Top Seafood Restaurants in Hobart for a Gourmet Experience

 

Hobart’s access to some of the freshest seafood in the world makes it a paradise for foodies. Tasmania’s cool, clean waters produce premium oysters, abalone, mussels, scallops and southern rock lobster, many of which land directly on the menus of the restaurants listed below.

Home to award-winning restaurants to tucked-away local favourites, this waterfront capital has earned a reputation as a premier destination for lovers of Tasmanian gourmet seafood. 

Here’s your guide to the best seafood restaurants in Hobart, plus insider tips to help you plan your perfect gourmet dining experience.

 

What Makes Tasmanian Gourmet Seafoods So Special?
 

If you’re new to Tasmania’s food scene, here’s what sets it apart: the produce is world-class, and the people who prepare it are deeply passionate about provenance and sustainability.

Tasmanian gourmet seafoods are prized for their purity and flavour. From Pacific oysters farmed in pristine Bruny Island waters to wild-caught deep-sea fish and delicate baby abalone, Hobart and wider Tassie produce some of the best seafood in the world.

Restaurants across Hobart embrace a paddock-to-plate (or ocean-to-plate) philosophy, with many working directly with local fishers and producers. And it pays off, with dishes that are as honest and refined as the waters they come from. 

 

What Seafood Should You Try in Hobart?

If you're new to Tasmanian seafood, here are a few must-try dishes:

• Freshly shucked oysters: Look for Bruny Island or St Helens varieties.
• Southern Rock Lobster: Delicate and sweet, often grilled or served chilled.
• Scallops with roe: Local scallops are usually pan-fried and often paired with rich sauces.
• Trevally, trumpeter, or blue eye trevalla: Commonly featured as catch-of-the-day.
• Abalone or sea urchin (kina): Unique textures and strong flavour, for the adventurous diner.

 

How to Pair Wine with Tasmanian Seafood

Tasmania is known for its cool-climate wines, particularly sparkling wines, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, all of which pair beautifully with seafood. Here are a few must-try pairings while you’re there:

• Oysters and sparkling wine are a match made in heaven.
• Grilled fish pairs well with chardonnay or pinot gris.
• Spicy seafood curries or dishes with rich sauces balance nicely with riesling.

 

Many restaurants offer Tasmanian wine lists—they’re a proud bunch, and for good reason, with some of the very best vineyards, wineries and wine producers worldwide right on its shores. Don’t be afraid to ask your server for a pairing recommendation!

 

Start at Tasman Restaurant for a Refined Taste of Tasmania

Ground Floor of Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart

1 Davey St, Hobart

 

Credit: Tasman Restaurant

 

If you’re staying at Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart, your local Tassie seafood experience starts just downstairs. 

Tasman Restaurant offers a refined yet relaxed atmosphere with a strong focus on local ingredients, including standout seafood on the dinner menu. Must-try seafood dishes include:

• Smoked mussels and seafood chowder
• Pan-fried Tasmanian scallops
• Chargrilled octopus
• Crispy skin Tasmanian salmon
• Oysters (natural, Kilpatrick or with green herb breadcrumbs)

 

And the market fish needs a special mention—with so much fresh-caught seasonal seafood on all sides, this option changes regularly for the best reasons. 

Located on the ground level of Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart and open to the public, it’s an excellent choice for indulgent yet light seafood dinners just steps from your room.

Local tip: Visit Tasman for buffet breakfast, eggs made to order, fresh-made pancakes, Huon Valley mushrooms, local cheeses, honey from Far South Hastings, Tasmania and Tasmanian salmon.

 

The Drunken Admiral: A Hobart Icon with Nautical Charm

17/19 Hunter St, Hobart

 

Head inside The Drunken Admiral on Hunter Street, and you’re stepping into a maritime time capsule. Nautical relics, maritime memorabilia and wooden beams set the scene for a fun yet elevated seafood feast on Hobart’s historic waterfront.

The innovative à la carte selection offers something for everyone, with a rotating Fishmarket menu that highlights the daily catch, prepared just the way you like it. Choose from plain grilled (gluten-free), beer-battered, crumbed or spiced with bold Moroccan or Szechuan seasonings. 

Complement your meal with a glass from their extensive drinks list and finish with one of their indulgent house-made desserts. It's a vibrant, flavour-filled spot that brings Tasmania’s seafood heritage to life.

Local tip: Book ahead as this place is a favourite among visitors and locals alike.

 

Pearl + Co: Waterfront Elegance and Oysters Galore

Mures Building, Victoria Dock, Franklin Wharf, Hobart

 

Credit: Pearl + Co

 

Oyster bar and cocktails on Hobart’s waterfront? Say no more. With a prime location on the beautiful Victoria Dock, Pearl + Co delivers atmosphere, creativity, and stunning harbour views. It’s a favourite for romantic dinners, late lunches and twilight cocktails.

Chow down on freshly shucked oysters, sashimi, wild fish ceviche tacos and signature Tassie scallop pies. The menu is a true reflection of Tasmania’s world-class seafood industry.

Not in the mood for a full meal? Pull up a seat at the bar and unwind with a craft cocktail, Tasmanian wine, or locally brewed cider for a relaxed drink by the water. 

 

Blue Eye Seafood Restaurant: Fresh, Elegant, Uncomplicated

1 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, Hobart 

 

Just a 5-minute drive (or 10-minute stroll) from Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart and tucked into Salamanca Square, Blue Eye Seafood Restaurant is a local favourite known for its fresh, locally sourced seafood and relaxed, family-friendly vibes. 

The seasonal menu features daily catches like blue eye trevalla, swordfish, flathead and oysters from the Tasmanian Oyster Co., served natural or with house-made toppings.

Seasonal blackboard specials and gluten-free, dairy-free and non-seafood options ensure there’s something for everyone. It’s a great pick for casual dinners or a long lunch by the waterfront.

Some of our favourite reasons to visit this seafood restaurant in Hobart include:

• Fresh Tasmanian seafood delivered daily
• Dedicated gluten-free fryer and GF menu options
• Family-friendly with kids’ and takeaway menus
• Open late (until 10 pm)
• “Oyster Orgy” special (cheeky, we know): $2 oysters, 3–5 pm, Tues–Sat

 

Mures Upper Deck: A Hobart Seafood Institution

Victoria Dock, Davey St, Hobart

 

Credit: Mures Upper Deck
 

For a truly classic and upscale seafood restaurant experience, it’s hard to beat Mures Upper Deck.

This family-run, multi-level seafood haven is both a restaurant and a fishmonger, with a long-standing commitment to sustainable fishing that operates on a hook-to-plate philosophy for ultimate deliciousness. 

Upstairs, the fine-dining restaurant offers panoramic views of the harbour and an upscale menu that celebrates Tasmania’s finest produce. The menu changes season-to-season and in line with the best catches of the day, but you can be sure of the freshly shucked oysters, melt-in-your-mouth sashimi and whole-cooked crayfish for a truly unforgettable seafood experience.

Mures Upper Deck is perfect for special occasions, long lunches, or anyone wanting to taste the pinnacle of Tasmanian gourmet seafood. 

Tip: Downstairs, the more casual Mures Lower Deck offers great takeaway fish and chips and casual bites with a front-row view of the boats.

 

Old Wharf Restaurant: Historic Charm Meets Modern Flavours

18 Hunter St, Hobart

 

Just a few minutes’ walk from Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart, Old Wharf Restaurant occupies a beautifully transformed waterfront space steeped in industrial history. The site once hosted 19th-century jetties, piers and trading hubs. Today, that heritage lives on in their design and dishes, setting them apart as one of the premier seafood restaurants Hobart has to offer.

Under Chef Alvin Sim (formerly of Saffire Freycinet) and team, the menu honours traditional Tasmanian fare reimagined with a modern twist and built around seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. Expect standout items like Bruny Island oysters with inventive accompaniments, Tasmanian seafood chowder rich with scallops and mussels, and pan-fried Tasmanian salmon in a shellfish sauce.

Dietary needs are well catered for here with clear labels for gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian and vegan options. Hearty main dishes like pork belly, beef cheek or Middle Eastern-style pumpkin also ensure there’s something for everyone.

 

Seafood Served for Every Occasion and Style

 

Romantic Seafood Dinner Spots

For couples visiting Hobart, there’s something undeniably romantic about sharing fresh oysters and local wine by the water. Restaurants like Pearl + Co, Mures Upper Deck, and Tasman Restaurant offer just the right balance of atmosphere and fine food.

Opt for a table by the window, go for a share-plate style menu, and ask your server for wine pairing suggestions. Tasmania’s crisp whites and sparkling wines pair beautifully with seafood.

 

Family-Friendly Seafood Options

 

Families visiting Hobart will find plenty of seafood dining options that cater to kids as well as adults. Drunken Admiral is one of the most family-friendly venues, with its quirky decor and hearty menu. Blue Eye Seafood Restaurant also offers fast, casual seafood with outdoor seating and kid-approved favourites like grilled fish and chips or crumbed calamari.

And if you’re staying at Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart, the team at Tasman Restaurant is happy to accommodate young diners with custom dishes or simpler versions of their seafood specials.

 

Casual Bites and Market-Fresh Catches

Not every seafood meal needs to be fancy. Hobart does laid-back dining just as well as fine dining, and seafood lovers are spoiled for choice. 

Fish Frenzy, located right on the waterfront, is a go-to for perfectly battered flathead, calamari, and chips served in generous portions.

• Enjoy the freshest catch straight from the boat at Hobart’s iconic fish punts on Constitution Dock — a local favourite for unbeatable seafood right on the waterfront.
• Mures Lower Deck offers unmatched fish and chips on the iconic Hobart Docks. Warning: eating here will render all future fish and chips obsolete, but we think it’s worth the pay-off.

 

Make the Most of Hobart’s Seafood Scene
 

Whether you’re in town for business, a weekend escape, or a longer gourmet getaway, Hobart’s seafood restaurants offer something for every occasion. From casual bites to multi-course fine dining, the city is rich with flavour, local pride, and fresh-off-the-boat produce.

Staying at Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart puts you right in the centre of it all, with the waterfront, Salamanca, and the city’s top seafood spots just steps away.

Book your stay at Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart today and discover why Hobart is one of Australia’s premier seafood destinations.