Restaurant Guide

Stillwater: Restaurant review

Exemplary service, outstanding food and the thoughtful renovation of an historic mill with Tamar River frontage have made Stillwater one of Tasmania’s best restaurants for more than 20 years.

REVIEW

That sound of gnashing teeth and rending garments? It's Launceston locals mourning that, after 23 years, Stillwater – one of Tasmania's longest running and consistently best restaurants – is no longer serving breakfast. A blow, for sure, but it also hands chef Craig Will more bandwidth to focus on lunch and dinner. Given that he excels at smart, modern, locally focused, cuisine-hopping cooking – tip-top prawn and ginger dumplings; Cape Grim beef tartare cleverly blinged with bottarga and smoked almonds; gnocchi tossed through butter, pine nuts and nori-roasted mushrooms; an applause-worthy hazelnut sponge with poached quinces and Marsala zabaglione – it's hard not to get excited. The room in the historic mill on the edge of the Tamar continues to deliver, whether drenched in sunshine or moodily cosy at night. So, too, do the consummate service and a wine list that teams excellent locals with counterparts from all around the globe. No eggs? No worries.

ABOUT

Stillwater
Australian
2 Bridge Rd, Launceston
(03) 6331 4153
stillwater.com.au
Chef Craig Will
Price guide $$
Bookings Recommended
Wheelchair access Yes
This review was written independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide's reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way. To learn more about the process, head over here.