Which Tassie eatery can you help out today?

Faced with an unprecedented loss of income due to the coronavirus crisis, the Hobart hospitality crowd is rethinking the way they do business in order to survive.

There’s never been a more important time to support local eateries such as Battery Point’s Ti Ama which is serving up takeaways of all their faves including this Ndjua Pizza. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

“WHO did you help today?” This is a line in Heather Rose’s new novel Bruny that really stuck with me when I read it over the Christmas period (back when we were all blissfully going about our lives unaware of what lay ahead).

As the world we thought we knew rapidly changes, there has never been a more important time to ask ourselves this question.

Our restaurants and cafes have always been a vital part of the cultural fabric of Tasmania and they desperately need our help. Faced with an unprecedented loss of income as a result of necessary restrictions put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, hospitality operators have had to rethink the way they do business overnight in order to stay afloat.

The Hobart hospo crowd is a resourceful bunch and watching how people have quickly adapted their operations to suit the new normal has been inspiring, with all sorts of venues now offering takeaway or delivery options to better enable people to observe social distancing requirements.

Hobart hotel Tom McHugo’s is offering their classic chicken parmi and chips as a takeaway meal for $16. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

Tom McHugo’s is offering a killer takeaway pub menu including classics such as chicken parmi and chips ($16), their McHugo’s beef mince pie with mushy peas ($18) and fried pie with whipped cream ($10) plus takeaway booze.
Other venues around town also coming up with the goods and servicing your takeaway pub-food needs include The Brisbane Hotel, Preachers, Mayfair, The Den, Botanica, The Drunken Admiral and Harlequin in Lenah Valley.

Waterfront restaurant The Glasshouse has also put together a special $25 takeaway menu with the option to add dessert for $4 (hello poached local apricots, smashed chocolate meringue and Chantilly cream).

If you’re craving a pizza, Battery Point’s Ti Ama is serving up takeaways of all their faves including this Ndjua Pizza. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

No pasta at the supermarket? No worries. Pick-up from Maldini Restaurant or Smolt Kitchen in West Hobart (also great pizza) and make sure you check out Templo’s new takeaway menu. Ti Ama continue to offer its ridiculously good pizzas to go and has also just introduced home delivery.

Morning pastry and baked good needs are also covered thanks to Queens, Circle of Life, Pigeon Whole Bakers, Lady Hester, Pilgrim Pies and Bury Me Standing.

Ettie’s and Willing Bro’s are doing pick-up food and booze so you can simulate your own wine bar experience at home and Oddfellows are offering their Middle Eastern-inspired fare to go including $20 mains like lamb chop, labneh, tomato and onion salad or market fish with turmeric sauce and greens with an additional side dish of your choice (choose from jewelled rice, Za’atar potatoes, tabouleh or house-made pickles).

Lucinda is also offering an excellent takeaway menu including a variety of terrines, duck pate, charcuterie, burrata and other cheeses with pickles and condiments along with about 300 different natural wines all heavily discounted and available to take away.

Hobart’s Circle of Life Doughnut Co. are still making their delicious doughnuts for customers to pick up. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

Or, if you’re lying awake at 1am like many of us are at the moment, consider a late night slice of pizza from Sophslice in Moonah, available for pick-up or delivery from 11am to 2am every day.

Morning lattes and brunch are still part of our lives thanks to an increasing number of cafes offering takeaway including North Hobart haunts Raincheck Lounge and Born In Brunswick, South Hobart favourite Ginger Brown and Hamlet in the city (also doing ‘Hamlet Hampers’ that include bread, coffee beans, muesli, condiments and toilet paper).

My beloved Straight Up Coffee & Food in partnership with Baked Gluten Free and Straight Up Roasters are doing fresh gluten-free bread, coffee beans and ready to heat meals delivered. Staple Coffee on Bidencopes Lane is inviting customers to either order in-store and collect from the laneway or text ahead with their order to enable an even speedier pick-up. Owners Jeannie and Phil Diamantis say that some customers are also opting to purchase an additional coffee with their order to be gifted to customers at random throughout the day.

Another local favourite, The Stagg is also open for takeaway with delivery to your car available.

Rosny’s Audrey Coffee is still make its fabulous egg and halloumi brioche rolls for customers to pick up and takeaway. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

On the Eastern Shore, Audrey Coffee is also doing takeaway coffee (along with beans and coffee home-brewing gear) as well as snacks and their fabulous egg and haloumi rolls that I waxed lyrical about in a previous column. Shoreline Hotel is also doing takeaway and cook at home meals to fill your freezer.

Over in Kingston, my go-to beach suburb coffee joint Maxie Coffee is open for takeaway coffee and food. And further afield, Cannery Kitchen has just started doing bar food, booze and pizzas to go.

If you’re looking to stock your booze cabinet, give the big retailers a miss and consider instead sourcing from local operators including Lucinda (takeaway), Drink Co. (takeaway), Joseph Burton Wines (same-day Hobart delivery), Made By Monks (free Tassie delivery) or Stillwater’s curated wine packs.

Institut Polaire is also offering free delivery of wine, gin and bottled cocktails. For the beer lovers out there, T-Bone Brewing Co. has takeaway cans with growler fills also available at the brewery. Or go straight for the hard stuff and order a bottle of locally made Endangered Vodka, made from bread otherwise destined for waste.

Tasmanian Juice Press director Trent Bowring is delivering nutrient dense, cold-pressed juices made from local produce. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

Tasmanian Juice Press will also deliver its nutrient dense, cold-pressed juices made from local produce in either 750ml bottles ($12) or 2L bottles ($20).

Adam James of Rough Rice has you covered for soups, braises and his famous congee dropped to your doorstep on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Orlando Plenty will also be offering takeaway from Farmgate Market or home delivery one day each week.

And let’s not forget our furry canine friends keeping us company and providing us with so much comfort during this time. Esther Rupenovic, of Jack and Chelo, will deliver gourmet, healthy dog meals straight to your door.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of Tasmanian businesses doing things differently so please, check in with your local operators and your favourite haunts. Ask them: how can we help you today and in the coming weeks and months?