Planning a few days in Hobart?

Lucky you! Here is our guide to making the most of your trip.

From the best restaurants in town to those little places that are best explored on foot, see below for some suggestions to maximise your mini-break in Hobart. While Mona and the Botanical Gardens are an absolute must and the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery is awesome for kids, a visit to Hobart is really all about the food and wine. So, pack your puffer, leave plenty of space in your luggage for some sublime Tassie produce and be prepared for some serious eating and drinking.

• Book ahead

If, like us, your holidays revolve completely around food and wine, it really pays to book ahead. Many of Hobart’s best restaurants including Fico, Templo and Peppina are often booked out several weeks in advance. You might get lucky by putting your name down on their online waitlists. We also highly recommend setting aside time for a day trip and long lunch. Our top picks are Van Bone, overlooking Marion Bay, and the Agrarian Kitchen in New Norfolk. Both are about 40 minutes from Hobart and well worth the drive!

• when you just want to rock up like a local

For those (also like us) who tend to leave things to the last minute, a lot of our favourite places can often cater for walk-ins or late bookings. Head to Suzie Luck’s for some delicious Asian-inspired share food (think Chin Chin, but even fresher). Willing Bros. in North Hobart is tiny but exceptional, with a brilliant wine list and one-chef kitchen turning out glorious French-style bistro meals and snacks. La Sardina Loca has quickly become a locals’ favourite for its excellent spritzers, fun wine list and simply wonderful food. Great little wine/food bars that take walk-ins include Institut Polaire on Murray Street, opposite Parliament House, and both Sonny and Rude Boy on Elizabeth Street.

We are often asked for seafood recommendations and our top pick is always Blue Eye on Castray Esplanade (phone a few days ahead and they may even source you a Southern Rock Lobster). Me Wah in Sandy Bay is old-school Chinese in the best way, with a trad Aussie Chinese à la carte menu juxtaposed with fresh, modern tasting menu options. Allow about 30 minutes to peruse the extensive wine list, say yes to a glass of French champagne on arrival and say yes again to the post-dinner spirits trolley.

• start early (you’ll thank us)

Too much good food and too little time would have to be the number one challenge when visiting Hobart. Our recommendation? Start early!

Head to Pigeon Whole Bakers on Argyle St for coffee and the best (seriously, the best) pastries in Australia. Tip: if you arrive at 9am you are too late, the morning buns and chocolate croissants are already gone. On Sundays go all-out with a cooked breakfast at the Farm Gate Market while soaking up the atmosphere as talented musos busk on the corner and locals buy their fruit, veg, small-farm meats and artisan produce.

Walk it all off with a stroll to the Glaetzer-Dixon Family Winemakers tasting room (wine aids digestion right?) and you are sure to be hungry again by lunch.

• hoof it

If you are able, the best way to find Hobart’s loveliest spots is on foot. Go platypus spotting along the Hobart Rivulet or wander around historic Battery Point before ambling down Kelly’s Steps to Salamanca. On our side of the city, a favourite walk is from the waterfront to the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, via the Remembrance Bridge.

If you are heading to the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery or the adjacent Maritime Museum, add in a stroll along the waterfront with a pit stop at the floating Van Diemens Land Creamery ice-cream punt and a sneaky gin or whisky at Lark Distillery. With day trips we also recommend leaving ample time for an amble, whether it is out to Mona (the grounds of which enjoy their own little micro-climate) or slightly further afield to New Norfolk with its poplar-lined river and parks.