Hobart and Launceston are well known as popular destinations for wine and food lovers, but there are plenty of gourmet secrets waiting to be discovered all across the island state.
Tasmania’s warm east-coast climate, combined with rich soils and clean ocean air, is the ideal growing-ground for some of the best produce in the country. It’s no surprise that these artisanal delights are transformed into show-stopping dishes and drinks in every corner of the island.
The Farm Shed, Bicheno
This regional one-stop shop will impress wine lovers and spirit aficionados alike. The Farm Shed/East Coast Wine Centre offers tastings and sales of wines from every wine producer on Tasmania’s East Coast – between Triabunna to just north of St Helens – including many that do not have their own cellar doors. That means more than 90 wines from 24 local vineyards.
There are several wines in Oenamatic machines so you can have a taste before you commit, and there are also flights of Tasmanian whiskies and gins on offer. Keep an eye out for regular pop-ups, where local and visiting chefs put on dining events from single course meals to degustations and tasting journeys.
To continue the gourmand fun, pick up a selection of premium snacks and local cheeses to build your own charcuterie board.
Hursey Seafoods, Stanley
No trip to the north-west of Tasmania is complete without enjoying a seafood feast at Hursey Seafoods, located on the waterfront in the picturesque hamlet of Stanley.
The Hursey family (featured on TV series Aussie Lobster Men) has their own fleet of red fishing boats, which launch onto the water each day to bring wild-caught seafood straight to your plate. The fishers use only sustainable methods, meaning fish are caught with line or hook and lobsters are kept live.
Back on the mainland, the award-winning restaurant has a spacious dining area, and also offers takeaway and fresh fish sales. The Hursey family pride themselves on providing premium seafood including crayfish, giant crab, stripey trumpeter and gummy shark. Standout dishes include pappardelle scallop and prawn pasta, and stripey trumpeter with cauliflower puree and duck fat potatoes.
The décor celebrates the family’s fishing history with wooden oars, old portholes, a ship’s compass and old fishing charts.
Cinnamon and Cherry, Franklin
A small village overlooking the Huon River is the unlikely home of a small café specialising in gourmet treats from Turkey and the Middle East. Think warm Turkish bread and Middle Eastern dips, tahini cookies, and plenty of Turkish coffee.
A variety of fruits, nuts and herbs are grown on site, and the team also make all the dips, salads, pickles and preserves in the kitchen. The menu is vegetarian, vegan and coeliac-friendly, with dishes available for dine in and takeaway to enjoy by the river.
Make sure to stop by on Saturday for a delicious breakfast of Turkish inspired eggs. Cinnamon and Cherry is the ideal spot to stop for a bite en route to the Hastings Caves or Tahune Airwalk.
Love Lucy Boots, Westbury
Coffee in the morning, wine by night. Love Lucy Boots is a dual-purpose venue set in an 1870s house. It can be found in Westbury, a small town in the north of Tasmania just 25 minutes from Launceston.
The Love Lucy Boots Wine Room sits only 19 people, showcasing a rotating list of wines from family-owned vineyards. Walk-ins are welcome every Sunday afternoon, while wine, whisky and muso nights regularly feature on the calendar. There’s also an on-site bottle shop so you can take home your favourite drops of the evening.
Make sure to stop back the next morning for a takeaway coffee espresso bar from 7:30am-9:30am Thursday to Monday, with pastries, sourdough breads, and plenty of milk crate seating on the street.
The Fish Van, Triabunna
The setting may be rustic, but the seafood here cannot be beaten in quality or price. At The Fish Van on the Triabunna esplanade, it’s all about fresh-cooked local fish and crispy hot chips served with tartare sauce, a slice of lemon and a choice of vinegars. Other offerings include oysters, crayfish rolls and scallops, but it all depends on what the boats bring in.
Relax on a garden bench overlooking the marina and Maria Island further out, and pull out a BYO bottle of local wine. No corkage. Once you finish your meal, you’re also invited to take a walk around and look at Triabunna’s fishing fleet – the boats which bring your fish to the van each morning.
Fresh fish and crayfish are also on offer, for those who want to take some catches home to cook yourself.
Triabunna Fish Van is a 90-minute drive from Hobart, and the ideal spot to stop for anyone travelling on the Great Eastern Drive to popular destinations like Bicheno or Coles Bay.
Old Kempton Distillery, Kempton
Turn off the main highway between Hobart and Launceston and discover the sleepy hamlet of Kempton. Here, a historic sandstone house from the 1840s is home to one of Tasmania’s best boutique distilleries.
Charming historic dining rooms have been transformed into the cellar door and cafe, while the beautiful courtyard has also been restored for dining in the sun. There are a variety of tastings on offer, including flights of whisky and gin. Or, you can take your pick from the single malt whiskeys, Tasmanian liqueurs and gins made on site to enjoy on a comfy chair in the Cask Lounge. After sampling the full range of offerings, join a distillery tour for a history of Dysart House, its transformation into Old Kempton Distillery, a behind-the-scenes tour of the working distillery, and a fully-guided tasting of four Old Kempton spirits.
The cafe specialises in house-made whisky pies, antipasto platters and Devonshire teas. Everything is made on-site, with a focus on top quality local ingredients.
Mewstone/Hughes & Hughes Wines, Flowerpot
Family-owned-and-operated Mewstone Wines is a relatively new business, but it’s already drawing crowds in the D’Entrecasteaux Channel south of Hobart. Jonny and Matt Hughes, the friendly owners, offer structured tastings of their Mewstone (estate) and Hughes & Hughes (grower fruit) wines at their architecturally designed cellar door, which offers spectacular water views across the estate vineyard.
The wines made here tend to be small batch and inclined towards non-interventional winemaking. Guided tastings are $25 per person from Friday to Sunday, and come with a complimentary platter of locally sourced, seasonal treats. All booked tastings are seated, and each group is hosted by a member of the cellar door team – and occasionally by Jonny Hughes himself. Each session includes a sample of 8-9 top wines.
Still hungry after reading about these gourmet secrets? Check out our go-to foodie guide to the best foodie experiences around Australia!
Travel to Tasmania
Rex flies to several ports in Tasmania. Book your flights here and check out the route map below.
