Tasmania

7 of the best food and wine experiences in Tasmania

man pouring a Josef Chromy wine into glasses

RACV

Posted February 16, 2023

With top-notch restaurants, bustling cafes, world-class wineries and fresh produce galore, Australia’s smallest state is bursting with epicurean adventures perfect for your next getaway.

Whether you're looking to recharge the batteries on a weekend away, hit the open road on a driving holiday or enjoy a longer break, you'll love taking in the spectacular Tasmanian scenery while eating and drinking your way across the island. Just be sure to pack your appetite and your RACV membership for special discounts for Tasmania's best attractions.

For spacious accommodation in the heart of Hobart, make RACV Hobart Hotel your base for your days and nights in Tasmania’s capital. The hotel is situated just a short stroll down to the historic Salamanca Market and harbour, where you’ll find galleries, craft shops and restaurants thriving in the grand setting of 1830s Georgian warehouses.

Here are the top seven food and wine experiences to enjoy across Tasmania.

Best food and wine experiences in Tasmania

Sate your appetite on a Bruny Island food tour

Experience the wonder of Bruny Island on this gourmet food and sightseeing tour, which will get you sampling the island's fresh local produce and rugged scenery. For morning tea, you'll chow down on Bruny Island Cheese, wood-fired oven breads and fresh local oysters. Highlights of the tour include exploring Cape Bruny Lighthouse, spotting the rare white wallabies in the Mount Magana rainforests, and enjoying a selection of seafood and local meets at Hotel Bruny overlooking the d'Entrecasteaux Channel. In between stops, you'll also sample honey, chocolate, fudge at local tastings.

Set sail for fresh seafood

For seafood lovers, it doesn’t get better – or fresher – than this full day Tasmanian Seafood Seduction Cruise. Departing from Hobart and cruising along the picturesque Bruny Island coastline, gathering the freshest seafood to enjoy at your very own seafood smorgasbord. You'll eat freshly-shucked oysters  and see your guide dive for abalone and sea urchin. Enjoy an extravagant feast served on deck, including mouth-watering rock lobster, sashimi and smoked salmon – all washed down with local wines and boutique beer.

 

group of people standing on a boat holding seafood

The Seafood Seduction Cruise will open your eyes to the true wonder of seafood. Image: Tourism Tasmania & Peter Aitchison

 

Discover the art of fine wine

Set on a sprawling 1880s homestead estate just 15 minutes from Launceston, Josef Chromy Wines produces some of the Tamar Valley’s most delectable drops. Take an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the vineyard and winery and observe the winemaking process from grape to glass, with a unique opportunity to taste wines in their unfinished state. You'll then indulge in a two-course lunch paired with award-winning wines in an idyllic location surrounded by lakes and vineyards. If you're a sparkling fan, you can even try your hand at winemaking by creating your own signature blend of sparkling after learning how traditional method sparkling is made, complete with a premium wine tasting, two-course lunch, and behind-the-scenes winery tour. Either way, you won’t be able to resist picking up a bottle (or two!) to enjoy at home as you reminisce on your Tasmanian adventure.

Cruise the Tamar Valley

There’s no better way to experience the tranquil beauty of the Tamar Valley than from the water. On a Tamar River lunch cruise, sit back and relax as you mingle with native water birds, enjoy informative expert commentary, and take in views of Tamar Island, Cataract Gorge, and Launceston's riverfront precinct. On this four hour cruise along Australia's longest navigable estuarine river, you’ll be treated to a local beer and wine tastings, morning tea, a Tasmanian fruit and cheese platter, and a light lunch. Cruises depart seasonally between 1 September - 31 May.

 

man carving pork in a commercial kitchen

Fat Pig Farm specialises in long, seasonal lunches. Image: Alice Hansen

 

Eat paddock to plate at Fat Pig Farm

Fat Pig Farm is a 70 acre family farm in the beautiful Huon Valley south of Hobart, where chef Matthew and his family Sadie and Hedley have turned the one-time apple orchard into a farm full of pigs, cows, goats, ducks, chickens, bees, and gardens. Since 2016 they've also opened their farm restaurant, where visitors sit round the farmhouse table and enjoy a long, leisurely lunch starring seasonal ingredients. Make sure to sign up for workshops and events after lunch so you can tour the market garden, apple orchard and olive grove and pay a visit to the pigs, cows and chooks. Knowing the story behind every bite means that this homegrown feast is both bursting with flavour and nourishing for the soul.

Try a Tassie tasting trail

After a self-guided Tasmanian adventure? Hire a car and hit the road on the Cradle to Coast Tasting Trail, taking in views of the rolling green hills and coastal vistas as you satisfy your cravings for farmgate fare like cheese, honey, raspberries, seafood, truffles, handmade ice cream, and so much more. Fancy a tipple? There are trails mapped out across the state dedicated to Tassie’s world-class wineries, breweries and distilleries.

More: Why Tasmania makes for an electrifying road trip

interior shot of bakery with chalkboard and bread

Jackman & McRoss is one of Hobart's most popular bakeries. Image: Tourism Australia & Ellenor Argyropoulos

 

 Sample a scallop pie

Move over meat pies! Hobart has a famous delicacy: premium local sea scallops in a creamy curry sauce, all encased in delightfully flaky pastry. One of the most popular places to sample a scallop pie is Jackman & McRoss, close to Salamanca Market. This bakery also serves up tempting pastries, bread loaves, breakfasts and light lunches: all traditional meals and baked goods with a fine dining twist. After your meal, take a stroll around the historic Battery Point neighbourhood, which has remained largely unchanged since the 1800s. 

RACV Members receive exclusive offers and discounts at RACV Hobart Hotel.
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