Although it’s not a major capital city, Hobart can still be a pricey place to eat out if you don’t know where to go. Many visitors find themselves gravitating towards the river, which is lined with fancy waterfront eateries charging top dollar for a feed. But eating cheap in Hobart doesn’t just confine you to burger bars or far-flung suburbs. You can dine like royalty in Hobart – if you know where to look. And it just so happens, that we do.
Here are some of the best affordable restaurants – meaning places that serve hearty mains for under $20 – in and around the glorious city of Hobart. Pick between generous dumpling plates, fresh banh mi, hearty noodle soups and more.
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This humble North Hobart joint is a go-to for reliable Thai fare. Solo diners can fill up on small bites, like vegetable spring rolls, prawn and chicken wontons, Thai fish cakes and satay skewers – all for less than $10 per plate. If sharing is more your vibe, fill the table with a hearty green curry, salt and pepper stir-fry and pineapple fried rice. Split three ways, you won’t be paying more than $20 per head.
If there’s one thing Hobart’s lunch crowd loves, it’s a banh mi. Tucked inside Elizabeth Street Mall, Ja and Jon draws a serious lunch crowd with its hefty and affordable Vietnamese baguettes. The most popular choice is the $12.20 crispy pork banh mi, packed with fresh salad and a kick of chilli sauce. However, there are plenty of vegan options, featuring lemongrass tofu or mock ‘char siu’. For the ultimate penny pincher, grab one of their fluffy bao buns filled with barbecue pork, satay chicken or lemongrass beef.
How lucky that one of Hobart’s favourite seafood shops is also one of its most affordable. Perched right on the water at Constitution Dock, Flippers serves up fast, freshly cooked fish and chips, starting from $17.50 for a flathead with thick-cut chips. Prawn cutlets, potato cakes, calamari rings, crab sticks, battered scallops and fried dim sim go for just $1.80 a pop, or you can snag a mixed box of treats for only $14.50. How flippin’ good!
For many years, this authentic Singaporean coffee shop in the heart of Hobart has been a favourite for city hustlers. The Hainanese chicken rice is a cheap and cheerful lunch fix, featuring fragrant rice, topped with poached boneless chicken, sliced cucumber and a side of homemade chilli sauce. Just above the $20 price point, you can also enjoy traditional char kway teow or a rich seafood laksa.
For the past 20 years, this Bank Arcade institution has earned its reputation for serving up not only some of the best Thai cuisine in town but also some of the best value. All dishes are 100 per cent vegetarian and cooked to order using fresh Tassie market vegetables, Thai herbs and spices, and protein-packed mock meats. For under $20, you can build your own rice or noodle bowl with up to three mains from the counter, or opt for a hearty bowl of Hokkien noodles, pad Thai or tom yum fried rice.
This Collins Street gem is a go-to for authentic Malaysian street food that won’t break the bank. It’s been delivering the goods since 2010, offering simple yet satisfying South East Asian staples, including nasi lemak, chicken rice and noodle soups from $16. If you’re on the go, pick up some curry puffs, chicken wings or mini vegetable spring rolls for only $5. Fresh, flavourful and affordable – what’s not to love?
Small on seating, easy on the wallet, yet huge on flavour, Danphe serves up a fusion of flavours from the Himalayan mountain region. You could easily fill up on $10 starters, like a duo of golden vegetable samosas or crispy onion balls. However, we recommend exploring the Nepalese speciality of momos, with ten pieces of these flavour-bomb steamed dumplings going for around $15.
The banh mi at Cyclo has achieved legendary status in Hobart’s cheap eats scene. For only $11.80, you’ll score a crispy baguette stuffed with juicy meats, pickled veggies and zesty herbs. The $17.50 beef pho is also worth lining up for, or you can walk away with an easy $10 pack of rice paper rolls, filled with options like duck, crackling pork, char siu, prawn, barramundi, lemongrass beef or tofu.
Two barbecue pork buns, three vegetable spring rolls, four pieces of chicken and prawn dim sim – you can bag all that and more for under $10 at Pot Sticker Dumpling House. With locations in Hobart’s CBD and on the main drag in Moonah, your chopsticks will get a workout with all the small bites on offer. A plate of ten juicy pan-fried or boiled dumplings is only $12.80, while larger plates of fried rice, nasi goreng and wonton noodle soups will set you back a little more than $15.
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