Warm your body and soul at some of the island’s cosiest restaurants

Winter is coming! Which is a wonderful thing in Tasmania, because cold weather is the perfect excuse to settle in for long, hearty meals at cosy restaurants. From Hobart to Cradle Mountain, here are some of our favourite places to eat, drink and be merry during the mid-year chill.

The 20 seats at this snug restaurant tucked away at the edge of Hobart’s CBD are almost always occupied. So book ahead if you want to be among the folks happily nestled into Templo, enjoying the blackboard menu’s innovative, Italian-influenced offerings. This place has all the ingredients to make diners feel at home, whether you just want a few small dishes and a glass of wine from the thoughtful little list, or the eight-course chef’s menu, which is a not-to-be-missed $70 gourmet bargain.

The modernist strip of fire outside the entrance of Hobart’s Peacock & Jones is a pleasure for the senses, especially on cold nights. Step inside the Henry Jones Art Hotel’s restaurant and that feeling of warmth expands, with the long open kitchen’s flame and heat on one side, and old sandstone walls glowing with golden light on the other. Book ahead and request a table in this front space. Even in the more open area out the back though, the menu driven by local, seasonal produce, and the generous wine list, keep things cosy.

Established in 1842, this pub in historic Evandale (less than 30 minutes’ drive south of Launceston) is reminiscent of a lovely old English village pub. The Clarendon Arms’ open fire, wooden furniture, stained glass and vintage decorative touches make a charming refuge on a chilly day. Then there’s the dining room’s menu, which warms body and soul with offerings like housemade pies stuffed with chicken and leek, beef and ale, and curried Tasmanian scallops. Add a pint of local oatmeal stout and you’ll never want to leave.

There’s nothing like a spicy curry to put some heat into the situation, and there’s nowhere better to get it in Tasmania than Launceston’s Pickled Evenings. From creamy vegetable korma to the hot prawn vindaloo, this Indian restaurant does delicious Subcontinental comfort food. The decor’s warm colours and lighting, and the friendly service, just adds to the feeling that you’ve come to the right place. Finish with a milky, spiced chai tea and you’ll be warm right down to your toes.

Originally a distinguished 19^th century gentlemen’s club, this building in the heart of Launceston has some lovely old bones. Henry's Bar & Restaurant, which opened in 2016, enhances that original heritage charm with classic bentwood chairs, leather Chesterfield sofas and chandeliers in the dining room. It’s an inviting place to park yourself for the minimum-three-course dinner, if not the full degustation, which might end with crispy apple dumplings and bourbon ice-cream. You’ll want to snuggle up with the extensive drink list too, from bold Barossa reds to local and international whiskies.

Location, location, location! The fine dining restaurant at Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge, right on the edge of Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, has epic wilderness views – which are often draped in snow during winter. Highland Restaurant’s big open fireplace crackles and roars in a smart contemporary space with rustic touches. What better place to tuck into wild mushroom soup and wattleseed-crusted wallaby porterhouse, then toast the season with a luscious little glass of muscat.

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