Tasmania knows how to do a good time. From long lunches overlooking the water to cosy wine bars, bustling pubs and hidden local favourites, the Apple Isle is packed with venues worth planning a booking around.
To make your next night out a little easier, we’ve rounded up 10 of Tasmania’s top spots to eat, drink and celebrate right now. Whether you’re chasing fresh seafood, crackling atmosphere or a table that turns into an all-night stay, this guide is your shortcut to the state’s must-book venues.
1. Ghost Rock
Perched on Tasmania’s stunning north-west coast, Ghost Rock Wines Tasmania is the kind of place that turns a quick lunch into a full afternoon. Overlooking rolling vineyards and Bass Strait, this family-owned winery pairs cool climate wines with seasonal dishes heroing local Tasmanian produce, from fresh seafood to rich regional cheeses. Whether you’re settling in for a long lunch, a guided tasting or simply soaking up the views with a glass of pinot in hand, Ghost Rock delivers the ultimate Tassie food and wine experience.
Location: 1055 Port Sorell Road, Northdown
Hours: Wednesday to Sunday 11am – 5pm
2. Ogee
If your ideal dinner involves natural wine, dim lighting and accidentally staying out three hours longer than planned, Ogee is your place. This tiny North Hobart bistro has built a cult following thanks to its ever-changing menu, seriously good snacks and effortlessly cool atmosphere that feels equal parts European wine bar and Tassie local favourite. Think oysters, handmade pasta, seasonal plates made for sharing and staff who always seem to know exactly what wine you should order next. Small in size but big on personality, Ogee is the kind of venue people try once and immediately start recommending to everyone they know.
Location: 374 Murray St, North Hobart
Hours: Wednesday to Thursday 5pm – 11pm;
Friday to Sunday 12pm – 3pm & 5pm – 11pm
3. Cataract on Paterson
Housed inside one of Launceston’s most beautiful old buildings, Cataract on Paterson brings a little bit of old-school glamour back to dinner plans. Think velvet booths, moody lighting, cocktails that mean business and a menu packed with premium Tassie produce – from perfectly cooked steaks to fresh local seafood. It’s the kind of place made for date nights, celebrations or pretending you’re in a movie while sipping a martini. Sophisticated without taking itself too seriously, Cataract on Paterson nails that sweet spot between classic fine dining and a seriously good night out.
Location: 135 Paterson St, Launceston
Hours: Daily 5pm – late
4. Waterline Brooke Street Pier
Perched right on the water at Brooke Street Pier, Waterline Brooke Street Pier Lounge Bar & Eatery is the kind of venue that makes you want to stretch lunch into dinner. With front-row harbour views, a buzzing open kitchen and a menu built around Tasmanian produce, this waterfront favourite leans heavily into share plates, smoky flavours and fresh seafood done properly. Expect fire-licked meats, house-made ferments, cocktails with a little flair and plenty of people lingering over a drink as the sun drops over the marina. Casual enough for a spontaneous spritz, polished enough for a long date night, Waterline nails that relaxed Hobart waterfront energy.
Location: 12 Franklin Wharf, Hobart
Hours: Monday 12pm – 8pm; Tuesday to Wednesday closed;
Thursday to Saturday 12pm – 8pm; Sunday 12pm – 5pm
5. Brisbane Street Bistro
There’s something delightfully stubborn about Brisbane Street Bistro, in the best possible way. No gimmicks, no overworked trends, just a tightly run dining room where buttery sauces, proper technique and generous hospitality still steal the show. The low lighting, pressed white tablecloths and hum of conversation give it that unmistakable special night out energy, while the menu delivers all the bistro comforts you secretly hope for: rich duck liver parfait, slow-cooked meats, flaky pastry and desserts worth unbuttoning the jeans for. It’s the kind of venue where the staff know their regulars, the wine pours are generous, and dinner somehow turns into a three-hour affair without anyone noticing.
Location: 24 Brisbane Street, Launceston
Hours: Wednesday to Sunday 5.30pm – 10pm
6. Pooley Wines
Pooley Wines feels less like a cellar door and more like being invited into someone’s impossibly picturesque country estate for a very long lunch. Set among rolling vineyards in the Coal River Valley, the whole experience leans elegant without becoming precious, heritage sandstone buildings, crackling fireplaces in winter, sprawling lawns in summer and glasses of riesling that somehow disappear far too quickly. The menu champions Tasmania’s cooler-climate produce with the same care poured into the wines, making it dangerously easy to turn a tasting into an all-afternoon affair. Whether guests are there for a quick pinot flight or a celebratory feast overlooking the vines, Pooley has mastered that polished-but-relaxed energy Tasmania does so well.
Location: 1431 Richmond Road, Richmond
Hours: Daily 10am – 5pm
7. Mudbar Restaurant
Mudbar has the kind of energy that makes a Tuesday night feel suspiciously close to a celebration. Sitting right on the edge of the Tamar River, the space balances sleek waterfront dining with a menu that knows exactly how to keep a crowd happy, fresh oysters, towering seafood platters, glossy pasta dishes and steaks that practically demand a bold Tassie red beside them. The open dining room buzzes from lunch through late-night cocktails, while the terrace fills fast whenever Launceston turns on the sunshine.
Location: 28 Seaport Boulevard, Launceston
Hours: Daily 11.30am – late
8. Willie Smith's Apple Shed
Willie Smith’s Apple Shed is part cider house, part Tassie daydream and somehow still feels like a local secret despite the crowds. Hidden down in the Huon Valley, the old apple packing shed has been transformed into a sprawling, fire-warmed gathering spot where long tables fill with cider paddles, flaky pastries and groups convincing themselves they’ll just stay for one more round. The whole venue leans hard into its orchard roots, heritage apples, small-batch cider, local produce and a menu built for slow grazing between drinks. There’s live music, stories in the walls, and a kind of relaxed chaos that makes everyone instantly settle in.
Location: 2064 Huon Hwy, Grove
Hours: Monday to Thursday 10am – 4pm;
Friday 10am – 9pm; Saturday to Sunday 10am – 5pm
9. Barilla Bay Restaurant
At Barilla Bay, the oysters are so close to the table they’ve practically skipped the middleman. Built around the working oyster farm itself, the venue has that rare you can’t fake this quality. The space walks the line between refined and wonderfully unfussy, where tourists in linen shirts sit beside locals demolishing dozen-after-dozen of natural oysters like it’s a competitive sport. It feels unmistakably Tasmanian, clean, coastal and just indulgent enough to justify dessert.
Location: 1388 Tasman Hwy, Cambridge
Hours: Monday 11am – 2.30pm; Tuesday to Wednesday closed;
Thursday to Saturday 11am – 2.30pm & 5pm – 7.30pm; Sunday 11am – 2.30pm
10. Royal Oak Hotel
The Royal Oak is the kind of pub that reminds people why a really good local still matters. Sitting proudly in North Hobart, this beautifully restored old corner pub balances heritage charm with a dining room that takes its food far more seriously than your average parma-and-pint operation. There’s a moody warmth to the place with dark timber, crackling fireplaces, locals perched at the bar and tables full of people settling in for a long, gravy-heavy dinner. The menu leans into elevated pub comfort with Tasmanian produce at the centre, while the beer list does exactly what a pub beer list should – make choosing painfully difficult. It’s polished enough for a date night, relaxed enough for a midweek schnitty, and somehow always feels like it’s been part of the neighbourhood forever.
Location: 14 Brisbane Street Launceston
Hours: Wednesday to Saturday 3pm – late