From holes in the wall joints to cosy spots to linger over a flat white and a pastry, and even a scenic mountain cafe, here’s where you’ll find the best coffee in Hobart.

Just like everything else that has come of age in Hobart over the past few years, the Tassie capital is well and truly in the throes of its third-wave coffee movement, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a bad brew here. Wander the CBD’s low-rise streets and you’ll find an inviting indie espresso spot in almost every direction. But good coffee isn’t exclusive to the city centre: practically every compass point in Hobart now boasts a cafe with credentials. So whether you’re after a locally roasted flat white to go, or a pour-over and pastry to savour with a side of people watching, here are some of Hobart’s best coffee stops to add to your itinerary.

1. Pigeon Hole

Tucked away in the quiet hilly streets of West Hobart, yet a stone’s throw from the city centre, Pigeon Hole Cafe is supported entirely by its own farm, Weston Farm. Bag a table in this cosy space for coffee courtesy of local roasters Villino and something hearty and delicious from its all-day menu: think porridge with warm apples and whey caramel, and slow-baked smoky beans on polenta bread with zesty tomatillo verde.

Address: 93 Goulburn St, Hobart

2. Villino/Ecru

Villino Coffee Roasters , one of the longest-running coffee roasters and wholesalers in Tasmania, has two of its own cafes in the Hobart CBD. Villino Coffee serves a concise and flavour-packed food menu alongside its comprehensive range of just-roasted brews: choose between espresso, cold brew, pour-over, cascara tea made from coffee cherry pulp and even a coffee flight (doppio, batch brew and flat white). For coffee to go, try its hole-in-the-wall sibling 20 metres down the road, the specialty coffee outfit Ecru .

Address: 30 Criterion St, Hobart; 18 Criterion St, Hobart

3. Yellow Bernard

The owners of this specialty spot in the middle of Hobart’s CBD are passionate about perfecting the art of good coffee and delivering it with ever-friendly and efficient service. Yellow Bernard is a cosy, inviting and bohemian spot, though there’s limited space to linger: pull up a stool along the window bench with your cup, find a sunny spot on the street outside or grab it to go.

The ‘Fast Eddy’, a 22-hour cold brew coffee infused with toffee and vanilla, has become something of a house signature, and much to the delight of loyal local patrons it’s available to take-away in bottled form each festive season.

Address: 1/109 Collins St, Hobart

4. The Stagg Midtown

This small, family-run coffee shop is all about delivering high-quality takeaway coffee and homemade treats to the people of Hobart. Order your coffee black, white or cold brew, pick up a sweet or savoury daily-baked muffin or banana bread with cinnamon butter from the hole in the wall and you’ll feel like a local in no time.

Address: 138 Elizabeth St, Hobart

5. Island Espresso

A Hobart stalwart, Island Espresso pours consistently good local coffee from its cosy spot on Elizabeth Street in Midtown. Head upstairs to the homely loft space on a cold day to be warmed by the fireplace and hearty meals like roast tomato soup or gin-spiked sourdough bread and butter pudding.

Address: 171 Elizabeth St, Hobart

6. Room For A Pony

In recent years, the eclectic suburb of North Hobart has become a more hip hood to hang out in. Bounce between the arthouse State Cinema and the many bars and eateries, and don’t forget to refuel on coffee. Room For A Pony is a standout here – a cafe occupying a former petrol station site that’s been outfitted with a light industrial touch, wall art, hanging plants and a sunny outside spot out front. It serves an all-day menu and wood-fired pizzas into the night. And, of course, excellent coffee.

Address: 338 Elizabeth St, North Hobart

7. Born in Brunswick

As its name suggests, North Hobart’s Born In Brunswick has taken its cues from Melbourne coffee culture to create a light and airy space with a Scandi feel that is serious about its beans.
Run by ex-Masterchef contestant Con Vailas and his best mate Ben Korkmaz, it serves blends from Melbourne roasters Industry Beans. Its single-origin espresso, batch brew and pour-over filter coffee are on a rotating roster that represents a variety of roasters and origins.

As well as excellent coffee guaranteed, the food here is locally sourced, sustainable and seasonal and its all-day brunch menu covers dishes like potato hash with celeriac and black sesame remoulade, fried egg and pecorino cheese; and crispy fried chicken burger with black pepper and mustard mayo, sugar loaf slaw and pickles on brioche.

Address: 410 Elizabeth St, North Hobart

8. Parklane Espresso

Head to Parklane Espresso when you’re exploring the cobblestones and old merchant buildings of Salamanca Place and in need of a caffeine fix. This niche purveyor of quality coffee is tucked off the square and packs a big punch for a small space; it also has a short but sweet food menu.

Address: 3 Salamanca Square, Battery Point

9. Jackman and McRoss

Hobart’s favourite bakery is perched high up in the historic suburb of Battery Point. Make your way up to Jackman and McRoss via Kelly’s Steps from Salamanca Place and duly reward yourself upon arrival.

You’ll find a huge range of freshly made cakes and pastries to choose from – think seasonal sweet Danishes, apple and cinnamon scrolls and classic jam tarts, and savoury pies, quiches and bagels. Enjoy alongside a cup of great coffee or a special brew – like a hot and spicy winter tonic with ginger, honey, turmeric and lemon.

Address: 57 Hampden Rd, Battery Point

10. Lost Freight Cafe

Surely Hobart’s most surprising – and welcome – coffee spot comes halfway up Kunanyi/Mt Wellington. Lost Freight is a shipping container cafe located at the Springs.

You can get a really decent coffee here, or a matcha latte or hot blackcurrant, plus a number of locally sourced savoury bites – from sausage rolls to pies and ham and cheese toasties – and sweets, like gluten-free chocolate brownies, jaffa creams and ginger nut cookies.

There’s room to cosy up inside and space to stretch out al fresco while you fuel up before a hike: from here you can set out on a number of short bushwalks including the 3.4-kilometre climb to the summit, The Springs to the Pinnacle.

Address: Mount Wellington, Wellington Park

11. Hobart Coffee Roasters

Open since late 2021, this glitzy Franklin Wharf outfit is known as much for its strong, freshly roasted coffee as it is for its warm and friendly service.

Caffeine aside, Hobart Coffee Roasters also serves a small yet comprehensive menu of savoury and sweet bites: think potato hash with roasted pumpkin, fried eggs and hollandaise; and crepes topped with a cold brew reduction, ice cream and berries.

Address: 1/1 Franklin Wharf, Hobart

12. Staple Coffee

Modern, minimalist and monochrome, Staple Coffee exudes an effortlessly chic Japanese vibe, though its owners are actually of Greek heritage.

A super compact space tucked away down street art-covered Bidencopes Lane, this family-run Hobart cafe is all about sharing good coffee, good vibes and good conversation. They also do a mean hot chocolate (pick your flavour from jaffa orange, mint, chai, chilli or white choc).

Those who need to run on more than just caffeine can pick up a filled bagel – made by the talented bakers at Pigeon Whole – and chase it up with an enticing selection of cookies, brownies and other treats. The cafe’s covetable ceramic mugs are also available for purchase.

Address: 2 Bidencopes Ln, Hobart

13. Zimmah Coffee

The latte art game is strong at this NoHo cafe-cum-coffee roastery. Though the focus at Zimmah is on its house-roasted (and ground) beans, which it sells direct to the public as well as wholesale, you’ll find a steady stream of punters pushing through its doors for a freshly extracted espresso or velvety smooth flat white.

The cosy space – with its dim lighting and chesterfield sofas – is a great spot to shelter away from Tassie’s cool climes.

Address: 219B Murray St, Hobart

14. Somewhere Coffee Bar

Brian Lam, Somewhere Coffee’s impossibly knowledgeable owner/operator, is as exacting about the cafe’s drinkware as he is about serving sizes (six-ounce takeaway cups only, to keep the ratio of coffee to milk just so), the size of the grind (to ensure optimal extraction), and sourcing single origin beans from an array of global roasteries (to showcase the best in the business).

This Midtown Hobart cafe has a satisfyingly simple menu and occasionally plays host to coffee-tasting events. In short, it’s one of Hobart’s best coffee shops.

Address: 5/118 Elizabeth St, Hobart

15. Pilgrim Coffee

Known in local circles as one of Hobart’s best cafes, Pilgrim Coffee was a popular haunt until a blaze gutted the space back in mid-2018. Thankfully, the coffee shop has since risen from the ashes, opening its doors once again in late 2020.

Owner Will Priestly is arguably Hobart’s most awarded barista: he won the Australian Latte Art Championship and came second in the World Barista Championship in London in 2010; he’s also triumphed at the Tasmanian Barista Champions more than once.

Address: 54 Liverpool St, Hobart

16. Vilicia Coffee

This light-filled coffee shop in the belly of Hobart’s CBD has been tending to the needs of local caffeine enthusiasts since 2014, and impressing visitors with its latte art ever since. The house blend here comes courtesy of lauded specialty roaster Ona Coffee, though there’s a small selection of rotating single origins from guest roasters too.

The corner shop location and floor-to-ceiling windows make Vilicia Coffee a prime spot for a bit of people watching, and there’s a streamlined selection of moreish pastries and cakes to graze on while you daydream and gaze outside.

Address: 39 Murray Street, Hobart

17. Bloom Coffee x Bites

Known for its friendly owners and the warm welcome the team delivers, Bloom also just so happens to offer coffee that consistently hits the spot, and an array of sweet treats that keep loyal local punters coming back for more (we’re looking at you, cinnamon roll, slathered in a dreamy white icing).

The shop itself is a minimalist space, all white walls and blonde wood furniture, with a few places to perch if you’re eating in.

Address: 102 Collins St, Hobart

18. Two Folk Espresso

There’s a hint of an industrial NYC vibe to Two Folk , with its tall ceilings, monochrome design, bare bulbs, and frosted glass windows.

With its decade-long tenure in Hobart’s Bank Arcade, Two Folk is one of the city’s espresso-based pillars. Run by husband and wife team David and Katie, this kid-friendly Hobart coffee shop has long since been embraced by the local community.

Beyond locally roasted coffee beans (courtesy of aforementioned Zimmah Cafe) you’ll also find sweet and savoury baked goods from new local bakery of note, Six Russell Bakes (launched by the team behind Dier Makr and Me Wah) here.

Address: Two Folk Espresso, 64 shop 11, 68 Liverpool St, Hobart

19. Imago Cafe & Bakery

Exposed brick, hanging dried flowers, dark walls, timber tables and countertops, open shelves stacked with loaves of sourdough; the sum of the vibe at this Hobart coffee shop is enticingly lived-in. You may even find the owner’s pet pooch lazing in the sun outside the shopfront. And did we mention that the drinks lineup is stellar too? Beyond the regular espresso, cold-drip and filter coffee options, you’ll find more outlandish options at Imago , such as an iced white chocolate; turmeric and black sesame lattes; and a lavender ‘London Fog’ (an Earl Grey tea latte).

Address: 114 Elizabeth St, Hobart

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