Foodie adventures

Devouring seasonal produce and delighting in its story is part and parcel of the Off Season experience.

Cool-climate indulgence permeates lively local markets, bespoke tours and tastings, and farmgate feasts with the lowest food miles imaginable. Connect with the island’s premium ingredients and the people who grow them.

Try these full-flavoured foodie experiences in Tasmania this winter.

On the farm

Tenderised by fire and nurtured by ice-cold soil – it doesn’t get any more authentic than meat and vegetables fresh from the source.

The Off Season conveniently coincides with Tasmania's truffle harvest: button up your coat and go hunting for some aromatic orbs at the Truffle Farm in Meander Valley, then feast on the bounty by the fire.

For a unique taste of Tasmania’s agricultural experiences, agriCULTURED (31 July–3 August) is a toothsome northern food and art festival offering farm tours, community conversations, delicious workshops and other sensorily stimulating surprises.

Savour hand-crafted, high-quality cheese

In southern Tasmania, sample only the purest cheese from grass-fed cows at the Wicked Cheese Company in Richmond. Travel further south and you’ll find Bruny Island Cheese Co. – an artisan cheesemaker using traditional techniques, infused with Tasmania’s ocean air, clean rain and lush pastures (even lusher in winter).

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 a beer tasting without the fuzzy head), familiarise yourself with these quirky must-dos at Ashgrove Dairy Door and Visitor Centre.

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 for true comfort food in a cosy setting.

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. In Perth, taste Tasmanian Honey Company’s pure leatherwood honey and sip a zesty hot toddy to stay warm.

If you’d rather swap sugar for salt, Tasman Sea Salt’s sustainable east-coast saltworks produce some remarkable seasonings, pairing perfectly with winter wine and produce from nearby Mayfield Estate.

Taste the ocean’s offerings

During the Off Season, there are some truly unique opportunities to sample Tasmania’s aquatic staples.

Winter is prime oyster and mussel season at Freycinet Marine Farm. Warm your belly with hearty steamed mussels or keep it natural with a plump plateful of oysters, washed down with a glass of local wine.

Did you know Tasmania produces a quarter of the world's abalone? At Candy Abalone, stock up on this sumptuous seafood – canned, dried or ready-to-eat. Looking to chow down on top-notch lobster? Dine in at Hursey Seafoods for a relaxed and family-friendly atmosphere, with picturesque views of Stanley's Tatlows Beach.

The bivalves taste sweeter in winter: Tarkine Fresh Oysters is an intimate spot for juicy winter oysters, while Tassie Scallop Fiesta (August) rings in the new fishing season in style at Bridport.

Discover in-season, cool-climate produce

Farm-to-table food starts with wholesome ingredients, and at Farm Gate Market, that means having urban access to the freshest array of produce in the heart of Hobart in winter.

Join the humming crowd for this Sunday ritual, unearthing new finds from passionate local producers and experiencing the rich flavours of freshly farmed food.

Up in Launceston – Tasmania’s delectable UNESCO City of Gastronomy – the Harvest Launceston Community Farmers’ Market is brimming with wintertime produce. Warm up to artisan bread and pastries, ethical meat and seafood, and locally roasted coffee.