Driftwood Restaurant
Lauderdale, Hobart
Restaurant in Hobart, Australia
Book with PearlThe Read
Dress
Smart Casual
Why go
Driftwood Restaurant is a practical Lauderdale pick for a relaxed coastal meal near Hobart, especially when ease matters more than a formal dining format. Book it for casual celebrations, family meals, or a low-pressure date; compare with The Old Wharf Restaurant or Frogmore Creek if the occasion needs stronger polish or a more destination-led setting.
About Driftwood Restaurant
Use Driftwood Restaurant as a Hobart option when the basics are enough for the plan: it is open Wednesday to Sunday, closed Monday and Tuesday, and lists a smart casual dress code. Beyond those practical details, it does not specify a specific cuisine, chef, menu format, price tier, awards profile, or service style, so it is best judged on schedule fit rather than prestige signals.
The useful context is simple: Driftwood Restaurant is a Hobart venue with opening hours of 10 AM to 8 PM on Wednesday and Thursday, 10 AM to 9 PM on Friday, 9 AM to 9 PM on Saturday, and 9 AM to 4 PM on Sunday. If the occasion needs a different dining setting, compare it with The Old Wharf Restaurant, Callington Mill Distillery at MACq 01 Hobart, Cugini Restaurant, Jam Packed, or Frogmore Creek Cellar Door & Restaurant.
A smart casual Hobart option with limited detail
Driftwood Restaurant is practical rather than elaborate: smart casual dress, a Wednesday-to-Sunday trading week, and later closing on Friday and Saturday than on Sunday. It does not specify a chef counter, tasting format, award listing, published price tier, dish list, drinks program, or seating configuration, so avoid planning around those details unless you confirm them directly with the venue. For readers building a broader Hobart itinerary, use our full Hobart restaurants guide alongside categories like our full Hobart bars guide, our full Hobart hotels guide, our full Hobart wineries guide, and our full Hobart experiences guide.
Book it around the hours
The main planning facts are the opening times. Driftwood Restaurant is closed Monday and Tuesday; opens 10 AM to 8 PM on Wednesday and Thursday; opens 10 AM to 9 PM on Friday; opens 9 AM to 9 PM on Saturday; and opens 9 AM to 4 PM on Sunday. For a more specific comparison, cross-shop only against alternatives such as The Old Wharf Restaurant, Cugini Restaurant, Jam Packed, Callington Mill Distillery at MACq 01 Hobart, or Frogmore Creek Cellar Door & Restaurant, then confirm current details directly before you go.
Planning details
- Location
- 13 North Terrace, Lauderdale TAS 7021, Australia
- Website
- driftwoodrestaurant.com.au
- Phone
- +61362481162
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Driftwood presents as a considered seaside destination that rewards the deliberate visitor. Situated on Lauderdale’s eastern shore, the restaurant leans into its coastal setting: the drive follows the river toward the estuary and 'the light off the water changes the mood of a room.' The writing emphasizes regional seriousness rather than city flash, and the dining room reads as an integrated program of kitchen, front-of-house and wine. That combination gives Driftwood a quietly assured presence—less about foot traffic and more about focused cooking, a coastal outlook, and a sense that the place is worth the trip.
Best For
Driftwood is best for intentional dining outings where the food is the primary draw. Positioned twenty minutes from the CBD, it functions as a destination for evening meals and special occasions, especially for diners who are happy to drive out of the city for a distinct coastal experience. The restaurant’s strengths lie in its seafood focus and the way the setting—river, estuary and coastal light—frames the room, making it especially suited to dinner bookings and visits that prioritize a thoughtful wine-and-food program.
Ordering Tips
Lean into what the kitchen and coastal setting emphasize: fresh seafood and regionally attuned dishes. The menu highlights ocean-focused items such as Pacific oysters with chardonnay and native pepperberry mignonette alongside more substantial plates like the pan-roasted Tasmanian lamb rump. Given the piece’s repeated reference to a unified wine and food program, ask the team for wine recommendations to match oysters or the lamb, and plan your visit as a deliberate outing rather than a quick stop—the drive is part of the experience.
Venue details
Ambiance
Sleek, relaxing atmosphere with wood floors and ceilings, grey furniture, and dark walls creating an elegant yet contemporary setting overlooking the water.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
Sourcing
View
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Smart Casual
- Noise Level
- Conversational
- Service Style
- Upscale Casual
- Meal Pacing
- Leisurely
- Capacity
- Small
Signature Dishes
- Pan-roasted Tasmanian lamb rump with parsnip purée and sautéed broccolini
- Pacific oysters with chardonnay and native pepperberry mignonette
Know before you go
Know Before You Go
- Getting there
- 13 North Terrace, Lauderdale TAS 7021, Australia
Planning details
Location
Also consider
What To Book If This Does Not Fit
Choose The Old Wharf Restaurant for a more polished Hobart occasion, especially if location and atmosphere matter more than booking ease.
Choose Frogmore Creek Cellar Door & Restaurant for a wine-led lunch outside town, or Jam Packed for a more central casual fallback.
Restaurant context
How It Compares
Cugini Restaurant is the better city-side choice if the group wants an Italian-leaning meal in Hobart rather than a Lauderdale outing. Driftwood Restaurant makes more sense when the eastern-shore location is convenient and booking ease matters.
Frogmore Creek Cellar Door & Restaurant is the stronger pick for a wine-country lunch outside the metro area. The Old Wharf Restaurant is better for a polished waterfront occasion in Hobart, while Driftwood is the lower-pressure option.
Callington Mill Distillery at MACq 01 Hobart suits a drinks-led hotel setting, and Jam Packed is the more central casual alternative. Choose Driftwood when Lauderdale is the point, not when the meal needs to compete with Hobart's destination restaurants.
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Driftwood Restaurant guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Driftwood Restaurant
| Venue | Location | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Driftwood Restaurant | Hobart | No published awards |
| Cugini Restaurant | Hobart | No published awards |
| Frogmore Creek Cellar Door & Restaurant | Cambridge | No published awards |
| The Old Wharf Restaurant | Hobart | No published awards |
| Callington Mill Distillery at MACq 01 Hobart | Hobart | No published awards |
| Jam Packed | Hobart | No published awards |
How Driftwood Restaurant Hobart compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What are alternatives to Driftwood Restaurant in Hobart?
For another option to compare with Driftwood Restaurant, look at Cugini Restaurant, The Old Wharf Restaurant, Jam Packed, or Callington Mill Distillery at MACq 01 Hobart. Frogmore Creek Cellar Door & Restaurant is another option to consider if it fits your wider itinerary.
Can I eat at the bar at Driftwood Restaurant?
Do not plan around bar seating unless that is confirmed before you go, because it does not specify a bar setup or seating format. The planning details are the Hobart location, smart casual dress code, and Wednesday-to-Sunday opening hours.
Is Driftwood Restaurant good for a special occasion?
It may suit a smart casual Hobart meal if the hours work for your plans. Information about awards, tasting menus, chef counters, prices, or service formats is not available, so confirm directly with the venue if you need a more formal or highly specific occasion setting.
Is lunch or dinner better at Driftwood Restaurant?
It provides opening hours, but not specific meal periods. Driftwood Restaurant is open during daytime and evening hours on Wednesday through Saturday, and during daytime hours on Sunday; it closes at 8 PM on Wednesday and Thursday, 9 PM on Friday and Saturday, and 4 PM on Sunday.
