Derwent Park cafe’s new owners are on to a shore thing

I’ll be keeping an eye out for weekend openings at this top little lunch spot and will be putting this place high on my burger rotation, writes TasWeekend food reviewer Alix Davis

ALIX DAVIS

3 min read

July 8, 2023 - 5:00AM

BOne of Marina Cafe’s tasty burgers, served with a side of chips, which is a veritable tower of burgery goodness. Picture: Linda Higginson

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I don’t have a very physically demanding job (let’s be honest, it’s not at all physically demanding – I spend all day typing words on a keyboard) but if I did, I don’t think a collection of miscellaneous fried items sitting in a bain marie would hit the spot come lunchtime. Which is why it’s refreshing to see a line-up of freshly made burgers, toasties, soups and sweet treats at the just-opened Marina Cafe at Prince of Wales Bay Marina.

Here, hi-vis is the order of the day and steel-capped boots are the footwear of choice. I was wearing neither when I ate lunch there the other day (my husband did have steel caps on, however) but that didn’t stop me from enjoying every bite.

Sure, the view of the yachts bobbing in their berths with the mountains in the background is great, but the main event is the food. Owner Dom Fowler has taken the popularity of his food truck – Fried and Loaded – and expanded it to this bricks and mortar location at the request of InCat, who has their manufacturing facility with 400 workers on the site. Along with the Border Protection Agency and more than 20 other businesses nearby, that makes for a lot of hungry people come lunchtime.

“I say ‘yes!’ to everything,” says Fowler, who leapt at the opportunity to take over the site.

I managed to beat the rush and ordered a Big Marina burger ($20), a spinach and ricotta toastie ($11), potato and leek soup with bacon bits ($13) before taking a seat at the long timber table. The fit-out is fresh and light with timber flooring, lobsterpot light fittings and tables for two as well as the long, central one.

Marina Cafe in Derwent Park’s sunny, welcoming interior. Picture: Linda Higginson

There’s a pantry shelf stocked with locally made relishes, jams and sauces and Fowler is planning on expanding that to become a source of basics (milk, bread) as well as cheese platter essentials for the yachties who have their boats moored here.

“I really want this to become a community hub,” he says with enthusiasm, as he shares his plans for weekend openings, private functions and tells me there’s a liquor licence on its way.

Our toastie arrives first – pressed and golden. Crisp on the outside and filled with spinach and fresh ricotta inside. I love the mildness of the ricotta and it makes for a more sophisticated toastie than my usual combo of molten cheese and lava-like tomato. The potato and leek soup (flavours change regularly) ($13) is a generous serving, made even more so by the addition of a toasted cheese sandwich on the side perfect for dipping into the smooth and well-flavoured soup that’s studded with crispy bacon bits.

One of Marina Cafe’s tasty burgers, served with a side of chips, which is a veritable tower of burgery goodness. Picture: Linda Higginson

The toastie and soup is more than enough for lunch for two, but given we’re here for research purposes we tackle our Big Marina burger ($20) as soon as it arrives. It’s a veritable tower of burgery goodness – two smashed patties topped with crispy iceberg lettuce, beetroot (‘straya!), tomato and their housemade marina sauce. It’s not listed on the menu but I think I can detect a hint of pineapple in there as well and I am not at all unhappy about that. The bun is soft and once you’ve taken the first bite, there’s no going back. It’s messy, but well worth it.

One of the Marina Cafe’s generous servings of their hearty leek and potato soup. Picture: Linda Higginson

Naturally, there are chips on the side and they are excellent – crisp, fluffy and well seasoned.

I notice that the chips and gravy bowl ($8) is a popular takeaway item and I can see why – especially on a cold day.

We finish with a house-made Violet Crumble muffin and there are a number of other baked onsite classics like melting moments and kiss biscuits to choose from as well.

The coffee is an exclusive blend from local producer Stagg, that’s only available at two other establishments and I can imagine the coffees at opening time (6.30am) are popular.

If you’ve got a burger craving (they’ve also got fried chicken and pulled pork varieties), I can highly recommend dropping in for lunch.

I’ll be keeping an eye out for weekend openings and will be putting this place on my burger rotation. Welcome aboard!