15 of the best Hobart bars to sip the night away at

Hobart/Nipaluna’s deeply charismatic bars are a must-have experience.

Tassie is awash with incredible wine, beer and spirit producers, so it follows that one would expect to find good places to sit and sip them. The state’s capital delivers on that expectation with plenty of beautiful bars, from the laidback to the clandestine and the downright kooky. With both style and substance on the pour, these Hobart bars are the pick of the absolute best.

1. Mary Mary

the bar interior at Mary Mary, Hobart — Mary Mary is the perfect intimate nook for a nightcap. (Image: Adam Gibson)

This dark wood, leather and brass-embellished bar has mastered the art of refined style and intimacy. Cosy on in and rest your elbows at the padded leather bar as you watch the skilled bar staff achieve alchemy in a glass.

Named after the St Mary’s Hospital Building in which it resides, Mary Mary distils Tasmanian-inspired creativity into a refined drinks list. On it you will find clever concoctions, such as the corpse reviver No2B with gin and absinthe, and the true local with apple brandy and Mary Mary vermouth, as well as an extensive list of wines and Tassie-brewed beer and cider. Pair your drinking with some pickable plates of lamb skewers, meatballs and calamari.

Address: 2a Salamanca Place, Hobart

2. Cascade Brewery Bar

Sip amid the historic surrounds of the oldest-operating brewery in Australia. The iconic Cascade building and foothills of Kunyanyi/Mount Wellington locale are reason enough to visit, even if you’re not a beer drinker, but the convivial ambience here makes for a third solid justification. Of course, Cascade beer takes top billing, but there are also some great Tassie wines and spirits to fill your cup. Tuck into pub-style fare if you’re in for the long haul or nibble on some local oysters and a rustic platter.

Address: 140 Cascade Road, South Hobart

3. Evolve Spirits Bar

the Evolve Spirits Bar, Hobart — Find rare tipples in this cloistered enclave. (Image: Evolve Spirits Bar/Adam Gibson)

This waterfront lounge bar in the luxe MACq 01 Hotel is the place to sample rare liquors and ogle ancient fossils.

Featuring drops from premium Tasmanian distillers, as well as an exhaustive list of whiskies from Scotland’s Speyside to Islay, as well as Japanese whisky and American whiskey, and pretty much any other type of spirit your mind can conjure, Evolve is a playground for the palate if you’re a dilettante of distillation.

But you don’t have to be an insatiable spirit chaser to just enjoy the atmosphere here and a wine or beer. Also check out the curious specimens on display that date back as far as 550 million years ago, including a cave bear and a giant pig skull.

Address: MACq 01 Hotel, 18 Hunter Street, Hobart

4. Gold Bar

pouring spirits into glass at Gold Bar, Hobart — Gold Bar is a gilded Hobart hideaway. (Image: Osborne Images)

Strike gold when you find this gilded hideaway that pours the answer to what ails you six evenings a week. Local spirits are the highlight here, but the very capable bar staff can also whip up your heart’s desire if there’s a cocktail you have a specific hankering for.

In the day, Gold Bar moonlights as a cafe, but the later hours are for sophisticated sipping.

Address: Suite 3, Ground Floor, 11 Morrison Street, Hobart

5. Bar Wa Izakaya

cocktails at Bar Wa Izakaya, Hobart bars — The neon-lit bar draws the crowds late into the evening with its eclectic cocktail menu. (Image: Bar Wa Izakaya)

Kimono over to this neon-lit izakaya that slurps ramen for lunch, serves eats until 11pm, and pours good times until after midnight.

Cocktails, sake and Japanese whisky make up a good portion of the drinks list here and match perfectly with the deep umami flavours of the menu, from tataki to teriyaki.

If it’s a chilly night, walk on in and Bar Wa will warm your cockles by the fire in the upstairs lounge.

Address: 216–218 Elizabeth Street, Hobart

6. Rude Boy

snacks at Rude Boy, Hobart bar — This midtown bar spins an extensive menu of snacks to match your drink of choice. (Image: Rude Boy)

When most other Tassie bars are extolling the virtues of whisky, this midtown bar is going against the grain and sloshing tropical vibes and good rum into low- and hi-balls with cocktails such as the Rhubicube with pineapple and rhubarb and the Unfigettable with fig and anise. To go with your booze, you can choose from a collection of Hobartian fried chicken, brisket and some vego and vegan options. Having won both the Best Cocktail Bar and Rum Bar of the Year in 2022, Rude Boy has perhaps earned its tagline of ‘We Rum this City’.

Address: 130 Elizabeth Street, Hobart

7. Manky Sally’s

seasonal brews at Manky Sally's, Hobart — Manky Sally’s serves up seasonal brews. (Image: Jesse Hunniford)

Here in the lightly moody taphouse for Tassie’s local Moo Brew you can enjoy an effervescent pint or sidestep the hops and opt for a wine or a range of fine and fancy spirits.

At Manky Sally’s , you may also find a cocktail on tap, something like a spicy yuzu margarita, and there’s food to sup, such as oysters, kingfish ceviche or a hearty serving of wallaby rump steak.

Come from midday and stay until midnight Thursday to Sunday, if the mood for Moo Brew strikes.

Address: Ground floor, 25 Salamanca Place, Battery Point

8. Lucinda Wine Bar

hand holding a bottle of Lucinda Wine, Hobart — Savour the rustic flavour of Lucinda Wines.

In the centre of Hobart, Lucinda radiates warmth and a lovely off-duty casualness. While it serves in part as the overflow for sister restaurant, Dier Makr next door, it has its own, standalone charisma. The by-the-glass drops are selected off-cuff by chef and owner Kobi Ruzicka, who opts for minimal intervention expressions of terroir. You can grab a light-ish bite, which may be a silky house-made tortellini or terrine, and sit in the cosy heritage space or brave the brisk Tassie air on the footpath outside.

Address: 123 Collins Street, Hobart

9. Sonny

two people dancing with a wine in hand at Sonny, Hobart — Loosen up over good tunes at Sonny.

A diminutive stature lends this Hobartian classic an intimacy that brings big atmosphere for a place that seats just 20 souls. It’s a lo-fi, walk-in-only vibe at this vine- and vinyl-loving bar that pours excellently finessed drops while spinning good tunes.

You don’t need to labour over which wine to choose; the list at Sonny is well-shaped and perfect with any of the shareable plates from the menu. If you are lucky enough to snag a spot, you’ll be reluctant to give it up, so be prepared to settle in for a session.

Address: 120a Elizabeth Street, Hobart

10. The Still Whisky Bar

Sleek with mossy-green leather banquettes, deep-red carpet and an almost clandestine ambience, The Still is  Lark Distillery’s tasting room by day, and a slinky cocktail and whisky bar by night.

Come before the sun sinks for a guided whisky tasting, whisky blending or gin making experience (Forty Spotted Gin is a Lark subsidiary). Or venture here after dark for a perfectly mixed drink or a wee dram on the rocks.

Address: 30 Argyle Street, Hobart

11. Society Salamanca

spirits on display at Society Salamanca — Society Salamanca shakes up more than 500 beautiful spirits.

This cosy underground burrow is a hidden goldmine of more than 500 beautiful spirits ready to be shaken, stirred and swilled. You can opt in for the latest local release or choose a classic or not-so-classic cocktail from the extensive list.

Doubling down on charm, the bartenders at Society access the wall of enticing glass bottles filled with deliciously intoxicating elixirs by way of a sliding wooden ladder.

Happy hour goes for a leisurely two hours between 4pm and 6pm Wednesday to Saturday.

Address: 22 Montpelier Retreat, Salamanca

12. Void Bar

a blurry image of a bartender at Void Bar, Hobart — Embrace the illusion of evening at this bunker-style bar that is only open during daylight hours. (Image: Mona and Rémi Chauvin)

Of course, any bar at Mona can be expected to come with a degree of offbeat absurdity. Somewhere between a bunker, a mineshaft and an exclusive club is Void Bar , 17 metres underground.

While the bar is only open in the daylight hours between 10am and 5pm, it feels like the very wee hours of the morning in this rock-faced chamber.

Enjoy a martini, a bottle of wine or a beer and a pizza if you’re peckish, while you listen to the musician-in-residence.

Address: 655 Main Rd, Berriedale

13. IXL long bar

a bartender preparing a drink at IXL long bar, The Henry Jones Art Hotel — The old-school IXL long bar crafts historical tipples with a modern twist.

Part of The Henry Jones Art Hotel, this schmick old-school bar, with a timber-beamed ceiling, exposed brick walls and pillarbox red bar stools, is a cosy spot for a nightcap and a delightful escape from Tassie’s bracing winters.

There’s a sizable bar menu filled with original and exotic signature cocktails, such as the ‘Rye P.A’ (rye whiskey with lemon juice, chestnut syrup, spiced ginger bitters and Tasmanian IPA), and modern takes on little-known historical tipples, such as the ‘Blazer’-inspired ‘Island of Fire’ (single malt, whisky liqueur, aromatic bitters, cinnamon and orange oils), which is made with all-Tasmanian ingredients.

And should you happen to overindulge on cocktails (all in the name of research, of course) IXL offers a selection of hearty and fried bar snacks to help mop things up.

Address: 25 Hunter St

14. Hobart Brewing Co

two full glasses of beer at Hobart Brewing Co — Cheers to special edition brews at Hobart Brewing Co.

The so-called ‘red shed’ on Hobart’s waterfront, this indie brewery has been going strong since 2015. Boasting the biggest beer garden in the city, as well as a pool table, a fire pit, and a rotating selection of local food trucks, there’s plenty to keep punters occupied here.

Hopheads will swoon at the selection of beer: we’re talking 13-plus taps that feature both Hobart Brewing Co’s core range as well as its limited releases. You can’t leave without trying HBC’s original drop, and its flagship, an amber ale named the ‘Harbour Master’. But we recommend a deep dive into the offbeat special edition brews too: previous releases have included a stout brewed with oysters, and a sour infused with lime, cucumber and salt.

Address: 16 Evans St

15. Hope and Anchor

Pouring pints since 1807, it’s fair to say that this Hobart watering hole offers a fair whack of history. Technically Australia’s oldest continuously licensed pub, the Hope and Anchor is well worth a visit — if not for the sake of a well-priced tipple, then at least to soak up the museum-like vibes of this storied boozer. The heritage-listed Georgian structure is awash with character, maintaining many of its original features, and antiques line almost every wall. Come for the old-school vibes, stay for the signature hot buttered rum.

Address: 65 Macquarie St

Originally written by Lara Picone with updates by Chloe Cann

Discover the best restaurants in Hobart

Hobart has quietly become our coolest capital, but the real wonder lies just beyond the city limits.

In the cool shade of Kunyani/ Mt Wellington, Hobart has earned a reputation. Home to culture-defining Dark MOFO, the city blends rugged, raw wilderness and rule-breaking galleries. But, step beyond the thrumming capital’s border and you’ll find a new perspective: historic towns, Jurassic-era cliffs and a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. With ALL Accor as your home away from home, fill your days with epicurean odysseys and wild scenery on the best day trips from Hobart.

Where to stay

Behind every good road trip is the perfect home base. Somewhere central to review your camera roll, make the most of Hobart’s dining scene and relax before setting off again.

For modern, Tasmanian-inspired design, book a stay at the Movenpick Hotel Hobart . Standing at the Salamanca Markets, look to the Hobart skyline and the award-winning hotel will catch your eye. As the third-tallest building in the CBD, the views across the harbour toward Antarctica are totally unique to your room. Here, end each day at the daily free chocolate hour (plus a free Movenpick ice cream for the little ones).

For a more budget-conscious option, head to the picture book, sandstone buildings of Macquarie Street. Nestled along the buzzing, historic streetscape, you’ll find Tasmania’s biggest hotel: the Ibis Styles . Return home each day to defrost in one of the hotel’s two saunas. Make use of the proximity to MONA, or take an easy stroll to the candy-coloured cottages of Battery Point between your adventures.

A stylish, Tasmanian-inspired bedroom at Mövenpick Hotel Hobart, your perfect base for relaxing after the best day trips from Hobart. — Elevate your Hobart stay with sleek style at Mövenpick.

1. Bruny Island

Craggy cliffs and tropical-hued, white sand beaches signal your arrival to Bruny Island/ Lunawanna-Alonnah.

Start your day trip at the island’s most iconic spot, the Neck Game Reserve. Scale the Trunganini steps to gaze out over the teensy stretch of land that juts through the sea connecting the two ends of the island.

Catch a rare glimpse of the white furred wallabies that call Bruny Island home at Adventure Bay. Then, for ocean-fresh oysters, pull into the drive-thru window at Get Shucked . Sample Bruny Island cheese at the cellar door before catching the ferry home with an esky full of local produce.

Bruny Island Neck is an isthmus of land connecting north and south Bruny Island. — Begin your adventure with a climb and a view. (Image: Elise Weaver)

2. Mount Wellington

At 1271 metres, Mount Wellington watches protectively over Hobart. Follow the winding road to climb through alpine forest and tufts of snow to reach the summit. Gaze down over Hobart and out to sea, or over your shoulder to the southwestern wilderness.

Reset your adrenaline with a mountain bike ride back down. Or, make like the locals and head into the mountain on foot. Try the hike to the Jurassic-period Organ Pipes which slips under the mountain’s magnificent dolerite cliffs (perfect for families thanks to the trail’s minimal incline).

For a view of Mount Wellington itself, hike nearby Cathedral Rock.

No matter where you are in Hobart you are never far away from the City's beloved mountain, Kunanyi / Mount Wellington — Climb through alpine forest to the summit. (Image: Paul Flemming)

2. Port Arthur

Constructed entirely by convicts, the manicured gardens and penal buildings of Port Arthur offer a day trip that practically hums with history.

The rugged, seagirt location was chosen for its difficult escape conditions. Now, you can cruise the coast below the towering, jagged cliffs of the Tasman National Park or wander the sloping fields of fragrant lavender.

Tickets to Port Arthur include a walking tour and harbour cruise. See the Isle of the Dead where 1000 men are buried in marked and unmarked graves. And Point Puer, Britain’s first prison for children.

The Port Arthur Historic Site is one of Australia's most important heritage sites and tourist destinations. Located on the scenic Turrakana / Tasman Peninsula in the south east of Tasmania, it offers a unique and essential experience for all visitors to the area. — Wander convict-built grounds and gardens. (Image: Dearna Bond)

3. Launceston

You’ll find Launceston at the confluence of three rivers after an easy 2.5-hour drive from Hobart. Launceston is a patchwork of old and new. Here, heritage streetscapes meet modern architecture.

Visit Cataract Gorge, the green, sun-dappled heart of the town and sacred meeting point for Tasmania’s indigenous communities. Pull up at roadside produce stalls that dot the Tamar Valley, or dine out. Launceston is, after all, a UNESCO City of Gastronomy.

Should the local wine scene persuade you, simply extend your time in Launceston at Peppers Silo (but definitely at least stop by the onsite restaurant, Grain of the Silo , for a farm fresh menu) or Mercure Launceston before heading back to Hobart.

Walk the sunlit paths of Cataract Gorge. (Image: Nick H Visuals)

4. Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

Take a 35-minute drive from your hotel and you’ll find Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary . This social enterprise is run by a team of extremely passionate Tasmanians with a mission to look after critically endangered species who have found sanctuary here after facing extinction on the mainland.

Choose to wander the sanctuary at your own pace or join a guided tour (free with your ticket) to come face to face with Tassie’s most iconic species. Tasmanian Devils, wombats and echidnas are part of the free tour. You can book up close encounters with your favourite animals, too.

Bonorong is a Sanctuary for wildlife run by a passionate team of like-minded people. We're a social enterprise: a little business with a big heart. — Snap a cuddle-worthy encounter. (Image: Tourism Australia)

5. Richmond Village & Coal River Valley

Richmond is a town that belongs in a snow globe. Fifty colonial-era, Georgian buildings have been painstakingly restored and turned into cafes, cosy restaurants and galleries. Visit Richmond Gaol , said to be the home of a prisoner so vile he inspired Charles Dickens to pen Oliver Twist’s Fagin.

Then, follow the Coal River as it flows past grassy, duckling-dotted knolls and under the iconic Richmond Bridge, the oldest bridge in Australia. From the crest of the bridge, see the oldest Catholic Church in Australia. The river crawls past many cellar doors, perfect for a day of wine tasting.

Richmond is a picture-perfect town in the Coal River Valley wine region, offering a glimpse into early colonial life, one of the best day trips from Hobart. — Trace the river through history and wine country. (Image: Fin Matson)

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