Great little spot for a mountain mini-break
This cosy little cafe at the Springs on kunanyi/Mt Wellington is the perfect place to warm up on a trip up the mountain, writes Alix Davis
Food and Wine
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My grand plan for this review involved a bicycle and a heart-pumping ride up Pinnacle Rd to the Lost Freight Cafe at The Springs. Upon arrival, I’d stretch my legs, take a lungful of mountain air and tuck into a well-earned snack. However, best-laid plans (let’s be honest - dreams!) can get derailed and I ended up driving to Lost Freight between meetings on a typical Hobart day that managed to supply both rain and sunshine simultaneously. The drive from central Hobart is a beautiful one – shafts of sunlight piercing the densely wooded slopes and a winding road that forces you to slow down and enjoy the glimpses of views as you snake your way upwards.
Although it was a relatively balmy 11C on the day I visited, there was a log fire burning in the visitors’ shelter and the scent of woodsmoke hung in the air. International visitors posed for photos among the trees and a group of walkers with very serious packs made their way through the clearing and onto one of the many tracks that meander all over the mountain.
Fashioned from two shipping containers, Lost Freight offers a small and casual menu to anyone visiting the mountain. And, while most of their customers are tourists pre- or post-their summitting of kunanyi, there are also plenty of regular locals who cycle or walk their way here. Given its size and location, Lost Freight doesn’t have an on-site kitchen, but it does offer sweet and savoury delights from local and Tasmanian suppliers.
My sausage roll ($7) from Jean-Pascal Patisserie, in New Town, is hefty and delicious. A generous slab of well-spiced sausage meat encased in flaky puff pastry and dabbed in tomato sauce is always a welcome lunch option. I opt to eat in and perch myself on a stool at the narrow bench on the verandah. There’s also plenty of seating out front, as well as the enclosed
visitors’ shelter if the weather gets a bit grim. I indulge further with a lamb pie ($8), also from Jean-Pascal, that’s chock-full of tender lamb chunks, potato and peas. Anyone who’s ever suffered a party pie burn (or is that just me?) knows that there’s a perfect temperature for pies – and Lost Freight have nailed it. Hot enough to be tasty and comforting without being so hot that lava-like gravy goes everywhere when you bite into it. For those who prefer a meat-free option, there is a vegan madras pie and a homity pie (potatoes, onion, cheese and leeks), both from Pigeon Whole Bakers.
Jess Coombes and her partner Nigel bought the business in September last year and have slowly been making small changes. Neither of them had a cafe background but Jess says they’re both keen walkers and were looking for a change that would give them a better life balance and “more time to spend with our kiddo”.
The opportunity to purchase the cafe came up and “we jumped at it.”
While the coffee supplier has remained the same – Single O – Jess has added fresh wraps (vegan falafel or corned beef and cheese) to the line-up. “They’re popular to grab and go for a hike,” she says. And the couple is also talking to council about getting onto mains power. “Then we can start doing toasties.”
Barista Regan Danieluk suggests a hot chocolate, made from chocolate he grates himself before adding a little sugar. It’s a 50 per cent cocoa variety and is velvety rich with just the right amount of sweetness (bump that up with marshmallows if you like). To celebrate Dark Mofo, they’ve created a hot chocolate infused with raspberries and Tasmanian pepperberries with other gourmet varieties arriving soon.
Obviously, I need a sweet treat to go with my drink and there’s a varied selection from Tasmanian suppliers including Baked Gluten Free, RAW and Cradle Coast Cookies – who have made the Monte Carlo ($4.50) I choose. Just like a good melting moment, the biscuit explodes in a puff in my mouth and the sandwich filling is the perfect proportion of icing to jam. I wasn’t intending to eat the whole thing but, as mentioned above, the best-laid plans …
By now the spitting rain has morphed into something a little heavier and I take refuge inside the container, where there’s a cosy corner bench and the opportunity to purchase flora guides, local condiments and gloves and beanies for those who didn’t realise it’s considerably colder on the mountain than it is in Salamanca.
I might not have cycled up there, but even so, it’s the perfect mini-break from a work day and I’ll be back for the toasties soon.
LOST FREIGHT CAFE
The Springs, Pinnacle Rd, kunanyi/Mt Wellington
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9am-3pm; Fri-Sun 8.30am-4pm
On the menu: Sausage roll, $7; lamb pie, $8, Monte Carlo, $4.50; hot chocolate, $5.
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