On the gourmet trail: 6 edible reasons to visit Tasmania

The ultimate foodie destination, Tasmania has it all – superb seafood, meat, poultry and smallgoods, award winning wines, artisan producers, and acclaimed restaurants and cafes.

Inspired by Spirit of Tasmania’s new gourmet guide, we’re giving you a tiny taste of some of Tassie’s best foodie highlights. To see a full list of unmissable Tasmanian food and wine experiences, get your free Spirit of Tasmania gourmet guide here.

World-class wine

Of the 160 wine producers in Tasmania, only 60 export to the mainland. That means there are a lot of boutique producers of world-class wines to discover – at cellar door experiences ranging from modern facilities with world-class restaurants to tiny wooden shacks where you’ll have to wait for the vigneron to get off his tractor. With seven unofficial wine regions (Tasmania is all one appellation) find wines made from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris and even Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Follow your own wine-themed driving itinerary or let the experts be your guide on a wine-tasting day or weekend tour.

Follow the foodie trail

The highway from Devonport to Latrobe is a foodie paradise. In just 50km there are chocolate, cherry, cheese and raspberry producers  – House of Anvers, The Cherry Shed, Ashgrove Cheese and Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm. And if you’re passing through the exact latitude of 41 degrees south near Deloraine, drop into Ziggy Pyka’s salmon and ginseng farm where fish is hot-smoked to buttery perfection.

Fabulous fish

Acclaimed chef Tetsuya Wakuda sources many of his ingredients in Tasmania and Petuna salmon is top of his list. But superb flathead, scallops, abalone and crayfish are also fished in Tasmania’s pure waters. To see where it all happens, sign-up for the Seafood Seduction day-long experience and cruise to the water around Bruny Island where local experts catch your lunch and cook it on board. There’s nothing like it anywhere else in the world.

To market, to market

There are farmers markets all across Tasmania. Visit stalls selling the freshest produce, homemade cakes, local ciders, jams and relishes, manned by growers and makers happy to talk about what they do. There are great markets in Hobart, Launceston, Bellerive, Cygnet and the Huon Valley and a visit to one of them is a great way to find the perfect edible gift or stock up for a picnic.

An apple a day

They don’t call it the apple isle for nothing. Making and drinking cider is a favourite Tassie occupation. Willie Smith’s, with its dedication to creating organic, unfiltered ciders, all made from apples grown on the orchard founded by the original William Smith in the 19th century, is one of the most well-known cideries. Also, keep an keen eye out for the Red Sails, Spreyton Cider and Dickens Cider brands – they all have cideries or cellar doors where you can meet the makers.

Cheese please

Nothing goes better with a glass of cider or wine than an intense cow’s milk cheddar from Pyengana Dairy Company, an award-winning Farmhouse cheese from Ashgrove Tasmanian Farm or one of cheesemaker Nick Haddow’s unique cheeses from Bruny Island Cheese. And it’s not just about the eating in Tasmania – head to Grandvewe near Woodbridge, and you can both taste the cheese and “meet the girls”.

If you love great food and wine, make a trip to Tasmania top of your travel to-do list.

Have you been to Tasmania? What beautiful foods did you enjoy eating on your journey? Share your thoughts in the comments below…