The Best Restaurants in Launceston

When visitors to cafés Sweetbrew and Tatler Lane tell Archana Brammall that they’re from Melbourne and love coffee, she responds with, “I’m Ethiopian and I love my coffee, too.” In 2014, Brammall and her Tassie-born husband, Tim, opened Sweetbrew, one of Launceston’s first serious coffee spots. Tatler Lane debuted last year and serves a brunch menu that ranges from an omelette of the day to a Feisty Egg Butty. These are the other local places that Brammall loves.

Sun & Moon Eatery for the vegan gyoza

“This Thai-Korean fusion restaurant is run by a lovely couple – she’s Thai and he’s Korean – and their food is fresh and beautiful. I’m vegetarian so my go-to dishes are the vegan gyoza with chilli oil and the vegan Thai yellow curry. They also serve a range of meat dishes, including beef bulgogi and Korean fried chicken.”

Du Cane Brewing for the beer and pizza

“Du Cane is a fantastic, architect-designed venue that’s perfect for a casual catch-up over beer and pizza with friends – it always has a great buzz about it. My favourite pizza is The Earth, a combo of potato, rosemary, garlic, pecorino and mozzarella.”

Bar Urbane for the Sidecar cocktail

“They do a great job at this beautifully appointed spot on the Seaport boardwalk. There’s a selection of top spirits and they use Tasmanian brands as much as possible. My cocktail of choice is the Sidecar – cognac, curaçao and lemon juice.”

Grain of the Silos for a fancy meal

“If you want to go a bit upmarket, this restaurant is the place. The food director, Massimo Mele, serves a rotating menu of seasonal, paddock-to-platestyle dishes that celebrate Tasmanian produce. I had a wonderful gnocchi with truffle oil last time and there’s usually excellent seafood on the menu.”

The Barrel Collective for the gin and tonic

“This is where I head for an after-work drink. It’s an intimate, long, dark, skinny space and Michael Bernhagen, who runs it, is very knowledgeable. They make a gin and tonic using Taylor & Smith Dry Gin, which is distilled in Hobart.”

Bar Two for a glass of Tasmanian red

“When you find this tiny bar at the end of a laneway, you know you’ve come somewhere special. The name stands for ‘Tasmanian Wines Only’ and they serve a plethora of drops. I usually order a red, maybe a shiraz, syrah or pinot noir. They also have light food – oysters, cheese and little pizzas.”

Spice Lounge for the palak paneer

“Spice Lounge on the boardwalk is my go-to Indian; it’s my comfort food when I’m tired, can’t be bothered thinking and just want a good feed with a good view. I like the palak paneer (cottage cheese and spinach with garlic and cream), with cumin rice and garlic naan, and the malai kofta (mashed potato and cottage cheese dumplings in cashew nut and tomato gravy).”