A little slice of Umbria in rural Tasmania

 

Meet a casual Italian-accented restaurant in a small town in southern Tasmania where the flavours are bold and the prices very fair.

Welcome to Osteria at PettySessions, in an old court house on the banks of the Huon River in the hamlet of Franklin, around 45 minutes south of Hobart.

It's the perfect lunch destination for anyone on a day trip, or a good dinner choice for anyone staying in the Huon, where dining choices can sometimes be limited. We were staying just down the road at the excellent The Little Seed Studio. 

Osteria at PettySessions at has a clear focus on fresh Tasmanian ingredients - with a wallchart listing all their local suppliers.

Martino Crippa and Sofia Panfili - both originally from Umbria - are known for their exceptional pasta dishes and are open Wednesday to Saturday 12pm-3pm and 5pm-8:30pm.

The couple has just returned from a trip to visit family in Italy and in possession of some new recipe ideas.

Think dishes like house-cured salumi or seafood croquettes; luscious meatballs in a traditional sauce or ravoili with prawns, lemon and chilli. All delicious and beautifully presented.

Osteria is fully licensed with a good selection of local wines, as well as some Italian imports. Sofia can advise on your wine selection.

The desserts list is tiny, but tempting. 

Highly recommended.

Osteria at Petty Sessions: 3445 Huon Highway Franklin, TAS. (03) 6204 2706.

# The writer paid his own bill