Tassie’s best fishy business – the northern edition

Our blog post about top options for seafood in Tasmania inspired reader tips that were very fishy – in a really good way! So here’s more of the best, this time in the state’s north, from a smart Launceston restaurant to humble seaside fish ‘n’ chip shops and fresh seafood shacks.

With lots of polished wood and views of boats bobbing in the marina, Hallams Seafood Restaurant feels like dining below deck on a classic yacht (but with lots more room). Live like you own one with a bottle of crisp Tassie sparkling and the seafood platter for two, loaded with everything from Pacific oysters to Atlantic salmon. Or keep it simple at Fraggle's Fish & Chips, people's choice winner for the 2018 Australian Fish & Chips Awards’ Tasmanian category. Enough said!

Known as the game-fishing capital of Tasmania, and boasting one of the state’s largest fishing fleets, St Helens is a no-brainer when it comes to fresh seafood. If you don’t fancy chartering a vessel to catch it yourself, head to Skippers Fish Shop. Permanently floating in the Georges Bay marina, this blue boat-meets-restaurant also does take-away and sells fresh seafood for spectacular self-catering. Or go back to basics at the Lease 65 oyster shack. It’s cash only, and there are no seats or cutlery, but the oysters are so plump and tasty they’re served at fancy restaurants in Tasmania and beyond.

Another thriving fishing port on the north-east coast, Bicheno is also blessed with fresh-daily seafood including southern rock lobsters. Get your fill at the Lobster Shack, which serves them up whole, half and in lobster rolls, as well as other ready-to-eat treats like sushi and king prawns. Whether dining in or dangling your legs over the deck with some take-away, enjoy gorgeous views of the sheltered ocean ravine called the Gulch. Another top option a few minutes’ walk along the Esplanade is The Wharf Fish & Chips, and their Tasmanian Coastal Seafoods shop for accommodation cooking’s star ingredients. Either way you’ll get that fresh, clean taste of the sea, from striped trumpeter fish to abalone.

If you’re looking for seafood on the north-west coast, Burnie’s a good bet. Try Fish Frenzy, a family-friendly restaurant with grand Bass Strait views and a menu that does everything from classic fish ‘n’ chips to fish burgers and crumbed scallop Caesar salad. Or head for the Octopus Fish Shop, an honest-to-goodness, good-value seaside chippy and fishmonger.

Other places to check out on your northern Tasmanian seafood odyssey include Melshell Oyster Shack near Freycinet National Park. This modest caravan with some outdoor furniture is on an oyster farm, so the fare is fresh and affordable. They have glasses for BYO wine – perhaps a sauvignon blanc you picked up on the way at Freycinet Vineyard? Over in the north-west, Smithton’s Tarkine Fresh Oysters is a modest eatery devoted to beautiful bivalves farmed just up the road in some of the world’s cleanest water. Craving more than oysters? Wynyard Seafoods on the Wharf is less than an hour away. You can’t go wrong at Tassie’s people’s choice runner-up in the 2018 Australian Fish & Chips Awards.

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