Hobart With Kids: 10 Kid-friendly Restaurants

Your go-to guide to kid-friendly restaurants in Hobart.

Eating out with kids can be trying at the best of times but when trying to find kid-friendly restaurants in an unfamiliar city on holidays, it can be nigh impossible. Unless you have a trusted source you can turn to. We give you our parent-approved guide to where to eat with kids in Hobart.

1. Mures

The best place for fish and chips in Hobart is on the waterfront. Get your order away at Mures Lower Deck for fish fingers (made from sustainable Australian line-caught blue-eye trevalla) and crumbed blue grenadier with chips before going for a wander around Constitution Dock or Victoria Dock to see if you can spot Sammy the seal, who makes regular cameos here. There is also an ice creamery located on the Lower Deck where you can choose between 32 flavours and a range of toppings.

Mures exterior — A must-stop for dinner down by the waterfront in Hobart. (Image: Tourism Tasmania & Kathryn Leahy)

Address: Victoria Dock, Hobart TAS, Australia, 7000

2. Flamecake

Flammkuchen translates to ‘flamecakes’ and brings us to Salamanca Market, which is loud with traders touting everything from fresh fish to flowers. Follow your nose to the Flamecake stall which specialises in wood-fired pizzas with a German twist such as Gratinee (dry-cured bacon with gruyère cheese, onions and sauerkraut) and Nordic (with hot-smoked wild-caught salmon, gruyère cheese and onions) or Italian-style topped with Tasmanian salami or ham and pineapple for kids.

Address: Salamanca Pl, Hobart TAS 7000

3. Jackman & McRoss

Reward the kids with croissants after they make the climb from Kelly’s Steps in Salamanca Place to Jackman & McRoss , the popular bakery cafe that has become a central part of life for the community of Battery Point. Stand outside the corner cafe on a sunny winter’s day and you will likely see kunanyi/Mt Wellington blanketed in snow. Arrive early and you will also find a counter that groans under the weight of baked goods such as sourdough, lamb pies and passionfruit meringues.

Address: 57-45 Kelly St, Battery Point TAS 7004

4. Machine Laundry Cafe

Empty the contents of your suitcase into the coin-operated machines at this Salamanca Square bastion and then sit out the cycle in style in the turquoise-painted café on the other side of the glass. We’ll come clean with you: the Machine Laundry Café has been a hot place to hang out since it opened in 1997. Order the Old New Egg Dish for yourself and hotcakes for the kids. Spill some hot sauce on your collar? No problem. Pop next door and do another load.

Address: 12 Salamanca Square, Battery Point TAS 7004

5. Room for a Pony

You could probably swing a few cats, and still find room for a pony in this sprawling 200-seater eatery named in honour of Hyacinth Bucket, of the British sitcom Keeping Up Appearances. “My sister? She’s the one with the Mercedes, swimming pool and room for a pony…" said Hyacinth in a scene from the series. Wear your best pair of clodhoppers and colonise a spot in the garden with the extended family to enjoy wood-fired meatballs, karaage fried chicken, house nachos and a pizza – vegetarian, of course – named after legendary local environmental activist Bob Brown.

Address: 338 Elizabeth St, North Hobart TAS 7000

6. Born In Brunswick

It’s easy to forget the idea for Born in Brunswick began in Melbourne – where owners Con and Sarah Vailas were living at the time – as this neighbourhood cafe has been keeping the flame burning for North Hobart since it opened in 2016. Everything about the Scandi-chic space, from the locally hand-crafted Tassie oak furniture to the produce sourced from Rocky Top farm and Top Fish, doffs its cap to the island state. Converge in the courtyard for potato and thyme hash and octopus scrambled eggs.

Born in Brunswick menu — Eat locally sourced food at Born in Brunswick. (Image: Natalie Mendham)

Address: 410 Elizabeth St, North Hobart TAS 7000

7. Ginger Brown

Ginger Brown continues to stand strong on Macquarie Street in South Hobart thanks to its homey vibe and mean breakfast, brunch and lunch dishes (which feature on an all-day menu). The cosy space is a community fave full of Art Deco mirrors, retro chairs and loud locals who are drawn by ridiculously good options such as the pork belly bowls and toasted paninis. Order crumpets with salted caramel, whipped date butter, banana and dark chocolate for the kiddlie-winks.

Address: 464 Macquarie St, South Hobart TAS 7004

8. Suzie Luck’s

Navigate your way around the higgle-piggle of Salamanca Market to find Suzie Luck’s, located in The Mercury building overlooking Salamanca Square. Curious kids will love the restaurant’s quirky design, which includes a spicy colour palette, oversized poster of a hen, and wall display featuring seven fortune cat figurines. There’s even a little round window that looks into the fish tank of The Salmon Shop next door. Children with expanded culinary repertoires will love the eggplant tempura, DIY roast duck roll-ups and massaman curry.

Inside Suzie Luck’s. — Quirky Suzie Luck’s. (Image: Alastair Bett)

Address: 2 Salamanca Square Battery Point, Hobart TAS 7000

9. Urban Greek

Grab a table near to the mural of the Son of Zeus and Queen of Crete so you can distract your kids with a lesson on ancient Urban Greek mythology. If your history lesson fails to inspire, don’t start smashing plates; it’s not that kind of place. While there’s plenty to distract in the decor, the food here is the main event. And generosity is part of the equation. Order a mixed grill for the adults, and biftekia (beef patties) and soutzoukakia (Greek meatballs) from the kids’ menu, which also flies the Hellenic flag.

Address: 103 Murray St, Hobart TAS 7000

10. Honey Badger Dessert Cafe

No, this cute and homey café in Salamanca Square was not named in honour of Nick Cummins, the professional rugby union player best known as the ‘honey badger’. Rather, it pays homage to the infamous animal from South Africa which reportedly has a ferocious appetite. Honey Badger Dessert Cafe helps parents handle their hangry children with a combination of patience, panache, pancakes and panookies (a gooey cookie concoction in a pan).

Address: 7 Salamanca Square, Battery Point TAS 7004

For more insider tips, read our guide to 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)

Plan your trip to Hobart and beyond with ALL Accor at All.com .

Here are Hobart’s 10 best kid-friendly restaurants