Food & Beer Culture

What do people in Tasmania eat with their beer? Seafood, thanks to the island's clean, cold waters. The scallop pie is a pastry filled with scallops, often in a curry sauce, and it's considered a Tasmanian classic. A cold lager pairs well, cooling the spice without overpowering it.

Oysters come from Bruny Island, praised across the island for their freshness. A pale ale with citrus notes pairs well with salty foods, while a lager suits fried fish. Fish and chips at Hobart's harbour are a classic: the frying fat calls for carbonation and a cold glass.

At Salamanca Place, a row of sandstone buildings by the harbour, a large market takes place every Saturday. In the former warehouses behind it, pubs and cafés now do business. Cascade offers brewery tours at the foot of Mount Wellington.

Around New Year's, the Taste of Tasmania festival takes over Hobart's harbourfront, with stalls for food and drink. The Sydney to Hobart yacht race also finishes at year's end, with sailors arriving into the harbour. In Launceston, many locals head to Cataract Gorge on weekends.

One ritual is called the shout: whoever's turn it is buys a round for everyone. This keeps the group together, and nobody has to keep score. In Australia, drinking usually happens slowly, alongside food. For the beach, the esky serves as the cooler, keeping cans and stubbies cold.