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Places to eat (Launceston)
Stillwater. The best in fine dining in the North.
Black Cow Bistro. Best steakhouse in Tassie. I lived above it, and flooded it out once.
Mud. Great casual modern Australian/Italian.
Navaros. Beautiful little Italian restaurant set in an old house.
Places to eat (Hobart)
Breakfast:
If you love instagram and vintage clothes, the most hipster place in Hobart is The Pigeonhole Café. Small, good coffee, and awesome food. 2 minute drive from the water in North Hobart. Technically still in the CBD, but a bit of a walk, so I suggest driving. It is worth the short wait if there are no tables. (Does great bread too!)
Jackman and McRoss You must come here. My favourite cafe in Australia. Awesome bakery and cafe, surrounded by one of Australia’s cutest suburbs. The lamb shank pie is one of my favourites, but if you have a sweet tooth, you will be in heaven. Quail for breakfast? Yes please! Do kick arse traditional pies or croissants as well. Only a short walk from Salamanca, and definitely worth it!
Daci and Daci bakeries (Just near the water in Hobart) has awesome bakery treats as well.
Machine Laundry Café (Salamanca Square) does a brilliant breakfast.
Smolt (good coffee and good breakfasts too). Dinners are brilliant. Great location to kick on afterwards as well. Personally one of my favourite restaurants in Australia. I eat here every trip to Hobart.
Good coffee - Cultura Espresso.
Dinner:
Smolt
Great location (in Salamanca), and awesome food to match. Sister restaurant to my favourite restaurant in Launceston (MUD). Owned by the people that own TASSAL Salmon.
D’Angello
In Battery Point, not far from Jackman and McCross. My pick if you feel like a nice easy Italian meal. They make great pizza and pasta, and it is always packed (testament to the quality).
Ethos
Pay $65/head (probably the most expensive restaurant in Hobart), and you will get around 5 courses. All chosen by the chef. You can tell them meals you don’t prefer from the list, but they chose based upon the freshest ingredients. Recommended.
The Source at MONA
Michelin Star Chef, great views, convenient if you are at MONA. Good food too.
Frank
One of the newest, by the same people behind Smolt. Awesome Spanish style food.
Franklin
Have not been here yet, but fine dining in the old Mercury newspaper building. Will visit on my next trip.
Ball and Chain Grill
Good place for a relaxed steak.
Things to see:
Launceston:
Cataract Gorge. Amazing, and only 1km from Launceston City. Longest single span chairlift in the World. Either start your walk from Royal Park up the Gorge, or head to the carpark in the middle and just meander around.
Harvest Farmers Market. If you are in Launceston on a Saturday morning, you MUST go here for Tasmanian produce/treats. I used to go here every Saturday morning for fruit, pulled pork tacos for breakfast, and sourdough bread.
Low Head Penguin Tours. George Town. 50 minutes north of Launceston is a really nice way to end an evening, especially if you have never seen these cool little birds before. Take a jacket.
East Coast:
The East Coast has some of the most beautiful beaches in Australia. It is a stunning drive back down along the coast.
St Helens:
Have fish and chips in the floating shop in the harbour. Do not go to the new nice looking restaurant, go to the floating one. Much better!
Freycinet!
Definitely worth it. Wineglass Bay has been rated one of the top 10 beaches in the World. The Hazards are beautiful. You can Kayak down there, see whales as they migrate. Check out the lighthouse for great views. Check out the oyster farm on the way there on the right hand side for fresh oysters or lobsters from a small shed type set-up. The woodfired pizza place here (Tombolo) is awesome, and sells really nice coffee.
Central:
Cradle Mountain. Beautiful spot, and worth doing day hikes here. If you get a clear day, I recommend the summit climb. About 6 hours. Quite a rock scramble at the end, but worth it! Only 2 hours from Launceston. Stay at Peppers, or at least have a meal there. Pub food in the lodge, or a formal dining room that serves great food. Cradle Mountain Hotel has an exhibit on Tasmanian Tigers that is worth seeing, and Devils at Cradle is the best place to see some devils up close, as well as quails and stuff. If you are up there at night, you should really doing the feeding tour. Less good for photos but you see all the critters eating.
Deloraine Nice little village about 30 minutes from Launceston. If you are driving between Launceston and Deloraine you need to check these three places:
Anvers Chocolate, Ashgrove Cheese, Christmas Hills Rasberry Farm are all on the road to Devonport. They are all worth a stop if you are up that way! The food is good at Anvers, but I hear it is really good at Christmas Hills.
Midlands (on the road to Hobart):
Cambell Town. The Red Bridge Cafe, after the old convict bridge, is the best place to get a coffee on the way to Hobart, especially if you dont feel like stopping in Ross. Great little deli and foods to choose from, also wine and beer/ciders. Look out for the carved trees on the left before you get to the cafe.
Ross is possibly my favourite small town in Australia. It is amazing. Old convict town, small, and has a great charm. In Autumn it is covered in orange leaves. Great Vanilla slice in the first cafe on the left as you come in from the North (Claim to be Australia’s best)! Up the end of the main street there is a wood shop there if you want to buy some gifts for people with Tasmanian timber.
Oatlands:
Look at the old mill (windmill), which still produces flour. Companion bakery nearly opposite on the main street makes fantastic bread.
Hobart/South:
The Salamanca Markets are an institution. You have to check them out. They run until 3pm on Saturdays. Pro-tip, get a German sausage from the red tent. Do a loop through, you will see the bigger one that serves people from both sides.
MONA is something to see, for the building alone. Consider taking the ferry from constitution docks, as it will take you along the river all the way there! You can buy an all-inclusive ticket where you can drink as much grog as you want on the 20 minute boat ride out.
If it is a clear day or night, drive up Mt Wellington. The view is breath-taking (as is the cold wind).
Drive out to historic Richmond, only about 30 minutes from Hobart. If you do it right, you can fit it in the same day you go to Port Arthur. Richmond is an old convict town. Has a cool bridge and prison!
Port Arthur, do it. Simple. Beautiful drive. Stop at the blowhole and the Tasman arch on the way there.
West Coast
Strahan: You are going to visit here, mostly because it’s the only place on the West Coast unless you are bashing about the bush. Quaint fishing village. Please do the boat tour with “World Heritage Cruises”. Full day but worth it. You can also take the train to Queenstown (supposed to be incredible) if you are spending a few days in the area. I stayed in Cradle a few times, got up early and raced to Strahan, and then stayed in Tarraleah the next night.
Queenstown: This place gives strange vibes. Mining town that really feels like it. The landscape has been decimated by the mining that occurred in the past. Check out the AFL field. Really worth the five minute stop.
Tarraleah: An old hydro town that has been converted into a resort village. Really cool place, has highland cattle and ducks running around.
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Mon, 10 Nov, 2008 - 16:39
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