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MONA cuts a striking figure overlooking the Derwent River. Opposite (clockwise from top left): the Islington’s

conservatory; Garagistes’ thyme ice cream with strawberries, basil and native pepper meringue; inside Garagistes; Farm Gate Market; historic George Town;

Yellow Bernard’s macarons; Tassie’s famed apple orchards.

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Hobart and Huon Valley

The arrival of a world-class museum and new restaurant openings has revived Tasmania’s food scene. This month’s Locavores, pastry chefs Alistair Wise and Teena Kearney-Wise, guide us through the highlights.

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An advantage of living in a smaller city is that the couple get local support – and not just from people coming in and eating at their patisserie. “At [nearby restaurant] Garagistes they call it foraging,” says Alistair. “I call it piracy. I drive past a tree, then knock on the person’s door. What are they going to do? Let 300 lemons fall to the ground? That would be a shame. If I had to buy unwaxed lemons it would cost me an absolute fortune.”

“A lady brought in a shopping basket full of perfectly ripe figs, then the next week it happened again. We were struggling to come up with new ideas for figs after a while.”

“People will call up and say, ‘I have a tree of loquats’. I had no idea what that was, and I won’t be going back to that tree, but it was interesting to go and pick some fruit and chat with the old lady, and it only cost me a Christmas pudding.”

As for the city itself, they’ve watched it change before their eyes. “Hobart has a vibrant food scene all of a sudden,” says Alistair. “It’s gone from a backwater to a place where there’s a bunch of people trying to make the most of what’s good here. The sure test is that if you can find good coffee in a town there’ll be good food – you have to master the basics first. And there’s loads of good coffee in Hobart these days.”

The couple also think David Walsh’s extraordinary Museum of Old and New Art, also known as MONA, (655 Main Rd, Rosetta; mona.net.au), which opened in January 2011, is responsible for the city’s radical reinvention. “That

1LLondon, New York, Hobart… Perhaps not everyone’s idea of career progression but, after years honing their skills in the world’s culinary capitals, Alistair Wise and his wife Teena Kearney-Wise decided it made perfect sense to return home to Tasmania. Most recently, they’d been working in New York at Gordon Ramsay at The London, where Alistair was executive pastry chef and Teena was senior sous chef.

“We’d done so much travelling and seen so many different things that we really liked, we wanted to pull all that together and make it ourselves,” explains Teena. “We didn’t just want to make ice cream or wedding cakes or cupcakes because there are so many elements we’re both good at.”

The result is Sweet Envy (341 Elizabeth St, North Hobart; sweetenvy.com), which opened in August 2010, a patisserie where everything is the product of their own hands. (“Except the ice-cream cones, I draw the line there,” says Alistair.)

Cupcakes with towering icing, sticky buns, macarons, opera cake and other gateaux are just a few of the treats on their extensive menu, plus savoury items such as lamb and harissa sausage rolls and beef-tongue-and-cheek pies. Last summer they launched Big Bessie, a restored ice-cream van that takes their daily-churned flavours on the road.

1. Sweet Envy’s Teena Kearney-Wise and Alistair Wise. 2. MONA’s eye-catching interior. 3. Addictive offerings at Sweet Envy. 4. Luxury accommodation at MONA’s Pavilions.

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with contemporary flavours and Derwent River-views. “It’s a phenomenal location, the kitchen is phenomenal to look at, and Philippe Leban can really cook, too,” says Alistair.

While it’s better known as a cafe and store, Italian Pantry (27–29 Federal St, North Hobart; italianpantry.com.au) hosts Friday night dinners, sometimes served as feasts at a communal table. “You eat among the produce, which is very Melbourne, very Sydney, very now,” says Alistair.

There aren’t a lot of places in the historical wharf district of Salamanca, bar the ubiquitous fish and chips shops, but the couple do recommend Smolt (2 Salamanca Square; smolt.com.au), where “clever cookie” Scott Heffernan

turns out creative small plates, pizza and pasta with Italian  and Spanish overtones.

While it’s probably not at the top of most foodies’ lists, they’re also fans of Machine Laundry Cafe (12 Salamanca Sq, Battery Point; (03) 6224 9922). “It does a slamming good breakfast in a really cool spot,” says Alistair, who recommends

was the critical point for Hobart’s change,” says Alistair. “MONA offers tourists something really different, and you can easily spend a whole day exploring it before dinner.”

where to eat“I’m lucky because my favourite place is just a few doors down [from Sweet Envy],” says Alistair of Piccolo (323A Elizabeth St, North Hobart; (03) 6234 4844). Owner-chef Alex Jovanovic’s excellent pasta, freshly baked bread, braised meats and great desserts (even by a pastry chef’s standards) are what keep Alistair, Teena and their four-year-old daughter, Matilda, coming back.

No list of Hobart’s must-eat venues is complete without a mention of Garagistes (103 Murray St; garagistes.com.au), “we call it Gary’s for short,” says Alistair. It’s a collaboration between Luke Burgess, Katrina Birchmeier and Kirk Richardson, and a celebration of locally sourced produce and natural wines presented, unsurprisingly, in a converted garage.

For a celebratory lunch, there’s no better setting than The Source (655 Main Rd, Rosetta; mona.net.au), the restaurant at MONA that marries classic French techniques

“Hobart has gone from being a quiet backwater to having a vibrant food scene all of a sudden.”

1. Contemporary flavours at The Source. 2. Enjoy a glass of wine and Spanish-style share plates at Smolt. 3. Smolt’s salmon ceviche with radish. 4. Luke Burgess of Garagistes.

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ordering the banana pancakes. “You can sit back, drink coffee and people watch, which is really what breakfast is about.”

Another favourite cafe is the charming Pigeon Hole (93 Goulburn St, West Hobart; (03) 6236 9306), where Jay Patey bakes arguably the best bread in Hobart. If you’re looking for a great cup of coffee in the city’s business district, try tiny Yellow Bernard (109 Collins St; yellowbernard.com).

where to drinkClassy wine bars and late-night haunts aren’t Hobart’s specialty. “By the time you’re 30, you feel old on a night out in Hobart,” says Teena. “A lot of the older generation tend to go to wineries for a drink.” That said, there are a few bars opening, and plenty of fun to be had if you go in with an open attitude.

Sidecar (129 Bathurst St; garagistes.com.au/sidecar) is Garagistes’ tiny offshoot in a former fire station. “It’s Hobart’s Sydney or Melbourne equivalent,” says Alistair. “One for wine connoisseurs.” The wine list is made up of organic and biodynamic drops, mostly from France and Italy, and there’s a small bar menu, where you can’t go past the wagyu hotdog served in a brioche bun with mayonnaise and pickled radish.

Old favourite Tavern 42 Degrees South (Elizabeth Street Pier; tav42.com.au) is still a go-to for a tipple with a view. “Sit down by the water and have a cleansing ale,” suggests Alistair.

A good Friday-night choice is the Farm Bar at The Two Metre Tall Company (2862 Lyell Hwy, Hayes; 2mt.com.au). Ashley Huntington makes real ale and cider on site, and there are barbecue facilities for cooking up his beer-fed beef and a bus that runs back to Hobart (although you have to book). “It’s a cool spot and Ashley’s so tall,” says Alistair. “And the more you drink, the taller he gets!”

For a completely different feel, head to The Grand Poobah (142 Liverpool St; (03) 6231 3363). “They’re wonderfully wacky, artistic types,” says Alistair of the folks who run the multi-room venue (there’s even a space decked out like a swamp), which hosts bands, comedy nights and cult-film screenings.

There are also a couple of Hobart institutions with sure-fire entertainment. Knopwoods Retreat (39 Salamanca Pl; knopwoods.com) is one of the city’s best-known pubs. “It’s one of those places you say you never go to, but you do,” says Teena. “It’s badly awesome,” continues Alistair. “It’s a Friday thing – the sort of place you blow the froth off the first beer, like Young & Jackson in Melbourne.” For those who like their beers served with a side of live music, there’s also Republic Bar & Cafe (299 Elizabeth St, North Hobart; republicbar.com).

1. Enjoy an organic drop at new wine bar Sidecar. 2. The Pigeon Hole is known for its bread. 3. Yellow Bernard.

4. Breakfast with a view at Machine Laundry Cafe.

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“I know drinking probably means alcohol,” suggests Teena, “but try an amazing teahouse called Chado The Way of Tea (130 Elizabeth St; (03) 6231 6411).” The walls are lined with jars of leaves sourced from all over the world by Varuni Kulasekera – she’s married to Brian Ritchie, the former Violent Femmes bass guitarist who’s now a music curator at MONA.

where to shopAlthough they tend to do a lot of their shopping when they visit Melbourne, the couple do have a few favourite spots for retail therapy. “The guy that runs it is so cool,” says Alistair of Ultralux (9 Criterion St; (03) 6231 4991), a fashion store that specialises in retro looks from the ’50s and ’60s.

Matilda is a big fan of toy shops Ruby’s Room (131 Bathurst St; (03) 6234 6103) and Toys to Enjoy (33 Salamanca Pl; toystoenjoy.com.au). “Toys to Enjoy is one of those charming old-school shops with lots of doll houses and tin toys,” says Alistair.

Although it’s a 30-minute drive out of town, antique lovers won’t want to miss The Drill Hall Emporium (Stephen St, New

Norfolk; thedrillhall.com.au) for treasures ranging from silver tableware to copper cookware. “They have beautiful French pieces and lots of locally foraged stuff,” says Alistair.

where to stayThe super-luxe boutique Islington (321 Davey St, South Hobart; islingtonhotel.com, from $395 per night including breakfast), is a Regency period home with contemporary additions. It has just 11 rooms, all decorated with amazing art, as well as a superb kitchen exclusive to guests, with a seasonal and organic menu.

The new Salamanca Wharf Hotel (17A Castray Esplanade; salamancawharfhotel.com, from $225 per night room only) is also situated in the historic docks area, and has loft penthouse apartments boasting plush bedding, spa baths and floor-to-ceiling windows to maximise the fabulous views.

“It’s a cool space,” says Alistair of The Henry Jones Art Hotel (25 Hunter St; thehenryjones.com, from $390 per night including breakfast), located in an old jam factory at Sullivans Cove. The hotel features 300 artworks and rooms with views overlooking the harbour and Mount Wellington.

Budget-friendly but equally well-located is The Old Woolstore Apartment Hotel (1 Macquarie St; oldwoolstore.com.au; from $135 per night room only), with 242 rooms ranging from standard rooms to two-bedroom apartments. Or you can relax on a harbourfront balcony at the contemporary Zero Davey (15 Hunter St; escapesresorts.com.au; from $129 per night room only), also at Sullivans Cove.

1. Antiques at The Drill Hall Emporium. 2. For a luxe stay check in to the Islington. 3. The Loft Penthouse at Salamanca Wharf Hotel.

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side trip: huon valleyFor a foodie day trip with stunning scenery, head south from Hobart down Sandy Bay Road, driving towards Kettering (about 30km), where the Bruny Island Ferry docks. Stop for a sweet pick-me-up at John Zito’s Nutpatch Nougat (Saddle Rd, Kettering; nutpatch.com.au) for handmade chocolates and nougat.

Continue south to Woodbridge and turn inland on Cygnet Road. “There are farm gates everywhere,” says Teena. “Keep your eyes open for the signs, especially in summer.” Time your drive for a lunchtime stop at Cygnet. “It’s like a country food mecca,” says Alistair. Try Steve Cumper’s excellent The Red Velvet Lounge (24 Mary St, Cygnet; theredvelvetlounge.com.au), or local favourite Lotus Eaters Cafe (10 Mary St, Cygnet; (03) 6295 1996), with a short yet tempting menu. Also sample Gillian Ryan’s wares at Cygneture Chocolates (7A Mary St, Cygnet; cygneture.com.au) and, if you happen to pass through

on a Sunday morning, look out for Cam McKenzie selling his loaves outside Cygnet Town Hall. “He mixes everything by hand and makes the most amazing bread,” says Alistair.

Follow the Channel Highway towards Huonville but when you reach the town’s bridge, turn south down the Huon Highway towards Franklin. First you’ll come to the orchard of David and Diane Cane (3238 Huon Hwy, Franklin; (03) 6266 3170) and if it’s December to March, you’re in luck. “It’s the Holy Grail

of peaches and we always make a pilgrimage down there,” says Alistair. “We literally load up the car with their stone fruit. The plums are amazing, too.”

Sushi lovers should continue south to Geeveston and Masaaki’s Sushi (20B Church St, Geeveston; 0408 712 340), where Masaaki Koyoma uses locally grown wasabi and fresh seafood. (You can also try his hand rolls at Hobart’s Farm Gate Market.)

Head north again on the Huon Highway towards Hobart. Stock up on

apples at Huonville or the harder stuff at Willie Smiths Organic Apple Cider (22 Lollara Rd, Grove; williesmiths.com.au), where the Smith family have been growing apples since 1888. They use their organic fruit to make French-inspired farmhouse cider and you’ll want to take a few bottles home in your boot. d.

“ David and Diane Cane’s orchard is the Holy Grail of peaches. We always load up the car with their stone fruit.”

pRODuce DRIveNour Locavores alistair

and teena are regulars at

hobart’s markets. shop

at salamanca Market (salamanca pl, salamanca.

com.au) on saturdays;

Farm Gate Market (49

Melville st; farmgatemarket.

com.au) on sunday mornings;

and on summer saturdays,

MoMa (momahobart.net.au),

MoNa’s market. “It’s more

food-oriented than

salamanca Market, but

done cleverly, without feeling

pretentious,” says alistair.

to learn how to put all that

beautiful produce to use,

book a class at The Agrarian kitchen (650 Lachlan rd,

Lachlan; theagrariankitchen.

com), a farm cooking school

run by rodney dunn.

1. MoMa, MONA’s summer markets. 2. Tasmania’s picturesque Huon Valley.

3. Andrew Smith (left) and Ian Smith from Willie Smiths Organic Apple Cider.

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