Hobart has enjoyed a long love affair with pubs. In 1803, it boasted 50 of them… that’s one pub for every 200 residents. Fast forward 200-odd years and Hobart’s pub scene is bursting with charm, craft drinks and great food.
With live music, heritage beer gardens and laneway hideaways, Hobart’s pub scene ticks all the boxes. Whether you're after a hearty pub meal, a craft beer or a cosy corner by the fire, these standout spots promise good times and great vibes.
🍷 Hobart's best bars
🍽️ The best restaurants in Hobart
🍔 Hobart's best burgers for a late-night feed
Recently revamped, the Moonah Hotel is the epitome of a great locale. With a graffiti-covered beer garden that’s dog-friendly and brimming with atmosphere, this Main Road favourite features a menu of classic pub fare, including their standout eggplant parmi. Pair it with one of 12 rotating beers or a glass of minimal-intervention wine and you have yourself a great day out.
The Shipwrights Arms, aka ‘Shippies’ to locals, is a Battery Point icon that’s been serving mariners and civilians for more than 177 years. From the nautical memorabilia on the walls to the fresh seafood on the menu, this pub honours its harborside heritage. Relax with a pint by the fire, or book a table in Shoal, their light-filled garden pavilion featuring an indoor rainforest and a rare Huon Pine. Don’t miss their granita oysters, fall-apart lamb shoulder or the indulgent espresso parfait to round out your visit.
Dubbed “the best little pub in town”, the New Sydney Hotel delivers top-tier pub grub and a rotating lineup of craft brews across its 18 taps. It’s a proud supporter of local breweries, boasting more than 200 whiskies and a stellar selection of gin. The pub’s laneway beer garden, with sunny nooks and plenty of heating for cooler days, is a great place to down a pint. Whether you’re after the best Guinness in Hobart or something adventurous, this pub oozes authentic charm and has bucked the trend of having a big modern makeover. We’re here for it!
Tucked off the main drag in North Hobart, The Crescent Hotel is all Tudor-style on the outside and gastro-pub on the inside. The pub’s menu champions fresh, locally sourced ingredients while still delivering on classics, like their chicken schnitty with red wine jus, rolled porchetta with apple puree and sweet onions, or 250g sirloin steak with your choice of sauce. Head upstairs to the stunning, forest-green bathed dining area or bask in the sunlit beer garden with a pint. With an ever-rotating lineup of ales, sours and hazy IPAs on tap, there’s always something new to sip.
Part luxury dive bar, part brewery Manky Sally’s has settled nicely into Hobart’s pub scene after opening its doors in mid-2023. Owned by MONA’s David Walsh, the space fuses retro charm with artistic flair. The front bar features wooden veneer panelling, tiled bar frontage and vinyl menus, while a mirrored walkway leads to a cosy back lounge adorned with 3,000 bottles glowing with LED lights. Manky Sally's food is impressive pub nosh with local produce informing the seasonal menu. Standouts include the wallaby cheeseburger and sesame prawn toast drizzled with sticky truffled honey. Moo Brew staples and seasonal specials dominate the beer list, and you can opt for a tasting flight served on a retrofitted table tennis bat. The Tassie wines go down a treat while the Spicy Yuzu Margarita on tap is a crowd favourite.
As the second oldest city in Australia, it checks out that Hobart is home to the country's oldest continually licensed pub. Its rooms overflow with history – so much so that you could easily mistake the pub for a museum. Just take a look at the vintage rifles, antique mirrors, maritime memorabilia and even the wall-mounted deer heads. The Hope and Anchor is proudly Tasmanian, offering a variety of local craft beers on tap, along with a well-curated range on Aussie wines and spirits. On a chilly winter evening, nothing beats sipping a hot buttered rum by the fireplace. Pair it with a hearty beef cheek wellington, comforting seafood chowder, tender lamb rump or the special roast of the day.
Set against the majestic backdrop of kunanyi/Mt. Wellington, this South Hobart gem celebrates 200 years of brewing history. Cascade Brewery Bar is more than a pub – it’s an institution, complete with a brass bar, roaring fireplace and sprawling heritage gardens. Sip a Cascade classic or local cider while enjoying menu highlights, like their famous parmi, wallaby burger or pork cutlet on the bone. Don’t visit without taking a stroll through the lush, three-acre grounds that really puts the ‘garden’ in beer garden.
Tucked in an unassuming, quiet side street in Battery Point is one of Hobart’s best bars and most beloved beer gardens. (Sure, it's not technically a pub, but it's so good we had to include it on this list). Preachers keeps it low-key, serving great craft beers and local spirits from the bar within the heritage-listed cottage, as well as tasty burgers and pub snacks. What makes this place unique is the full-sized bus that is just casually hanging out in the large courtyard. Yep, you read that right: there’s a disused bus that you can sit inside (food and drinks are allowed), which is a real bonus for Hobart’s chilly months.
Walking into North Hobart’s The Winston is like stepping into an American dive bar: US licence plates lining the walls, beer ads hanging above the bar, a pool table at the back and an old-school pinball machine in the corner. This corner pub boasts a huge selection of beers on tap and a burger menu featuring experimental specials, like the Mozza-hella: a quarter-pounder-style burger topped with mozzarella sticks and spicy bacon jam. A favourite with locals, you’ll find the Winston buzzing with drinkers and dogs, which are not only welcome but celebrated with a Dogs of the Winston photo wall.
This old-school pub tucked in the bush just south of Hobart boasts the world’s longest Huon Pine bar and a quirky, retro vibe. If you’re wondering why it’s called ‘International’, that’s something you’ll have to have to ask publican Jack Brereton about. Known for its friendly service, cosy fires and live music every Friday and Sunday, this beer garden goes off year-round with some excellent gigs. Having had a cameo or two on ABC’s comedy Rosehaven, the Longley International Hotel feels like a warm hug of a pub. The cheesy garlic bread is legendary, and you can’t go wrong with a classic parmi or steak. The cherry on top? There’s even free camping across the road.
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