Your Guide to Food & Drink in Tasmania: What to Eat, Where to Drink

Tasmania punches well above its weight when it comes to food and drink. A cool, clean climate, Southern Ocean water that's about as untouched as it gets, and farming land that's been worked carefully for generations. Tasmania is small, and the people producing food here know their ingredients in a way that's harder to find on the mainland.

Be it feasting on oysters straight off the shell from Bruny Island, tasting Tasmania’s best single malt, or filling up from a farm gate stand in the Huon Valley, the one thing you’ll find in common is that the quality of the food is outstanding, and so too is the pride of the producers. 

Tasmania's food scene extends far beyond Hobart, with standout producers found in regions such as the East Coast, Huon Valley, Tamar Valley, and the North West. A 10 day tour of Tasmania allows enough time to sample these regional specialties without rushing between destinations.

This guide covers what to eat, what to drink, where to go, and what you should know before you arrive.

What Food Is Tasmania Famous For?

Tasmania's reputation as a food destination starts with its seafood. The cold water of the ocean surrounding the island provides an ideal habitat for shellfish as well as fin fish, and the quality of food served to you will be unparalleled by any other place in Australia.

Tasmanian rock lobster (also called crayfish) is the standout. Large, sweet and meatier than most, they're best eaten simply, grilled or steamed, ideally straight off a boat. The season runs roughly from November through April, making summer the prime time to track one down.

Pacific oysters are farmed throughout the state, particularly along the East Coast and on Bruny Island. The clean, cold bays produce oysters with a briny, clean finish that have earned a strong following among chefs and travellers. The "Get Shucked" oyster farm on Bruny Island is one of the most visited food experiences in the state.

Other seafood worth trying: abalone, scallops and Tasmanian Atlantic salmon (farmed by producers like Huon Aquaculture in the Huon Valley).

Beyond seafood, Tasmania is known for:

• The scallop pie, a bakery staple filled with local scallops in a mild curry sauce. You'll find versions across the state, but bakeries in Ross and at Hobart's Salamanca Market are reliable starting points.
• Artisan cheese, especially from Bruny Island Cheese Co and King Island Dairy. Bruny produces raw milk cheeses aged on site; King Island is known for cream and brie.
• Cape Grim beef, raised on the remote northwest tip of Tasmania where the air is considered among the purest on earth. The pasture-fed cattle produce beef with a clean, distinct flavour.
• Flinders Island lamb, grass-fed on the island's saltgrass pastures in Bass Strait, leaner than most, with a subtle flavour.
• Seasonal fruit: cherries, berries, apples and apricots thrive in the Huon Valley and Derwent Valley. Tasmania earned the nickname "Apple Isle" for a reason, and the cider industry that's grown around the orchards is now a destination in itself.

Unique Tasmanian Ingredients You Won't Find Elsewhere

A handful of ingredients set Tasmanian produce apart from the mainland, and they're worth seeking out if you are around.

Did you know that Leatherwood honey comes from the leatherwood tree, which grows only in Tasmania's old-growth rainforests on the West Coast and in the Tarkine wilderness?. The honey has a distinct, floral, slightly spicy character that's hard to describe until you taste it. It's sold at most Tasmanian markets and is a good thing to bring home.

Tasmanian Pepperberry (Tasmannia Lanceolata) is a native spice that is hot but finishes with floral and slightly eucalyptus flavours. This plant is a flavouring agent used by local cooks, and it can be seen as part of local gin and pepperberry tonics found in Salamanca Market.

Truffles might surprise visitors, but the Deloraine region in northern Tasmania has developed a thriving black truffle industry. Perigord truffles are harvested through winter (June to August), and several producers offer farm experiences during the season.

Wasabi is grown commercially in Tasmania's clean waterways, the cool running water mimics the conditions found in Japan. It's used by some of Tasmania's more creative chefs as a local alternative to imported products.

Where to Eat in Tasmania? Key Food Destinations

Hobart

Hobart serves as the epicentre of the island state’s culinary culture, with a growing number of top-quality eateries, vineyards, and suppliers having emerged over the last ten years.

The harbour district, especially the area surrounding Salamanca Place and the wharf area of Sullivans Cove, represents the most convenient starting point. Salamanca Markets, held each Saturday, ranks among Australia’s best farmers’ markets, where vendors offer leatherwood honey, pepperberry items, fresh berries, artisanal bread, and wood-fired pastries, among other produce.

For dine-in experiences, Hobart boasts a thriving culinary landscape centred on the farm-to-table ethos. Hobart houses a number of highly regarded restaurants that source their produce from local Tasmanian growers.

Launceston

In 2021, Launceston was awarded UNESCO City of Gastronomy status, a formal recognition of what food lovers had known for years. The city has a sophisticated dining scene centred around local produce, a strong restaurant culture, and the Harvest Market (running Saturday mornings near Cimitiere Street).

The Tamar Valley, which begins just north of Launceston, is Tasmania's most established wine region. The valley is home to dozens of cellar doors growing Pinot Noir, Riesling and Chardonnay, many with on-site restaurants or produce platters.

Bruny Island

Bruny Island is a concentrated food experience. It's a 15-minute ferry from Kettering (south of Hobart) and a half-day or full-day trip from the city, typically visiting:

• Get Shucked Oyster Farm: Fresh oysters straight from the water
• Bruny Island Cheese Co: Raw milk artisan cheeses, including a celebrated brie and a hard cheese aged on site
• Bruny Island Beer Co: Small batch craft beers, often paired with cheese tastings
• Bernies Bus Bruny Island Chocolate: Small-batch chocolate using quality ingredients

Most visitors combine these in a self-guided loop around the island, or book a guided tasting tour from Hobart that connects all the key stops.

The Huon Valley

The Huon Valley, south of Hobart, is Tasmania's orchard heartland. Apple and cherry orchards line the valley floor, and the farm-gate culture here is genuine, roadside honesty boxes sell fresh fruit in season, and small producers offer direct tastings.

Willie Smith's Apple Shed in Grove is the valley's best-known cider destination, with a cellar door, restaurant and a strong range of ciders made from heritage apple varieties.

East Coast

The East Coast between Orford and St Helens offers a more relaxed food experience, with fresh seafood as the main draw. Freycinet Marine Farm near Coles Bay is one of the best spots to eat oysters and mussels directly from the growing pens. The Bicheno Lobster Shack is a well-established stop for rock lobster.

The East Coast also has a growing wine trail, with producers like Freycinet Vineyard and Craigie Knowe offering cellar door experiences in scenic coastal settings.

North West Tasmania

The north west is less visited but productive. Ashgrove Cheese near Deloraine produces farmhouse cheeses on a working dairy farm open to visitors. Anvers Chocolate in Latrobe is a Belgian-style chocolatier worth stopping for. The truffle farms near Deloraine are most active in winter.

What to Drink in Tasmania?

From all around the island, tourists will have the opportunity to experience cool-climate Pinot Noir and Sparkling Wines, award-winning Single Malt Whiskey, unique gin, and traditional Cider. These drinks are distinguished by their distinctive flavours, thanks to Tasmanian botanicals, clean water, and sheep's whey.

Cool-Climate Wines

Tasmania produces some of Australia's most distinctive cool-climate wines, with Pinot Noir and sparkling wine the strongest suits. The cool summers and maritime climate slow ripening and build complexity, particularly in the Tamar Valley, Coal River Valley (near Hobart), East Coast (around Freycinet and Bicheno), and Huon Valley.

There are more than 90 cellar doors operating across the state, which is a remarkable number for a population of around 570,000. The Coal River Valley is the closest wine region to Hobart and an easy half-day trip.

You can also look for: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Gris are the most consistent performers.

Whisky

Bill Lark had to lobby the government just to make whisky legal. When he started Lark Distillery in 1992, a 150-year-old law still prohibited small-scale distilling in Tasmania. He helped get it overturned, and what followed was one of the more unlikely success stories in Australian food and drink.

A bit more than 30 years later, and all the whisky aficionados worldwide take Tasmania seriously. If you needed any confirmation for this, it came in 2018 when Sullivans Cove took home 'World's Best Single Cask Single Malt', which "made eyebrows raise worldwide and confirmed what Tasmanian's have always known. The distillery is located in Cambridge (approx. 20min east of Hobart) and has some great guided tastings that are worth booking in advance.

If you are new to Tasmanian whisky and would like to get a general idea of the offerings before actually buying a whole bottle, then start with Lark's Whisky Bar down on the Hobart waterfront. They stock all of Tasmania's single malts together, making it easier to read the differences, and it's a nice place to hang out for an hour.

Beyond Lark and Sullivans Cove, Hellyers Road up in the north-west is worth knowing, one of the larger producers, with a more accessible price point. Old Kempton Distillery in the Derwent Valley is smaller and quieter, the kind of place you find yourself glad you drove out to. Redlands Estate is part of a newer wave of producers using estate-grown grain, which adds another layer of traceability to an already provenance-obsessed industry.

Craft Beer

Cascade Brewery in Hobart, founded in 1824, is Australia's oldest operating brewery. Cascade Pale Ale is the flagship, and the historic sandstone building at the base of kunanyi / Mount Wellington runs regular tours. Across the island, Boag's Brewery in Launceston is the other major producer.

Beyond the two big names, Tasmania has a solid craft beer scene: Van Dieman Brewing, Two Metre Tall (a farmhouse brewery in the Derwent Valley using estate-grown grain and hops), and Moo Brew (based at MONA) are worth trying.

Cider

Given the apple heritage, it's no surprise cider has taken hold. Willie Smith's in the Huon Valley is the most prominent producer, making both conventional and organic ciders from heritage varieties. Spreyton Cider in the north west is another well-regarded producer. Cider flights or tastings at cellar doors are increasingly available.

Gin

Tasmania has seen a proliferation of small gin distilleries over the past decade, many using local botanicals as a point of difference. Poltergeist Gin from Shene Estate near Pontville uses locally grown botanicals including Tasmanian pepperberry and native plants. Four Pillars (mainland) has collaborated with Tasmanian producers, and several smaller distilleries have built a following around single-origin botanical gins.

Non-Alcoholic Options

If you are not into alcoholic beverages, there are other options for you. Roasted coffee that is local to Tasmania is common in Hobart and Launceston and boasts a healthy rivalry between them. Pepperberry and lavender-flavored soft drinks can be found at Salamanca Market.

Food Experiences Worth Booking

Pennicott Wilderness Journeys runs seafood-focused ocean cruises where passengers can pull cray pots, harvest sea urchin and eat shellfish fresh on the water. It's one of the most direct paddock-to-plate (or ocean-to-plate) experiences available anywhere in Australia.

The Agrarian Kitchen in New Norfolk, about 40 minutes north of Hobart, runs a cooking school and a paddock-to-plate restaurant on a historic farm. It consistently ranks among Australia's best regional restaurants.

Salamanca Market (every Saturday, Hobart) is free to visit, reliably excellent and a strong starting point for understanding what's in season across the state.

Practical Notes for Visitors

The state of Tasmania has tight biosecurity laws. It's not allowed to bring any fresh fruit or veg, honey, or other plant products into Tasmania. It is forbidden when flying there and crossing by boat on the Spirit of Tasmania from the mainland. All this is necessary to maintain the clean agricultural status of the state, and all these laws are rigorously followed. So, the simple solution would be to consume everything beforehand and only buy local once there.

Some of the most delicious food items are season-bound, so keep in mind that Seasonal Availability plays an important role: cherries and stone fruits are at their best in December-June, truffles are grown in winter months (June-August), while leatherwood honey can be found in the summer months.

The car is definitely going to make a big difference in your trip experience. Most farm gates, wine tours, and other cellar door attractions are only accessible by car. There are organised tours in Bruny Island, wineries, and whisky tours, but when you are doing an independent tour, you will appreciate a hire car.

It is recommended that you book in advance for the summer period. Restaurants in Hobart and Launceston get very busy between December and February. You have the Taste of Summer festival in Hobart in December and January, which brings in many tourists.

Gear up for Tasmania

The reason for the excellence of Tasmanian food and beverages does not have anything to do with marketing; rather, it is due to its location, its climate and the quality of the local produce itself. It is fresh in an unprecedented way due to its location and because this place remains largely untouched by modern civilisation.

For travellers planning a culinary road trip, a 10 day Tasmania itinerary offers enough flexibility to include cellar doors, farm gates, local markets, and some of the state's most celebrated dining destinations.