Seafood, eat it! Where to indulge in Tassie’s best fishy business

Fresh fish, oysters, lobster, abalone, salmon and more await in the island state’s restaurants, fish ‘n’ chip shops and small businesses that produce, sell and serve your salty heart’s desire. From Hobart’s waterfront to the fishing town of St Helens, here are some of Tasmania’s hot spots for eating ocean-to-plate.

Family owned and operated since it opened in 1973, Mures is synonymous with seafood because they catch their own on a boat called Diana. There are several ways to experience this institution on Hobart’s Victoria Dock. Go casual at Lower Deck with favourites like fish ‘n’ chips and the fisherman’s basket. Go upmarket at Upper Deck, the a la carte restaurant serving fancy fare such as ocean trout tartare and smoked fish chowder. Get a little glamorous with Pearl + Co’s cocktail-friendly bites, including oysters, sashimi and ceviche. Or buy ingredients for superior self-catering at the ground floor shop.

Steps away from Mures are Hobart’s famous floating fish ‘n’ chip shops, which fry up some of the best takeaway in town along Constitution Dock. The best known is Flippers, but others include The Fish Man and Mako Seafood, so ponder the cheap and cheerful menu at whichever floats your boat. Whether you’re hooked on tried and true calamari rings and battered flake, or treats such as scallops and prawn cutlets, chowing down on fresh seafood right there on the dock is a classic Tassie experience.

Bruny Island is famous for its local gourmet produce, including Pacific oysters cultivated in Great Bay by Get Shucked. Buy some to go – including from the drive-through if you’re hurrying for the ferry – or try the bay-to-bar dining experience at their casual oyster bar. See the big bivalve molluscs being shucked before your eyes, then settle in with a dozen, natural or cooked, and a glass of Tasmanian wine.

Widely regarded as Tasmania’s best sushi chef, Masaaki Koyama has put the little Huon Valley town of Geeveston on the foodie map. Masaaki’s Sushi started quietly, as locals weren’t too sure about eating raw fish, but now people from near and far queue, sometimes for hours, or wait weeks for a booking. So plan ahead if you want to taste the perfect mix of Japanese technique and fresh Tasmanian seafood prepared by the man fondly called the surfing sushi chef.

Freycinet National Park isn’t the only reason to head east. Another natural experience not to be missed in this neck of the woods is Freycinet Marine Farm, which produces Pacific oysters, Tasmanian blue mussels and sea urchins in Coles Bay. This business, appropriately operated by the Fisher family, also gathers other seafood from around the state, including abalone, lobster and Atlantic salmon. Take a tour of their farm then tuck in on the deck or nearby beach, or buy some self-catering indulgence.

Information included in this blog is correct at the time of publishing. Please contact individual operators for further information.