Restaurant Maria

Aløft, meaning ‘attic’ or ‘high place in the sky’, is perched on the top floor of Hobart’s award-winning Brooke Street Pier – which also houses the MONA ferry wharf, casual café Rosie in my Midnight Dreams, and the restaurant’s stylish new sibling Restaurant Maria.

The Mediterranean serves as the inspiration for this Brooke Street Pier eatery. Among the more glamorous members of the local restaurant scene, Restaurant Maria aims to transport you to the sun-licked shores of Greece, Spain and southern Italy with its whitewashed, lime plastered walls. Gorge on harbour views and a heady array of briny, creamy, piquant and lemon-infused dishes, such as crudo with Campari, citrus and chilli; tirokafteri (a feta dip laced with chilli and fire-roasted red capsicum) with grilled octopus; and seared scallops with burnt lemon, taramasalata and mountain pepper.

Restaurant Maria, set in Hobart’s historic Salamanca precinct, offers an enchanting culinary experience that celebrates Tasmania’s finest produce, particularly its exceptional seafood. With an emphasis on sustainability and creative finesse, the restaurant delights guests with its carefully crafted Chef’s Menu, which offers an elegant journey through seasonal flavours. Seafood lovers will relish bites like octopus paired with tirokafteri and nasturtium flowers, scallops enhanced with burnt lemon and mountain pepper, and oysters served with a wild fennel pollen mignonette.

With its rough-rendered archways and walls, 60s lounge music soundtrack and waterfront location, Restaurant Maria is a breath of fresh Mediterranean air in Hobart. Chef Christian Ryan (who also helms Aloft, just upstairs) has taken inspiration from dishes from Lisbon to Lebanon and made them uniquely Tasmanian with local produce including wild fennel, kunzea, sustainable seafood and locally made cheeses. Hit Kingston beach for a swim, stroll or paddle then take a window seat in the front bar and enjoy a pub meal with a view.

Recently opened, Maria is located at the end of the award-winning Brooke Street Pier, sitting in the shadow of Mt Wellington and overlooking the, active harbour of Hobart. The food ethos at Maria is simple: to provide a premium Mediterranean-inspired dining experience, with a delectable menu celebrating the finest of local and Australian-sourced produce, and traditional Mediterranean flavours and cooking techniques.

Passionate chefs will share the stories and inspiration behind each dish. Ambience and setting: Charming and monastic, Hobart’s Maria is located on the waterfront below its fine-dining sibling, Aloft. The fit-out is dominated by natural hues and warm textures, so every part of the dining experience is reminiscent of the Mediterranean coast.