A Winemaker’s Guide to Tasmania’s Best Winter Produce, Food and Drinks Experiences

If you’re a food lover, Tasmania should be at the top of your list. Its producers, winemakers and distillers have mastered seasonality with a dose of innovation, making the most of the freshest produce.

Seafood is at its finest in the cooler months, with many species putting on tasty added fat, and the island has no shortage of cosy spots to pull up a seat and fend off the cold over a meal. We sat down with the founder of Swansea’s Rivulet Wines, Keira O’Brien – a former food writer herself – for tips on how to navigate Tasmania’s winter culinary landscape.

A casual neighbourhood brekkie

When she’s in Hobart, O’Brien always starts her mornings at Westside Laundry. In a charming art deco building just a short walk from the CBD, this New York-style deli serves up loaded sangas and brunch plates alongside great coffee, wine and aperitivos. “It has just got a lovely, relaxed vibe, a very neighbourhood feel, and amazing consistency,” she says. The menu adds a twist to familiar dishes; O’Brien opts for the Morty sandwich, with grilled mortadella, stracciatella cream, pistachio pesto and basil, or one of the cleverly named specials.

A “treat yourself” dinner

If you find yourself on Tasmania’s east coast, O’Brien’s pick is Le Coq in Bicheno, the town she now calls home. “It is sort of French-leaning but uses local produce, and they have an excellent selection of Tasmanian wines.”

In Hobart, she recommends a visit to Ogee – a corner terrace just a stone’s throw from Elizabeth Street in North Hobart. Founder and head chef Matt Breen has a great relationship with local growers, farmers and fishers, which informs the daily menu. Start with a spritz, then get the staff to guide you through the specials and wine recommendations. “It’s cosy, very produce-driven, and has a perfect blend of warmth and casual elegance.”

The pick of the bunch

No winter trip to Tasmania is complete without sampling the state’s world-class wine culture. From her own portfolio, O’Brien’s chosen pour is the 2024 Rivulet Glaziers Bay Pinot Noir. “It has a really beautiful, silky texture with black cherry flavours,” she says. The fruit comes from the Huon Valley in southern Tasmania: her absolute favourite region for pinot noir grapes.

When she’s drinking someone else’s harvest, she reaches for Stefano Lubiana’s Malvasia chardonnay. “It’s a lovely, textural white made with an Italian variety that demonstrates it is really at home in Tasmania.” Its skin-contact amphora style makes it – to O’Brien, at least – particularly fascinating.

A cellar-door experience

“As a winemaker, a cellar door is usually the last thing you want to do on a day off,” she laughs. When she does visit one, it has to be worth her while. For a high-end experience, O’Brien loves Tolpuddle Vineyard in Richmond. “It’s very elevated, hyper-detailed, with a lovely architect-designed building and amazing snacks.”

She also recommends booking the new tasting experience at Stargazer Wines, also in the Coal River Valley and not too far from Richmond. “I just have huge respect for Sam Connew, the way that she grows, the integrity with which she does things, and the deliciousness of her wine,” O’Brien says.

And if whisky’s more your speed, Tasmania produces excellent single malt whisky. “Waubs Harbour Distillery is my pick on the East Coast.” It’s made in small batches and matured just metres from the sea in Bicheno. The distillery was once an old oyster hatchery, and now has a cooling system run entirely by the ocean. Bookings are essential if you want to stop by for tours and tastings.

The essential road-trip pit stop

Tasmanian seafood is unmatched in winter, so make a detour out to Dolphin Sands to visit Melshell Oyster Shack for the freshest oysters and the waterfront caravan’s fun retro vibes. O’Brien has the oysters as they are, naturally salty. Keep an eye out for the award-winning, custom-bred gold-lipped oysters, which are creamier and plumper than the standard stuff.

Carb o’clock

For those bakery cravings, O’Brien loves the sourdough at Bread & Butter in Launceston. “Every time I’m there, I stock up with sourdough and fill my freezer with it.”

If you are venturing through Swansea, look out for Cake & Honey. Michaela Storer serves exceptional coffee and baked goods alongside locally harvested honey, thanks to her apiarist partner, Rob Barker. Keep an eye out for their special seasonal releases and treats.

Pick of the produce

Most Saturdays, you’ll find O’Brien enjoying a slow morning at Launceston’s Harvest Market. “Meeting the growers is great,” she explains. “The freshness and diversity of veggies is incredible.” She always walks away with armfuls of herbs and mushrooms. One of her favourite producers there is Seven Springs Farm from Lorinna, in the upper Forth River valley, with its unusual heirloom veggies. “One day they gave me a black radish, which – even as a food writer – I’d never come across. It was so good.” You’ll find street food, baked goods, cider makers, distillers and dairy farmers. Come with an empty stomach.

A hidden gem

The winemaker’s ultimate best-kept secret is a world-class patisserie tucked away in Bicheno called Little Bay Patisserie. “When I used to make wine for growers all over the state, they would always tell me about this amazing patisserie in Bicheno,” she recalls. “I just thought [they said] it was good because they lived here. Then when I moved up here, I realised I’ve been missing out. It is genuinely good – world-standard.”

A behind-the-scenes experience

O’Brien’s fascination with wine runs deep, and she’s created some off-the-beaten-track experiences for other wine lovers to get a deeper appreciation. At her Rivulet Wines vineyard, you can get intimate wine tastings by appointment.

“I love to show people everything we’re doing with our vineyard, including soil regeneration and revegetation,” she says. It’s an unadvertised experience, but you can book it by dropping O’Brien a DM on Instagram.

This article is produced in partnership with Tourism Tasmania. For more Off Season 2026 offers and travel inspiration, visit Discover Tasmania.