How to Spend a Night in Hobart, Tasmania
On a cold winter’s night in Hobart, Katie shows how you can enjoy the city’s sights and delights after dark. Starting with a walk along the coast from Sandy Bay through Battery Point and into the city, you’ll soon be thawing out in Australia’s oldest pub for dinner. Then, one of Hobart’s newest and trendiest bars will see the evening to a close with local beers and cocktails.
STOP 1: HOBART SCULTURE TRAIL
Along the foreshore of Hobart, you can find nine large sculptures depicting different numbers, each representing a different piece of the city’s history. I will give this warning up front: I recommend you do this during daylight hours.
Despite my research leading me to believe otherwise, many of these sculptures are simply not visible in the dark. Luckily, I did consider this possibility before setting out, so I devised a plan to make the experience worthwhile (debatable) regardless of visibility.
One thing you may not know about Tasmania, is that they LOVE curried scallop pies. We sampled a good few during our time down south, and honestly, give me pepper steak over scallop any day. Nevertheless, this curious factoid about Tasmania became the basis for Katie’s Hobart Kwiz, where I presented Benny with two potential facts for each sculpture - the real fact, or a scallop pie-related fact. Shockingly, Benny got every single answer correct. This was a fun, cold and very silly way to learn the history of Hobart - copy my curriculum if you so desire.
STOP 2: THE HOPE & ANCHOR
The Hope & Anchor is Australia’s oldest continuously running pub, opening in 1807 to feed and water Hobartians for the next 100+ years. The interior is suitably maintained, with a roaring fire in winter (much needed after our doomed stroll along the coast).
It is easy to sink a few pints of the local ale in this cosy dining room, before turning your attention to the menu of classic and modern pub meals. Our entire party opted for the Beef Cheek Wellington, and none of us were disappointed. The buttery pastry around soft shredded beef cheek, creamy mash and broccolini all lived up to my expectations, and was more than sufficient stomach lining before heading to our next and final stop for the night.
STOP 3: MANKY SALLY’S
If you recoiled at the name Manky Sally’s, David Walsh is cheering. Known as the owner and curator of MONA (aka Australia’s most cursed art gallery), Walsh never does things in half measures, and the choice of name of his latest bar is no exception.
Although the team at MONA already have a foothold in Australian craft beer with Moo Brew, Manky Sally’s is another venture again, in the form of a microbrewery in the heart of Battery Point. With their signature Sally Brews being poured at the bar, and ample tables in cosy corners, Manky Sally’s is the perfect bar to have your final nightcap in.
Ultimately, my advice when heading into Hobart after dark is, just stick to the bars, pubs and restaurants. Hobart is a foodie city, and there’s no need to try and make it anything else. During the day, there is abundance of outdoor activities (some of which feature in our episode courtesy of Benny). When the sun sets, grab a seat in a local spot and simply enjoy the spoils of this beautiful city from the comfort of the indoors.
