It’s time to step away from your processed supermarket staples and replenish your body with the natural ingredients it craves.
Whether that means strolling through a lively market for fresh produce, taste-testing top-quality cheese, or sipping fine wine from a luscious vineyard – Tasmanian cuisine will reawaken your body’s connection with the Earth’s most savoury sustenance.
Discover in-season, cool-climate produce
Farm-to-table food starts with the freshest ingredients and at Farm Gate Market, in the heart of Hobart, that means having urban access to an ever-changing array of cool-climate produce – reflecting only what’s best in-season.
Join the humming crowd for this Sunday ritual, unearthing new finds from passionate local producers. And once your stomach starts rumbling for a cheeky breakfast, brunch or lunch, check out this list of restaurants in Hobart’s sizzling food scene.
Up in Launceston, in the heart of the Tamar Valley, the Harvest Launceston Community Farmers’ Market is brimming with seasonal produce, ethical meat and fish, artisan bread and pastries and locally roasted coffee.
Every Saturday morning, foodies gather in this quiet inner-city car park to meet Tassie farmers, connect with locals and start their weekends off with baskets of goodies – an event that not only nourishes the body but also the soul, as the food is just as grounded as the people.
Be sure to check out why Launceston was named a UNESCO City of Gastronomy with this list of gastronomically good restaurants.
Savour hand-crafted, high-quality cheese
Sample only the purest hormone-free and chemical-free milk from grass-fed cows at the Wicked Cheese Company in Richmond, southern Tasmania. In just a few short years, this boutique cheesemaker has gained national recognition for it's high-quality handmade cheeses.
Travel further south and you’ll find Bruny Island Cheese Co. – an artisan cheesemaker using traditional techniques, infused with the ocean air, pure rain and lush pastures of the Tasmanian environment.
Over on King Island, the award-winning cheese from King Island Dairy Cheese Store will have your mouth watering, and if you’ve never heard of a High Cheese (like high tea for cheese fanciers) or a Cheesy Flight (like beer tasting without the fuzzy head), familiarise yourself with these quirky must-dos at Ashgrove Dairy Door and Visitor Centre.
Taste the ocean’s offerings
Renowned for producing some of Australia's top seafood, Tasmania hosts some truly exquisite opportunities to interact with the ocean’s offerings.
Wade out into the crisp waters of Freycinet Marine Farm to harvest oysters straight off the rack and watch a shucking demonstration before enjoying the juicy oysters and mussels with a glass of wine.
Taste-test some briny oysters on a farm tour at Barilla Bay Oysters. Right next door is Candy Abalone, where you can stock up on this sumptuous seafood – canned, dried or ready-to-eat. And if you’re looking to chow down on top-notch lobster, dine in at Hursey Seafoods for a relaxed and family-friendly atmosphere with picturesque views of Tatlows Beach.
Enjoy natural spirits and wine
Tasmania’s maritime environment and crisp air seep into some of the finest crafted spirits and wine.
Australia’s southernmost whisky distillery McHenry Distillery uses it's own abundant springwater to produce handmade Tasmanian gin, vodka and single malt whisky. A bit further north, you’ll find the world’s best single cask whisky (according to the 2018 and 2019 World Whiskies Awards) at Sullivan’s Cove Distillery.
If you’re looking to sip on a cool-climate wine, plenty of options await. Josef Chromy Wines revered for its 'Méthode Tasmanoise' sparkling house wine. Every wine at Domaine A is a reflection of the winery's inspirational and ancient terroir, suited to crafting excellent cabernets. And located in Tasmania’s beautiful Coal River Valley is Every Man and His Dog Vineyard, a winery with a cellar door and bed and breakfast.
For those craving a curated tour, Tamar Valley Food and Wine Boutique Tours will captivate your curiosity with storytelling and tastings.
Satisfy your sweet tooth
Discover chocolate heaven in Tasmania’s north west at Anvers Chocolate Factory in Latrobe. Dig into handmade chocolate truffles, chocolate oranges, fudge and pralines using fresh Tasmanian cream and butter, single-origin chocolate, fruits, nuts and liqueurs.
Up in the wild rainforests of Tasmania's north west, a local family has been sourcing award-winning honey for over 60 years. Blue Hills Honey produces the rare Leatherwood tree Eucryphia lucida – only found in the ancient and primitive takayna / Tarkine rainforests – alongside other varieties, including Tasmanian manuka, blackberry and meadow.
