Tasmania has long been known for its wild beauty and offbeat charm. But it’s the island’s food and drink experiences that have truly captured travellers’ imaginations. Across this small but mighty state, farm gates, cellar doors and coastal kitchens are redefining what it means to eat local. Inviting visitors to taste, learn and explore the stories behind every bite.
From guided tours and hands-on tastings to waterfront dining and cool-climate wineries, Tasmania offers some of Australia’s most immersive culinary adventures. It’s where Ashgrove Cheese lets you follow milk from pasture to plate, Willie Smith’s Apple Shed turns orchard walks into cider-making masterclasses, and The Lobster Shack plates up the day’s catch with waves as your soundtrack.
At Devil’s Corner Cellar Door, panoramic views meet world-class pinot noir, while Stillwater Restaurant in Launceston champions local farmers, fishers and makers with every dish. Together, these experiences capture the raw, generous spirit of Tasmania, a place where food miles are low and every visit lingers long after you’ve left.
Ashgrove Cheese
“Handmade” takes on a whole new meaning at this landmark family-owned northern Tasmanian dairy farm, where the original Ashgrove factory was hand-built by the Bennett family from repurposed mining equipment. Today, its award-winning cheeses draw visitors to the dairy door for generous and educational farm-fresh tasting experiences. Self-guided farm tours reveal the cheesemakers at work, stirring curds to craft their Vintage Cheddar, Smoked Red Leicester and Bushberry Lancashire. It’s an authentic glimpse into Tasmania’s artisan dairy tradition, where generations of expertise meet just-picked passion.
Willie Smith’s Apple Shed
A visit to Willie Smith’s Apple Shed sparks nostalgia for a simpler time, when new products were born from necessity and seasonal abundance. Since Willie Smith first founded the orchard in 1888 in the beautiful Huon Valley — Tasmania’s Southern fruit bowl — this family operation has been championing heritage apple varieties and pressing award-winning cider. Wander through the historic orchards, sample flights of crisp, botanical-driven ciders in the rustic tasting room, and discover how traditional cider-making methods honour both fruit and place. The Apple Shed Museum offers a fascinating window into Tasmania’s colonial orcharding history, while the on-site eatery serves seasonal, orchard-to-table fare that celebrates the region’s produce.
The Lobster Shack
There are few dining experiences as visceral and rewarding as cracking into a just-caught lobster (or crayfish, as the locals call them) while overlooking the waters it came from. The Lobster Shack, perched on Tasmania’s rugged east coast near Bicheno, delivers exactly that; an unpretentious, immersive seafood experience where the catch of the day is the star. Here, rock lobsters are pulled from the cold Southern Ocean and transformed into simple, spectacular dishes: steamed whole with garlic butter, tossed through creamy pasta, or served in generous seafood platters alongside local oysters and fish. But it’s the lobster roll that keeps the locals and visitors coming back for more. The alfresco setting is refreshingly unfussy, letting the quality of Tasmania’s pristine seafood and the coastal landscape speak for itself.
Devil’s Corner Cellar Door
Positioned on a dramatic peninsula where the Tasman Sea meets rolling vineyard hills, Devil’s Corner offers one of Tasmania’s most spectacular wine-tasting settings. At the cellar door you’ll find elegant, cool-climate wines — particularly their lauded pinot noir and crisp sparkling varieties. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame panoramic views of the Hazards mountain range. It’s a sensory experience where every pour is enhanced by the wild beauty of Freycinet Peninsula.
Stillwater Restaurant
In a converted 1830s flourmill on the banks of Launceston’s Kanamaluka / River Tamar, Stillwater Restaurant has become synonymous with refined Tasmanian dining. The menu is a love letter to the island’s producers, featuring heritage-breed meats, day-boat seafood and heirloom vegetables sourced from trusted local farmers and fishers. Each dish is a study in restraint and precision, allowing the exceptional quality of Tasmanian ingredients to shine. The dining room — with its soaring timber beams, gallery-white walls and riverside aspect — provides an elegant backdrop for what is one of Australia’s finest regional restaurants. At Stillwater, tasting Tasmania’s seasons is an art form, where every plate tells the story of people, place and provenance.
Come down for air and discover the unique and fresh possibilities Tasmania can bring.
