Cafes/Restaurants

Restaurants

Peppermint Bay
Located at Woodbridge and was named by The Weekend Australian as ‘One of the top 10 restaurants worth leaving home for’. With its breathtaking setting on the banks of the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, the complex includes The Dining Room, an acclaimed a la carte restaurant; the casual bistro-style atmosphere of The Local Bar & Terrace; and The Providore, stocking a wide variety of local food and wine specialties. Also on the property are the fish race and extensive herb garden. The Peppermint Bay Cruise from Hobart is a spectacular way to reach the destination.
More information at www.peppermintbay.com.au

Home Hill Winery
Located at Ranelagh and was named ‘Best Restaurant’ at the Tasmanian Tourism Awards in 2003 and 2004. The boutique winery and restaurant are set among vines and farmland in the heart of the Huon Valley, with sweeping views to the Wellington Range. Home Hill’s range of award-winning wines complement the gourmet recipes on the restaurant’s seasonal menu, which highlights the best Huon Valley ingredients. Concerts and musical events are a feature at Home Hill, with a varied program ranging from classical to blues.
More information at www.homehillwines.com.au

Pear Ridge Gardens and Restaurant
On the outskirts of the Channel town of Margate, Pear Ridge has sweeping rural views towards Mt Wellington and over the restaurant’s own productive garden. Enjoy a meal on the spacious deck or in the dining room, which overlooks the pear walk and garden. There’s even a stream with resident platypus! The cuisine is French-influenced, featuring the region’s fine local produce, with fruit, vegetables and herbs freshly-picked from the half-acre French potager garden. Other regional fare on the menu includes Atlantic salmon from the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, game meats such as Tinderbox rabbit and cool-climate wines from local vineyards.
More Information at www.view.com.au/pearridge/

Fleurtys Cafe and Essential Oil Distillery
Fleurtys has a scenic setting at Birchs Bay on the forested shores of the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, just south of Woodbridge. The stunning architect-designed building features expansive decks and wide windows, with panoramic views of water, forest, hills and mountain. The cafe’s delicious local fare showcases fine regional produce including seasonal locally-grown artichokes, rhubarb, garlic, raspberries and blackcurrants. Vintages from Huon and Channel vineyards feature on the wine list. The property grows thousands of Dutch Irises and has an essential oil distillery onsite. It is the home of Australia’s leading native pepper enterprise, Diemen Pepper Products. Walking tracks from Fleurtys explore the magnificent forest in a private reserve.
More information at www.fleurtys.com.au

Petty Sessions Cafe and Gallery
On the shores of the serene Huon River at Franklin, the cafe is set in the town’s charming 1860 courthouse. Excellent coffee, imaginative light meals using fresh local ingredients and regional cool-climate wines are features. Cosy open fires complement the stylishly-decorated interior design. Views from the dining room take in the reedy islands of the Huon River and the orchards and farmland beyond. Tasmanian scallops and Atlantic salmon feature on the menu. The house special, abalone soup, is an unusual and delicious highlight that shouldn’t be missed.
More Information at www.franklintasmania.com

Huon Manor
Set among landscaped gardens on the banks of the Huon River at Huonville, this fine a la carte restaurant is set in a classic 1918 mansion that retains many of its magnificent period features such as stained glass and hand-painted doors and ceilings. The home’s name ‘Duvida’ means ‘by the river’. Hosts Ray and Trudi Griffiths offer fine fare that uses the best of produce from the Huon Valley and offshore waters. Magnificent seafood is a house specialty – Bruny Island oysters, local salmon, mussels, crayfish and scallops.
More information at www.huonmanor.com.au

Mermaid Cafe
The Mermaid Cafe is at the Bruny Island Ferry Terminal at Kettering. Wide windows look out over the marina and moored yachts in Little Oyster Bay – you can watch the Mirambeena car ferry docking from your table. The cafe offers morning and afternoon tea and delicious freshly-prepared light meals for lunch. The seasonally-changing menu reflects the Huon and Channel region’s food and wine. Excellent coffee is a specialty – locals queuing for the ferry regularly call in for a takeaway latte or cappuccino.
More Information at www.tasmaniaholiday.com