650349 Sun Sep 06 02:05:33 -0700 2009 11 37 Australia/New Zealand 0 5008619 Thinking of spending a week in Tassie, but haven't planned which cities/towns. Any restaurant suggestions? would love creative things done with local food, maybe some great seafood. Will try anything from shack by the road to fine dining. Also need suggestions for a good espresso in the mornings, maybe some good local cheese too. thanks! Sun Sep 06 02:05:35 -0700 2009 17626 debbieann 1 5008634 You probably know this already, but the wines of Tasmania are sometimes really out of this world. Particularly things like Pinot Noir. If you like wine, keep an eye out for them. Sun Sep 06 02:58:01 -0700 2009 5008619 11938 Tripeler 2 5008641 That sounds good - we enjoyed visiting central Otago vineyards and had some great Pinots there, any particular Tasmanian vineyards? do they do tastings? restaurants with good local wine lists? Sun Sep 06 03:27:35 -0700 2009 5008634 17626 debbieann 3 5008661 East coast and Launceston are pinot territory - not as austere/ purist as Otago pinot though. Look out for Freycinet, Domaine A and Stefano Lubiana. Launceston and Hobart are the food centres, but there has been a reshuffle in chefs very recently around the top Tassie restaurants. Suggest you arrive at Hobart and leave Launceston or vice versa and go up/ down the east coast. Sun Sep 06 04:10:22 -0700 2009 5008641 236726 mr_gimlet 3 5010944 I think it is rare for an Australian winery not to do tastings, some have grand cellar doors others very humble. I was last in Tassie a few years ago but IIRC all the restaurants will have lots of local wine on their lists. The better the restaurant the better the selection. I second Stefan Lubiana for Pinot - their Primavera was our favourite tipple a few years ago Mon Sep 07 09:36:07 -0700 2009 5008641 64584 PhilD 1 5008775 Tasmanian honey is spectacularly wonderful, hard to find (here in the US) and very expensive. I believe that (disappearing) leatherwood trees which are found only (or maybe mainly in Tasmania) account for the extraordinary flavor. If you find some (which certainly seems likely), don't pass it up! links which tell all about tasmanian honey....www.tasmanianhoney.com/...and also http://tinyurl.com/mh22k8 Sun Sep 06 06:42:05 -0700 2009 5008619 11069 fauchon 2 5009645 Leatherwood honey is beautiful, but its so strongly flavoured! Cheese: Ashgrove near Launceston. Best Lancashire-style cheese in the southern hemisphere. Also pyengana for cheddar, its just off the main east coast road. Kates Berry Farm for everything berry related. Coffee is fine in Hobart and Launceston, it gets a bit ropey once you're on the road - too many lattes made with too much milk and no coffee Seafood is probably marginally better at the nicer restaurants in Hobart (MarqueIV on the waterfront has always been the top rec but they've just lost their chef). At the other end of the price scale, Hobart has a series of floating fish and chip boats with daily changing prices based on catch, and Mures seafood has a couple of adjoining restaurants - their Japanese is my favourite. Sun Sep 06 15:49:21 -0700 2009 5008775 236726 mr_gimlet 3 5009825 thank you for all your help, much appreciated! Sun Sep 06 17:30:18 -0700 2009 5009645 17626 debbieann 3 5090954 I know this post is from AAAAAGES ago, but I had to give a shout-out to Bruny Island Cheese Company. It's truly special. And Bruny itself is gorgeous. Well worth the ferry trip. Fri Oct 09 08:45:29 -0700 2009 5009645 256229 LauraGrace 4 5092506 haven't been to Tassie yet, added Bruny Island Cheese - I love their cheese. Fri Oct 09 18:24:50 -0700 2009 5090954 17626 debbieann 1 5030685 Devasted to hear that Marque IV's chef has gone! Apart from that recomendation, I would say try the bakery in Richmond (very quaint old town about 25 mins from Hobart) - best pies and sausage rolls EVER!!! Tue Sep 15 02:44:04 -0700 2009 5008619 261734 AussieBeth 2 5030824 He's gone to Peppermint or whatever its called. Tue Sep 15 05:51:55 -0700 2009 5030685 236726 mr_gimlet