Mangia, Mangia: The Best Italian Restaurants in Hobart

Tasmania’s Italian food story runs deep. In the 60s and 70s, a wave of Italian migrants arrived to build the state’s hydro power schemes, bringing with them a culinary inheritance that reshaped the island’s dining culture. Today, Hobart’s Italian restaurants weave those traditions through local produce, seasonal thinking and a distinctly Tasmanian sense of place.

From pasta bars with attitude to wood-fired institutions, these are the places shaping the city’s Italian soul.

Ogee

It might not be your nonna’s trattoria, but Ogee is sending out some of Tasmania’s most coveted bowls of pasta. The menu moves with the seasons: mezzi rigatoni coated in a silk-soft carbonara one night, gnocchetti sardi tangled with slow-braised lamb the next. If spoja lorda turns up, treat it as a sign from the universe. Records spin, candles smoulder, and the room settles into that perfect twilight hum that belongs to good wine and even better company.

374 Murray Street, Hobart

Fico

Fico isn’t just a meal; it’s a whole mood. Drawing on deep Italian roots and a love for local Tasmanian produce, this fine-dining yet fun diner is all about good taste with a twist of personality. Chefs Federica Andrisani and Oskar Rossi serve up a nine-course set menu that changes weekly, dictated by the seasons and whatever delights they’ve sourced that day. It’s elegant, expressive, and full of soul. The only rule? “Wear something that makes you feel fabulous.” Sold.

151 Macquarie Street, Hobart

Pitzi

From the team behind Hobart’s beloved Fico comes Pitzi, a pasta bar with confidence in its stride and a wine list to match. The seasonal menu is a study in texture and temptation: tubettini lounging in Parmesan fondue with pullet yolk and guanciale crunch, spaghetti aglio e olio lifted by Moreton Bay bug, and fusilloni wrapped in a game ragù that stops conversations mid-sentence. Finish with the coffee granita and fernet caramel—a small masterpiece—and let the cocktails do the rest.

Pitzi opens its doors in the late afternoon, and the mood never misses. Buonissimo.

4 Victoria Street, Hobart 

Templo

Located down a Hobart back street with just 20 seats and one heck of a vibe, Templo is tiny but mighty. Expect a seasonal chef’s menu that changes weekly; whatever’s freshest and most fabulous from Tassie’s producers. Communal tables, shared plates, and a minimal-intervention wine list mean it’s all about good food, good times, and great drops. It’s a little bit rustic, a little bit rock ’n’ roll, and absolutely worth booking ahead.

98 Patrick Street, Hobart

Ti Ama

Part disco, part trattoria, Ti Ama is unabashedly fun. The palette runs baby pink and peppermint green, the lighting flatters everyone, and the pizza oven—a sparkling silver dome—steals the show. Sourdough bases ferment for 72 hours before being topped with locally sourced ingredients. Pair it with a playful cocktail like the Watermelon Spritz and surrender to the theatre of it all.

Shop 13, 13 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point

Peppina

Peppina serves Italian the Tasmanian way, with warm hospitality and a large dining room that feels instantly inviting. It celebrates the timeless tradition of gathering for generous, joy-filled meals, only here the produce is local and the atmosphere beautifully polished. Culinary Director Massimo Mele, born in Tasmania and raised in Naples, brings global technique and real heart to every plate. His cooking is soulful, abundant and quietly assured, the kind of food that earns repeat visits from locals and travellers who know a good thing when they taste it.

2b Salamanca Place, Hobart

Tesoro

Tesoro lives up to its name. This Italian-leaning favourite draws its soul from Tasmania’s growers and makers, turning exceptional local produce into dishes that feel both heartfelt and expertly tuned. Head Chef Glen Tilly is known for scouting markets at first light, selecting ingredients with the eye of a jeweller, then shaping them into plates full of clarity, warmth and character. The cooking is bold without shouting, refined without fuss, and grounded in a genuine love of the craft. A true Hobart standout.

28 Elizabeth Street, Hobart

Capital

Capital is an effortless crowd-pleaser, an Italian restaurant in Hobart that you wander into once and immediately add to your forever list. Industrial lights glow over generous antipasti, oven-fired pizzas with just the right char, and pastas that lean into Tassie produce without losing their Italian soul. It’s relaxed but polished, roomy but intimate, equally suited to a quick bite or a slow midday feast. No frills, just delicious food served with a big ol’ dose of warmth.

364 Elizabeth Street, North Hobart

Smolt Kitchen

Smolt Kitchen doesn’t follow the rulebook, and that’s precisely its charm. The wood-fired pizzas arrive thin, blistered and loaded with personality—from spiced lamb souv to pitch-perfect capricciosa and prawn-chilli classics. Pasta leans indulgent: pappardelle wrapped around slow-cooked lamb shoulder, or gnocchi so soft it barely needs a fork. Leave room for the tiramisu, a cloud of coffee, cream and quiet triumph. It’s relaxed, clever and impossible to walk away from without planning your return.

107-109 Hill Street, West Hobart

Don Camillo

Hobart’s longest-running Italian restaurant, Don Camillo is a local institution with decades of stories behind it. What began as a lively nightspot, queues curling around the block and limoncello handed out like candy, has evolved into a cornerstone of the city’s dining scene. Today, the kitchen leans into fresh Tasmanian produce shaped through classic Italian technique, creating a menu that balances light, zesty plates such as prawn bruschetta and antipasto with richer comforts like gnocchi in braised lamb ragù and golden veal cotoletta.

5 Magnet Court, Sandy Bay, Hobart

Red Velvet Lounge

About forty-five minutes south of Hobart, Red Velvet Lounge stands as one of Tasmania’s most quietly impressive Italian-leaning spots. Its century-old Scotch oven anchors the kitchen, sending out pizzas with crisp bases and beautifully blistered edges. Seasonal toppings draw from the Huon Valley, giving each plate a sense of place without pretence. Warm service, thoughtful specials and a steady local following create a dining experience that is relaxed, confident and absolutely worth the detour.

24 Mary Street, Cygnet

Craving something a little lighter after a delicious dinner at one of Hobart’s best Italian spots? Explore the city’s charming cafe scene or treat yourself to a leisurely high tea – perfect for a relaxed afternoon pick-me-up.

Writer

Kelsey Harrington

17 November 2025

Kelsey Harrington is a Melbourne-based writer with a sharp eye for the city's ever-evolving food, wine, arts, and culture scene. Her journey into the creative industry took the scenic route—what started as a passion for capturing Melbourne’s energy through a camera lens led her to Sitchu, where she worked her way up to Melbourne Editor. With over four years in the industry, she’s all about uncovering the best places to eat, drink, and explore. Off the clock? You’ll find her diving into a platter of fresh oysters and crudo, gallery-hopping, or sipping an extra dirty martini while plotting her next adventure.