Tas Burgers: Panorama Hotel St Helens owners open new restaurant at Invermay
After the pandemic spelled the end for their first foray into the burger world, a Tasmanian pair have come back bigger than ever, with a new eatery that uses produce from their hobby farm.
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The duo who formerly owned a well-known East Coast hotel have launched a new burger restaurant in the state’s North that features produce grown on their own hobby farm.
Bibi Rajahodi and Anton Wiesmann, former owners of 60-room St Helens resort Panorama Hotel (when it was known as Tidal Waters), opened Tas Burgers on August 12 at Invermay.
The couple, who also own Panorama Jindabyne Hotel in New South Wales’ Snowy Mountains, moved back to Tasmania full-time in 2019, purchasing St Helens’ historic 42ha Alandale Farm, where they rear cattle, pigs, ducks, chicken, goats, and tend to a market garden.
“We are so delighted to be back and living in such a beautiful place, Tasmania,” Ms Rajahodi said.
Ms Rajahodi told the Mercury that the pair decided to further expand their business empire in the wake of a one-year break they took to de-stress following a rocky few Covid-19 years that saw them open, then lose, Panorama St Helens’ former restaurant, Panorama Burgers.
“When we felt that we had recharged our energy, we started looking for more businesses again,” she said.
The new burger restaurant features “American-style burgers with local Tasmanian produce, as well as our own produce from Alandale,” Ms Rajahodi said.
“We aim to provide an interesting new experience to the Launceston community.
“Tas Burgers, with our signature sauce and homemade premium beef patties, is the top secret that everyone should try out.”
Tas Burgers features 15 different burgers – including pork belly, sweet potato and sour cream, soft-shelled crab, spicy buffalo chicken and Swiss melt, among its more exotic options – a kids’ menu and fried chicken.
Ms Rajahodi said Tas Burgers will also offer rotating lunch and dinner specials, grab ‘n’ go options for those on the run, and a roast of the day.
The couple is joined by their longstanding chef, John Fragante, who was a driving force behind Panorama Burgers.
“John has been working with us in Tasmania more than three years,” Ms Rajahodi said.
“John has more than 15 years’ experience overseas, mostly in the United States.
“His pride and passion is to present his famous gourmet burgers again.”
Tas Burgers replaced Schnitty Bar at Invermay Rd, which moved to Yorktown Square.
Tas Burgers’ opening caps a busy month for Launceston’s dining scene, with the four Lama brothers to shortly open Thamel House Bar and Restaurant on Charles St, and Frankie’s Coffee House set to debut on George St on September 11.
Frankie’s, owned by hospitality power couple Chris Bamber and Lara Ashworth, the pair behind Cabin Coffee Co at Exeter and the Roam takeaway chain, replaces city stalwart Franco’s Italian, which closed last August after 42 years in operation.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated Ms Rajahodi and Mr Wiesmann were the current owners of Panorama St Helens. The hotel changed hands in 2022.
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