Templo

Book well in advance for Templo, an intimate 25-seat restaurant set in a former butcher’s shop. The banquette seats by the window or bar stools are great spots to land, but the round communal table has our favourite seats in the house: it’s where you’re likely to pick up spontaneous conversation with other diners. From there you’ve also got front-row views of the kitchen pass where chefs craft dishes that change with Tasmania’s seasons.

From there, the friendly staff ferry out plates with a focus on simplicity and community; ingredients are sourced from local producers like Fat Carrot Farm or line fisherman Aiden Jackson. While the offering evolves each week, most meals at Templo start with house-made ciabatta, risen from a sourdough starter that’s more than 10 years old. Or the staple gnocco fritto (fried dough) topped with shaved prosciutto or cured Wagyu. Yet the main draw is its rotating house-made pasta – such as agnolotti with Cape Grim beef cheek or sweet corn risotto with spanner crab and tarragon.

The drinks list is a thoughtful curation of minimal intervention wines, many from local winemakers well known to the team. There’s a Templo-exclusive pinot noir crafted by Ricky Evans from Two Tonne Tasmania, which was crafted to pair well with anything (yes, even seafood). Looking further afield, it’s hard to go past the bright and textural Guttarolo Gia trebbiano from Puglia. Templo also offers BYO (with a corkage fee) if you have a special drop you want to knock the top off. Classic cocktails like a Negroni or spritz are also a wise place to start.