SOUTH & EAST
VAN BONE
Long and local
Destination dining lies 50 minutes’ drive east of Hobart at Van Bone (357 Marion Bay Rd, Bream Creek). Led by head chef Timothy Hardy, a boomerang Tasmanian who has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe and the likes of Brae (Victoria), Van Bone’s long lunches in the rolling east-coast hills stretch across four hours and up to 14 courses. Sustainability and locality underpin the experience, with an onsite permaculture garden and locally sourced produce inspiring the dishes. Bookings essential.
www.vanbone.com.au
AURA
Sky-high tastes
Hobart’s first rooftop venue, AURA restaurant and lounge bar (Level 12, 110 Liverpool St, Hobart) stands high in the sky atop Crowne Plaza, between the River Derwent and kunanyi/Mount Wellington, offering spectacular views of both. Using the best of Tasmanian produce, diners enjoy high-quality service a part of a relaxed but intimate dining experience. Sit back with a cocktail and bar snacks from the lounge bar menu, or book in for lunch or dinner featuring seasonal Tasmanian produce on an ever-changing menu.
www.aurahobart.com.au
DANA EATING HOUSE
Cuisine with a cause
Eat well, do good at Dāna Eating House (131 Murray St, Hobart), a modern South-East Asian restaurant and cocktail bar in the heart of Hobart’s CBD. Opened by brothers Ollie and Dan Lancaster, Dāna operates on a simple ethos: eat good, drink good, do good. A percentage of the profit from each meal is donated to a series of charities, with diners invited to match Dāna’s donation to create a uniquely ethical dining experience. There’s no pressure to donate, however, and regardless of your choice, you’re guaranteed a fresh, seasonal meal in the relaxed atmosphere of a beautiful, historic Hobart building.
www.danaeatinghouse.com.au
GIN(BAR) / GIN-STITUTE
Gin, the personal way
Located above Pigeon Whole Bakery, the luxe Gin(bar) (30 Argyle St, Hobart) is intricately designed to resemble the nest of Tasmania’s endemic and endangered Forty Spotted Pardalote. Gin(bar) serves handcrafted cocktails with the full range of Forty Spotted gins, including a range of experimental varieties such as Tassie Bush Honey Gin or Raspberry and Rose, exclusive to the bar. It also offers a selection of hard-to-find gins from Tasmania and beyond. The truly unique gin on offer, however, is the personal one – made by visitors’ own hands at the bar’s daytime Gin-stitute gin-blending masterclasses.
www.ginbarhobart.com
LA SARDINIA LOCA
Hidden tapas
Having cut its teeth in Hobart’s In The Hanging Gardens precinct, La Sardina Loca recently relocated to a repurposed historic carriageway (100 Elizabeth St, Hobart). It combines the charming and cosy quarters with a vibrant range of Spanish and Basque small plates to share – think pillowy pastries of Manchego cheese, fish stew, cured local salmon and Tasmanian pink eye potatoes with herbs. Dedicated to the concept of the aperitivo – the Italian take on happy hour where light drinks and snacks are enjoyed in good company – La Sardina Loca offers a high-quality drinks selection and friendly and welcoming staff.
www.lasardinaloca.com
SIROCCO SOUTH FORAGING TOURS
BYO basket
Mic Giuliani of Sirocco South has been a long-term fixture at Hobart’s Farm Gate Market. Known by some as a “caped crusader of Tasmanian food”, Mic is now sharing the secrets of his foraged ingredients. Small-group tours of up to six guests can join him in the hunt for wild ingredients, including native greens, wild asparagus, edible mushrooms, saltbush and more. Then, beside sparkling Frederick Henry Bay, Mic prepares the foraged finds with local meat and seafood to create a six-course long-table lunch. Lunch is shared with Bream Creek Vineyard founder Fred Peacock, who offers an insight into the process of making the boutique wines as you enjoy them with the meal.
www.siroccosouth.com.au
STOCK MARKET
Excellent return on investment
Get bullish about Brooke Street Stock Market Bar + Restaurant (8 Brooke St, Hobart), a Wall Street–inspired venue tucked away behind Hobart’s waterfront. Chef Josh Retzer has constructed a tight menu focused on the kitchen’s showpiece asado grill and fine Tasmanian produce. Invest in an Allpress espresso or balance the books over a selection of Tasmanian, Italian and French wines, craft beers and a range of classic cocktails created predominantly with Tasmanian spirits.
www.stockmarketrestaurant.com.au
A’PETIT BISTRO & BAR
Mediterranean vibes
Just steps from the main North Hobart dining strip, A’petit Bistro and Bar (374 Murray St, North Hobart) has quickly become a local favourite. Inspired by her travels through Europe, owner and head chef Courtney Drew has sought to emulate the relaxed, neighbourhood feel of a continental wine bar. It’s small, vibrant and relaxed, with a menu that’s a treasury of Mediterranean share plates: tasty pintxos, whole market fish, fresh vegetable sides. The drinks menu includes summer spritzes, local wines and spirits, and handmade non-alcoholic sodas.
www.apetitbistroandbar.com
IMBIBERS
Toast the history
History-rich Oatlands in central Tasmania has Australia’s most extensive collection of Georgian sandstone buildings, and at its heart stands a tiny 1870s former dispensary, reborn as The Imbibers (74 High St, Oatlands). The vibe at this wine, cheese and spirit merchant is anything but old fashioned – only wines, spirits and beers produced within a 60-kilometre radius of town are served. Energetic and passionate, the wine bar-cum-delicatessen showcases the best of the region’s produce. Try a cheese flight with matched drinks, or a tasting plate featuring local artisan fare. If anything takes your fancy, drinks are available to take home.
www.imbibers.com.au
DUNALLEY BAY DISTILLERY
Views for days
Overlooking the beautiful shoreline of its namesake bay, Dunalley Bay Distillery (3496 Arthur Hwy, Murdunna) creates distinctive gins using native botanicals, designed to reflect the natural splendour of the surrounding landscape. The distillery’s rustic tasting huts are dog-friendly as well as human-friendly, and offer immersive tasting experiences pairing gin varieties with fine Tasmanian cheese, seafood, fruit, and desserts. Grab a glass of the seductive Rosie & Hip, the moody Blue Blue or the classy Boney Dry, order a snack and enjoy a gin by the water.
www.dunalleybaydistillery.com.au
EAST COAST
ALM RESTAURANT – MILTON VINEYARD
Vine times
Overlooking the vines and red loam of Milton Winery on Tasmania’s picturesque east coast, Alm Restaurant (14635 Tasman Hwy, Cranbrook) delivers a contemporary menu celebrating local, seasonal produce. The menu changes weekly – depending on seasonal availability, staff passions and specialities – but you can follow the restaurant’s Instagram account for clues as to what might be offered on arrival. The venue cultivates a simple, relaxing provincial style overlooking the vines – a good vantage point is the deck under a sprawling gum tree. The food complements Milton’s cool-climate wines – pinot noir, pinot gris, riesling and Gewurztraminer.
www.almrestaurant.com.au
NORTH
STONEY RISE WINE COMPANY
Two for one
Husband and wife Joe and Lou Holyman, bought Stoney Rise vineyard (19 Hendersons Ln, Gravelly Beach) in 2004 after a 20-year stint in Tasmania’s wine industry. Their vineyard, with its architecturally designed cellar door, is a 20-minute drive from Launceston and takes in views of the Tamar River. Two ranges are tasting: Stoney Rise wines, which are fruit-driven and ready to drink, and Holyman wines, which focus on structure, oak maturation and cellaring-length. There’s a small share plates menu including charcuterie and cheese, making for a great lunch option, and a range of imported wines available to take away. Bookings are recommended.
www.stoneyrise.com
GLENDALE VINEYARD
Don’t forget the picnic rug
With the Tamar Valley filled with so many quality wineries, it can be hard for a vineyard to stand out, but Glendale’s (163 Glendale Rd, Sidmouth) beautifully styled apple shed-come-cellar door and farm stay accommodation make it a must-visit. Pour yourself a glass of pinot noir and relax by the open fire, take a walk to feed the pet sheep, or arrange one of their lakeside picnics. Still not convinced? Take a look at their Instagram feed to seal the deal. Open Thursday – Sunday by appointment only.
www.glendaletasmania.com
KING ISLAND BREWHOUSE
Island brews
Tasmania’s most remote brewery, King Island Brewhouse (36 Lancaster Rd, Pegarah), captures the liquid essence of King Island in every bottle. Fresh island rainwater begins the brewing process, and both the ferment and brewery are backed by a world-class hybrid wind and solar-powered energy system. Surrounded by rolling hills and lush farmland, the newly built brewhouse, 15 minutes’ drive from the island’s main town of Currie, is a project driven by a passion to share quality fresh beer with King Island locals and visitors.
www.kibrew.house
KING ISLAND DISTILLERY
For the love of copper
For the past six years, King Island Distillery (1 Racecourse Rd, Currie) owner Heidi Weitjens has learned from the best spirit distillers in Tasmania, so it should come as no surprise that her first commercial batch of native gin was awarded a silver medal at the 2020 Australian Gin Awards. Heidi is the driving force behind Tasmania’s northernmost distillery and uses local native ingredients to distinguish this tipple of choice. The process starts in her custom-designed copper stills, nicknamed her “copper angels”, using pure King Island water.
www.kingislanddistillery.com
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