Wine bar? Fast food joint? Hobart has a new hotspot

He's the man with blowtorch and giant grill at events like Taste, Dark MOFO, the Cygnet Folk Festival and the Huon Valley Winter Feast - but now Stuart Addison wants to concentrate on his Hobart wine bar/eatery/bottle shop rather than catering to the masses at major Tasmanian events.

The revamped Tasman Quartermasters on Elizabeth is the brainchild of well-known wine identity and cook Addison, a colourful character who likes dining out to have a sense of theatre. 

TQ on Elizabeth serves a range of wines from Tasmania and around the world by the glass and bottle – and they can be matched with snacks like quesadillas, nachos and shwarma sandwiches, along with gourmet burgers, steak sandwiches and occasional surprises. Addison describes the offering as "ethical fast food".  

“We started as a restaurant but now we are a wine bar that serves food,” he says.

The menu features slow-roasted South American-style “Picanha” steak with salad and fries ($19) or quesadilla with chorizo and roast capsicum ($8), perfect for snacking at any time of the day or night.   

Wines may range from the likes of premium Tasmanian labels Winstead and Bream Creek to imports from France and Spain. There are well over a dozen options by the glass; maybe something a little different like a sparkling chenin blanc from the Loire Valley or a cabernet franc from the same under-rated region. 

There is also a range of ciders featuring the likes of Ebenezer by Derwent Estate, Spreyton Dark, Willie Smith's Bone Dry and Lost Pippin Sparkling and a selection of craft beers both local and from interstate. 

TQ on Elizabeth is at 134 Elizabeth Street, Hobart. (03) 6239 9119. It is open 10.30am-late seven days a week. www.tasmanquartermasters.com.au.