Sailboats moored at Sandy Bay, Hobart

Over the past few years Hobart has transformed itself from sleepy southern town to a hotbed of thinkers, doers and creative types, both homegrown and imported. This month’s Locavore, David Moyle, is a case in point, having launched an ambitious project in the form of his latest restaurant, Franklin, which is breathing new life into the former Mercury newspaper building. He finds the duality of dynamic small town and proximity to wilderness a winning combination. “The fact that you can be across the water somewhere as remote as Bruny Island one minute, and be sitting in an urban bar an hour later is kind of brilliant,” he says. From world-class art courtesy of MONA, and access to top-notch coffee, artisan bread and cool accommodation (regardless of your budget), Hobart really is punching above its weight in the attraction stakes. Here are a few of David’s and our faves when it comes to visiting Australia’s southernmost city.

David Moyle’s beard is grizzly enough to suggest he knows a thing or two about cooking with fire. In fact, Franklin (Right – 30 Argyle St), Hobart CBD’s latest high-calibre venue, revolves around that notion. The austere polished concrete and white-walled space is centred around a huge scotch oven that lends smoke, char and flame to the dishes coming off the pass. You won’t find many foams, soils or brush strokes, but you will encounter balanced, nuanced and intelligently prepared food handled by someone letting excellent produce tell its own story, be it brunch by day, bar snacks and natural wine by night at the front bar, or full menu fare. Read the full review for Franklin.

You’re unlikely to find better bread and baked goods anywhere on the island than at PIGEON WHOLE BAKERS (30 Argyle St), next door to Franklin. Originally a cafe, this much-loved wholesale bakery was born from customers begging to buy the bread baked in-house for tartines, sandwiches and other menu items. Now housed in the epic Mercury building complex, the glassed-in operation allows pedestrians making their way along Argyle Street to watch the bakers in action. A hole in the wall offers customers access to still-warm croissants, Danishes and loaves of bread, and, if you’re a sweet fiend, the sourdough donuts have reached cult-status, so you’d best nab one quickly to avoid tears.

If a luminous complexion that reflects your inner healthy glow is what you seek, then, judging by the folks at Pollen Tea Room (56 Hampden Rd, Battery Point), this wellness ground zero is where you’ll find it. Situated in the back streets of historic Battery Point, this cosy tea room is run by suitably gorgeous creatures, Matthew Botakis and Shae McCrickard. Sip delicately perfumed organic teas, or order from the menu of nourishing, plant-based edibles such as sprouted bircher (pictured), as David does a couple of times a week. A must-visit after a little weekend over-indulgence.

More than just your starting point for sailing to MONA in style, Brooke Street Pier’s (left – Franklin Wharf, Salamanca) addition to the Hobart waterfront is a bit of an all-singing, all dancing celebration of Tasmanian goodness. Perk up with a coffee at Bright Eyes, the latest cafe by those caffeine-fuelled peeps behind Pilgrim Coffee, and take a stroll through this urban cellar door. Showcasing some of the best produce in the region, start with a sampling of organic sheep’s milk cheese at Grandvewe before moving onto the fruits of the sea at Huon Aquaculture. There are also plenty of handcrafted gifts here for the folks back home.

For fancy digs, head to historic South Hobart, home to some of the city’s grandest old buildings. This is where you’ll find The Islington (321 Davey St) an impressive historic manor transformed into a stylish boutique hotel. With just 11 rooms, a stay here feels like a visit to a stylish relative’s winter retreat, complete with art-filled sitting rooms, cocktail hour by the fire in the British colonial-style glass atrium, and a full complement of attentive staff ready to cater to your every whim. We’ve been told that guests have cried at the thought of leaving, and it’s not hard to see why.

Owners Zac Shearer and Sian King tell us that more than 500kg meat goes through the smokers and onto the pizz a box plates of ravenous customers at Crumb Street Kitchen (144 Harrington ST) each week, From meltingly tender brisket to tangy pulled pork and country ham. A sign on the front door says “We’re not on fire,” to allay concerns over the billowing smoke wafting from the backyard smokers.

In fact, far from it. This hole-in-the wall coffee joint is staffed by just one sharply dressed barista, who will happily produce you a coffee just the way you like it. There are stools on which to perch, but ECRU’s (18 Criterion St) handiness is that it’s perfectly located for you to swing past its street-facing window and grab a little morning buzz as you stroll through the CBD – no need to stop.

The Alabama Hotel (left – Level 1, 72 Liverpool St) has been a place for travellers to lay their weary heads since 1867, but recent times have seen local couple Kelly Cloake and Aeden Howlett breathe new life into the space, with a healthy dose of good ol’ time vibes and vintage touches. “I live about an hour south of Hobart, so The Alabama is a great place to crash if I’m having a night out with friends in Hobart,” says David, who’s also a big fan of their bloody mary, served on the front terrace. Rooms are spacious and stylish at this self-described budget hotel. Champagne taste on a beer budget? You betcha.