Dave's Eats Hobart — Hobart Food Tour
Bite-seeing in the Tassie capital — five-plus food stops across Salamanca and the Hobart waterfront, with the bakers, fishmongers and chocolatiers doing the talking.
What this tour actually is
This is a 2.5-hour walking food tour of Hobart, and it is exactly what it sounds like: we walk you between five-plus of the city’s best food stops, and at every one you eat something Tasmanian and meet the person who made it.
What to expect
We start at the Machine Laundry Cafe in Salamanca Square — your guide is the one holding the Daves sign — and from there it’s a loop through Salamanca, Battery Point and the Hobart waterfront, finishing with an ice cream on a floating punt at Victoria Dock.
In between: Tasmanian seafood at a working fishmonger, a curried scallop pie at a Hobart bakery institution, deli meats and raw-milk cheese, locally-made chocolate paired with a Tasmanian liqueur, freshly-shucked oysters, and a hot jam donut at the old IXL jam factory.
The itinerary above is indicative. Producers rotate with the seasons and what’s coming off the boat that morning. The story is the same: independent Hobart food, in season, walked between.
Who it’s for
People who like food and the people who make it. First-timers in Hobart who want a fast, edible introduction to Tasmania. Couples on a long weekend. Cruise passengers with a few hours before the boat leaves. Locals who want to see their own city the way a tourist would.
We keep groups small (max 12) so you can actually talk to the makers, and we don’t run a script — the producers tell you what they’re working on, and you ask whatever you want.
What’s not included
Anything you eat outside the standard tastings is on you, as is takeaway, bottled water (bring a reusable — we’ll fill it), and any dietary substitutions we couldn’t pre-arrange. The tour is a guided sampler, not lunch — most guests grab a proper meal in Salamanca or on the waterfront afterwards.
The day, beat by beat
- 10:30 am Stop 01
Meet at Machine Laundry Cafe, Salamanca Square
Your guide will be holding a Daves sign out the front. Walking shoes, an appetite and a sense of humour, please.
- 10:35 am Stop 02
Tasmanian seafood and a curried scallop pie
Two bites that anchor any introduction to Tasmanian eating — a working fishmonger and a Hobart bakery institution.
- 10:50 am Stop 03
Deli meats and Tasmanian cheeses
Charcuterie, raw-milk cheese and cellar-door regional produce in a Salamanca deli.
- 11:00 pm Stop 04
Locally-made chocolate with a Tasmanian liqueur
A small-batch Hobart chocolatier paired with something distilled within an hour of the city.
- 11:30 pm Stop 05
Fresh oysters at the fishmonger
Shucked to order, eaten standing up. The fastest oyster-to-plate moment you’ll have in Australia.
- 11:45 pm Stop 06
A jam donut at the old jam factory
Hobart’s historic IXL jam factory — now a hot donut counter, exactly as it should be.
- 12:15 pm Stop 07
Ice cream on a floating punt at Victoria Dock
Tour finishes on the water, with an ice cream and a view of the fishing fleet. Boat optional, photos compulsory.
What's included
- Tastings at five-plus food stops, plus at least one drink
- A 2.5-hour guided walking tour
- Tasmanian seafood, scallop pie, charcuterie and cheese
- Locally-made chocolate paired with a Tasmanian liqueur
- Fresh local oysters at a working fishmonger
- A jam donut from a former jam factory
- Ice cream from a floating punt on Victoria Dock
Highlights
- Five-plus tastings, plus at least one drink
- Walking only — Salamanca, Battery Point and the waterfront
- Small groups, real producers, no scripts
- Wheelchair-friendly route available with advance notice
- All-ages — bring the kids if you’ve got them
FAQ
How long is the walking and how flat is it?
Roughly 1 km of walking, mostly flat with the occasional set of stairs and uneven Salamanca cobbles. We can pre-plan a wheelchair-friendly route if you let us know at booking.
I have a dietary requirement — can you accommodate?
Tell us at booking and we’ll do our best, but the tour visits independent producers with set menus, so we can’t always swap on the day. Strict allergies and full dietary substitutions need a few days’ notice and may not be possible at every stop.
Is it suitable for kids?
Yes — there’s no minimum age. The tour is paced for adults but the food (donuts, ice cream, chocolate, scallop pie) is universally popular. Under-12s are half price.
Do I need to bring anything?
Walking shoes, a reusable water bottle (free refills along the way), and an appetite. We don’t supply takeaway containers — pace yourself.
Where exactly does the tour finish?
Victoria Dock on the Hobart waterfront, about 800m from where we started. You’ll be a five-minute walk from the CBD, MONA ferries and Salamanca lunch spots if you want to keep eating.
Do you run on weekends?
Currently weekdays only. Weekend departures are coming — register interest via the contact form and we’ll let you know first.
Staying in Hobart for longer?
A lot of guests pair the food tour with the pub tour or a meet-the-makers day. Weekday departures are quieter and just as good.
