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Cape Grim beef

What: Beef is beef, so what makes Tasmanian beef so special? Paddocks of plenty, clean running waters, the purest air in the world, and a team of roving masseurs for each and every bovine, that’s what!

Well, perhaps not the last one, but in Tasmania’s far northwest the other three are all fact. The cattle are strictly pasture-raised, and the lush grass for which the region is renowned is their sole sustenance. The local winds known as the “Roaring 40s” are exhilarating year-round, and they too play their part in supplying the local cattle with fresh Antarctic air, free of pollutants. You can’t get any cleaner or greener than Cape Grim—and restaurateurs around Australia know it.

Where: If you ask us, beef doesn’t taste any better than when it’s grilled. With an asado grill its centerpiece, Landscape Restaurant and Grill (23 Hunter St., map) at the Henry Jones Art Hotel is, hands down, the best place in Hobart to taste the exquisite beef sourced from Cape Grim.

Dining at Landscape isn’t just about the food, though— it’s an immersive experience that silently shouts “Tasmania!” All ingredients are proudly sourced from across the state, and the international wine list unashamedly places Tasmanian wines front and center. Even the restaurant interior, in keeping with the cultural mission of its parent hotel, exposes diners to the best landscape artists in Australia and their emotive perspective on the Tasmanian bush. Yes, it’s fancy, but you’ll walk away knowing you’ve taken a little bit of Tasmania with you.

When: Daily, 6pm till late

Order: This is all about the beef, so the only decisions you really need to make are the cut and weight: eye filet (pictured; from AU$42), Scotch filet ($40), rib eye (from $52) or T-bone ($52)—all cooked exactly how you prefer over the hot coals of the Argentine-inspired asado grill. Oh, and did we mention that the wood used to fire this beast is sourced from old sherry, bourbon, and port casks previously used by the local Tasmanian Cooper Company? This is how you take grilled meat to the next level!

Note for vegetarians: Landscape may be focused on the grill, but vegetarians needn’t miss out on the fun. The charred heirloom carrots with Tongola goat’s curd, Tasmanian black garlic, and sunflower ($22) come highly recommended.

Alternatively: Considering the high quality of the beef that’s sourced across Tasmania, Hobart is awash with a LOT of great grills. Another of our favorites, and a throwback to the old-school charms of yesteryear, is The Astor Grill (157 Macquarie St., map). These guys know service as well as they know their way around a grill, and you’ll walk out the door marveling at the combination of simplicity and passion evident in every single cut of meat that leaves the kitchen. If you do visit, try the signature “Steak Astor,” 250 grams of prime eye filet stuffed with the funky moreishness of Stilton blue cheese.