fork style dining is a must at Stillwater, a restaurant set in a wonderfully restored 1830s flour mill. Whether it's the taste of your salmon croquettes or kingfish sashimi, or simply the view of the Tamar River from the window, this dining experience is a feast for the senses. 

For an afternoon beverage we can highly recommend a drink at Red Brick Road Ciderhouse, after all Tasmania is known as the Apple Isle, so what better place to enjoy an apple cider. The knowledgeable staff will talk you through all the traditionally inspired options of naturally fermented ciders. If beer is more your drink of choice, head to the Saint John Craft Beer Bar. The bar features 14 taps with the best of international, Australian and Tasmanian craft beers, as well as a fantastic range of bottled beer, craft ciders, wines and top-shelf spirits. 

Evening meal options abound with many excellent restaurant choices available which champion local produce. For meat-eaters we can highly recommend Black Cow Bistro, which showcases premium dry aged, free range, grass fed Tasmanian beef. For modern European style food head to Geronimo Aperitivo Bar and Restaurant and enjoy fresh local Tasmanian produce such as slow cooked Moroccan style lamb, wagyu beef, chargrilled cauliflower steaks and salmon carpaccio.  

Feast on local fresh produce in Launceston on our 12 Day Complete Tasmania Itinerary. 

Tamar Valley

Stretching 60km north from Launceston to Bass Strait along either side of the Tamar River, the Tamar Valley is one of Tasmania's prettiest regions. Start your day in Launceston before heading off on the ultimate Tamar Valley gourmet day trip. A favourite of ours here at First Light Travel HQ is the cosy Bryher café, housed in an 1840s Regency-style townhouse. Bryher sources their ingredients from local producers, and their highly seasonal menu changes with the availability of produce.

Lunch at Josef Chromy Restaurant is a must-do, especially for wine lovers. The glass-walled restaurant and outdoor deck gaze over picturesque gardens and the winery’s lakes. Choose from a 2 or 3 course fixed price menu and indulge on delicacies such as Cape Grim beef short rib, goats' cheese souffle and pan-fried Bass Strait scallops. Acclaimed as one of Australia’s top 10 cellar doors, taste a wide range of award-winning cool-climate wines including sparkling, pinot gris, riesling, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot noir and merlot.  

Spend the afternoon visiting cellar doors such as Clover Hill, one of Australia’s finest sparkling wine estates, Tamar Ridge, famous for their elegant pinot noirs, and Jansz Wine Room. Jansz offer cheese platters and seated tastings, where you can sample their widely respected premium sparkling wines, rosés and chardonnays. 

Indulge in all the Tamar Valley has to offer on a day tour on our Luxury 8 Day Tasmania Wine and Dine Self Drive Itinerary.

Inspired to find out more about self drive holidays in Tasmania?  See our most popular self drive itineraries here

From family holidays to luxury romantic getaways, we’re here to help you create the trip you need right now!