Wow lots of variability in this Yelp review as well. But overall we really liked this spot. It is a great reputation for inventive cuisine and under the able helm of the new chef they have continued the tradition of New Australian cuisine. We really liked the inventiveness that she displayed at every course. The ambiance of this place in an old Ford showroom from the 1920s is cool urban chic. We really got the sense that we were not in a tourist trap but getting a sense of the local community. The kitchen is at the center of the show with a bar all around for those who want to learn how it's done. We sat in the back and it is quiet spot. They also have a private room that looks like a good spot for celebrations or business functions. We had a terrific calamari with salt that was fried perfectly. We also loved the octopus which was well grilled. The lamb was also terrific. Cooked to perfection. Finally we loved the wine selection and has a good tour of Tasmania. We also loved the carpaccio of albacore tuna which was really great Overall this isn't the kind of read more

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Hobart has a great dining scene with many interesting restaurants. I decided to give Franklin a try based on some positive Yelp reviews. The restaurant is located in Hobart CBD (city centre). If you are staying in this area, everything is pretty close so you can probably walk there from your location. The restaurant is located in a non-descript building so you might miss it since it is not very obvious that it is a dining establishment. The interior of the restaurant continues that vibe as it has an industrial like feel to it. The menu here is modern Australian fare which includes a lot of ingredients sourced in Tasmania. I came here to grab a light dinner. Opted for a chicken liver parfait on rye ($4.50) and grilled blue eye w/ braised sunflower seeds, endive and dried oyster ($36). Before the meal, I was served bread and butter. Butter was particularly good as it was very creamy. The chicken liver parfait was enjoyable, albeit a small bite. Texture is like a pate. The blue eye is a fish I haven't had before. I thought it was just okay. The fish texture is chunky. Though I was thought it was quite inventive that they used sunflower seeds in this dish like a risotto. Overall, my experience here was okay. I kind of felt like this restaurant is not the type of the place I would usually go to. Still I am glad to have tried Franklin because I like their concept of using local Tasmanian ingredients in their food which would be the reason to give this spot a try. read more

Another highly praised restaurant which we checked out in Tasmania was Franklin restaurant in Hobart. We had booked for a late meal at the end of a busy day seeing the sights. The restaurants has large glass windows which are very visible from the street. The restaurant interior is paired back with concrete and industrial fittings, providing clean visual features. The open kitchen and bar provide the ability to watch what is going on. It is a busy restaurant but the staff are attentive. The ambience is buzzing and this makes for a great dining atmosphere. The drinks list includes craft beer, interesting wine options, including natural wine and there's also a mix of cocktails and craft spirits. The menu has a number of inviting options and was headed up with some exciting small bites. A must eat item is the scotch quail eggs. This tasty morsel has a crisp outer crust, a tasty mid layer of sobrasada and the yolk of the quail egg oozing out once cut into. The octopus and salt bush dumplings may not be the most appealing looking bite, however this was made up for by the texture and flavour. We were also provided some amazing complimentary bread. The mushroom dish was full of umami from the braised wakame and egg yolk sabayan. This was the tasiest dish of the evening. With the oyster mushrooms providing a meaty texture. Potatoes are certainly abundant in Hobart and were well put to use in the potato galette with an emulsion of huacatay, a Peruvian herb sourced locally on the tasman coast. This accompanied the main source of protein we ordered, the woodroasted littlewood lamb, served with braised almonds and pickled kohlrabi. This dish was very simple looking on the plate, however the flavour of the lamb was incredible and the almonds provided texture and the pickled kohlrabi cut through the richness of the lamb. Franklin is great place to enjoy a meal in Tasmania to savour some local produce and wash ot down with a quality drinks list. read more

We didn't have a lot of time during our stay in Hobart to explore the food scene but we packed what we could in the couple days that we were there! Franklin was a restaurant not only recommended to us by our hotel staff, but also by a few locals who were foodies interested in Tasmanian inspired cuisine. Of course, we had to check it out! Franklin is a modern dining restaurant. The inside is rustic/industrial; a fitting tribute to the food that they served. While most people who came here were dressed up, we were fairly casual and no one really gave us any headache about it. Although they have a la carte, our group was large enough to require our entire table to take part in the tasting menu. No issue for me because that is how I enjoy exploring a chef's table. Our dinner included 10 dishes of food. When you're done, you're full so don't worry about that aspect. We started with some local blackman boy pacific oysters which were fresh and perfectly seasoned to highlight the oyster itself. The cheese and herb fritters were my favorite entree for the evening and is highly recommended for those people who are ordering off the a la carte menu. We ended our starters with some raw albacore tuna lightly seasoned with olive oil and salt. I was a little concerned about the raw lamb as I wasn't sure I would like it but it was also a feature dish for me on the menu. The seasoning went well with the dish and you really didn't think twice about the "raw" aspect after you put the first spoonful in your mouth. After that dish, we were served carrots that were cooked in a sauce infused with uni (sea urchin). For those who are squeamish about sea urchin, don't be here. The sauce was wonderful. We then enjoyed a bowl of venus clams along with some purslane and turnips. We finally got to the main courses which featured roasted lamb, courgettes with anchovy and creamed chard. The lamb was a quick flashback to the earlier dish now presented in a different manner. That was by far my favorite dish of the evening. Not overcooked and extremely tender. It was a dish coming from a team of cooks who clearly know how to season. We topped off the dinner with a roasted rhubarb and milk granita. Palate cleansing and satisfying while not being too heavy after a large meal. Franklin also has a wonderful wine list featuring a lot of Australian/Tasmanian vineyard which I enjoyed. Of course, if you're looking for some classical French flavors, they have those as well. If you're in to the modern small plates of food, Franklin is a must as part of the new movement to highlight Australian ingredients. Book early as they were quite busy. Can't wait until our next opportunity to eat here! read more

Great factory-like setup with an intriguing menu and a good wine list. Service was good overall - we waited at least 30 mins for our main though ! Dishes were a hit and miss. We had delicious vegetables with interesting sauces. We also had an interesting (but VERY heavy) smoked beef. The octopus was nothing special. We were not wowed but the price was reasonable ($80 per head with 2 glasses of wine) read more

Franklin - Great factory-like set up - Wine Bars Near Me - Hobart, TAS

Well played, Franklin. Well played. You've certainly ranked yourself in my top 10 (or possibly top five) dining experiences of all time. What an over-achieving rascal you turned out to be! After hearing a lot of word on the street about Franklin, I was sure to book my partner and I in for dinner when we recently ventured down Hobart-way (bookings are pretty much essential, but you can try your luck as a walk-in.) We walked in with a bit of a chill on a May evening and were ushered in front of a warming fire and offered a cocktail while they arranged our table. Franklin knows how to woo a gal. We were lucky enough to dine at the bar, which overlooks the kitchen and the perfectionist chefs. I *highly* recommend you do also. It is endlessly fascinating watching them work. I've been informed the menu changes regularly, but here is what we had and LOVED should you get a similar menu: + Blackman Bay Oysters (big, juicy, flavoursome, groan-worthy) + Chicken liver parfait on Rye (small, delicate and delicious) + Hay-baked celeriac with roast chicken sauce (simple and elegant but tasty) + Whole wood roasted flathead with butter and lemon leaves (yum, but still had it's bones in, which was a bit fiddly and annoying) + Braised lamb neck with red wine, anchovy and dried olive (the absolute stand out of the meal. This lamb was so soft, buttery but rich with flavour. We were irritated it came out last and we were already full. I would swallow it whole if I could do it all again.) They also provided us with a whole lettuce head covered in sesame oil, which sounds embarassingly simple but was out-of-this-world delicious. If you're reading this on your way to Franklin, GET IT GET IT GET IT. The service is outstanding - very helpful and attentive without being annoying. And the venue itself is gorgeous - exposed concrete with a warehouse feel however it still manages to feel warm and intimate. I already can't wait to go back. read more

Franklin - Wine Bars Near Me - Hobart, TAS

My review should be as short and to the point as the restaurant itself. The large room is sparse and sterile. The service was aloof and, well, sterile. It was like dining in a surgical suite. The menu was also as short as my grade school girlfriend. There were just twelve entrees and mains combined. That's it. The food, if it requires heat goes into a massive industrial wood fired oven. Everything, therefore, takes it's sweet time to get to the table. So, if you have tickets to a play, a plane to catch or your wife is in labor, this may not be the place for you. The bread is baked in house although the the one beard hair I found in my thin slice could have used a few more minutes in the oven. Hey, it happens. Just slather more cultured butter over it and keep eating. No worries, it's biodegradable. Six oysters came on a small tray nestled on a a bed of rock salt which is fine unless you over-lip the oyster as you will get some rock salt along for the ride with your gorgeous fresh Pacific Oyster for your trouble. Maybe ice chips would have been a better choice. The Calamari Salad was as good as such a dish can be. A mound of tender calamari strips backstroking on a pond of blackened pureed eggplant and accented with oil and vinegar misted sorrel leaves. Inventive and brilliant. I could have eaten a whole school of these squid. The wood fired Flathead with Uni Butter and Crisp Lemon Leaves was also wonderful. So, you had to wrestle the skin off the carcass and extract a bunch of bones from the fish and you gums. Hey, it's a fish and them buggahs got bones unless you eat a shark which don't have none.The fish itself was moist, firm, fresh and hot from it's turn in the pit. Sounds like a perfect date with a mud wrestler. Both are a good idea. Boiled potatoes with a chiffonade of basil and a splash of cream came with the fish. If you order them. Order them. They are as delicate as the fish and excellent company for the Flathead. A potato is vegetable, isn't it? Well, close enough. All in all this place gets a four star rating from me. As stated above it was a bit cold. All business. I know we don't dine out to find a new BFF among the staff or line cooks but these automatons took "distance" to new heights. Minimalist on every score card. A restaurant with no foreplay. It reminded me of dining at Le Serpent in Montreal as they wrote the primer on detached staff, but that's another story and review. As a bonus, this spot masquerades as Betsy in the morning for breakfast. Betsy occupies space in Franklin by the windows in the front of the house. Great coffee and an obliging friendly good morning to you greeting staff waiting for and on you. They all should be working the night shift. A perfect poached egg on a house made wheat toast with sauerkraut and a nice thick chunk of corned beef, so good the boys at the Carnegie Deli in Manhattan would remove their hair nets and sweat bands to righteously bow their heads. If you're in Hobart, you ought to be at Franklin at least one night. read more

We had a superb dinner here last week. The service was attentive, graceful and knowledgeable. The food is inspired and delicious. Lots of locally sourced ingredients that are combined in creative and truly amazing combinations. If you are in Hobart looking for a high end culinary experience, this is the place! read more

I am in the same camp as a previous Yelper - the wine list trumps the food here. While I enjoyed being taken on an interesting journey from local Oysters to foraged native herbs, the ambrosial fantasies werent met by taste. I found most dishes fell short, especially the polenta with gizzards. Appreciate the creative thought here, but it just wasn't enjoyable. On the positive side; the oysters, parfait and calamari tomato dish were excellent! Hip designer space too. read more

Looking for a different place to dine in Hobart and was directed towards Franklin. Didn't look like much from outside as it was discreet and dimly lit. Inside it was well heated and had a contemporary feel. Lots of polished concrete and timber. We were seated at the bar/kitchen bench which surrounded the bar and kitchen so you could see them prep your meal. Imagine a Euro sushi kitchen. Food was simple and delicious. Warmed local oysters with house vinaigrette. Calamari with butter, wagami sprinkles and daikon was excellent. Octopus with fennel fronds and the carpaccio kingfish with creme fresh and herbs were also stand outs. Oh, remember to order the potatoes with sea urchin butter.. Surprisingly tasty. Would love to go back and try the other dishes and the service was excellent. Who knew such trendy fine dining was in Hobart. (Think LPs of Sydney) read more

Very delicious food! We had the oysters, calamari, octopus, potato galette, and amazing desserts! Everything was great, nothing to complain about. The highlight of the meal was probably dessert. The potato and caramel dish was incredible, and the goats curd sorbet was excellent! Will definitely head back next time visiting Hobart. read more

My best mate and I were in town for a few nights and on the recommendation of a friend tried Franklin. Initially we couldn't get a booking but called to see about a walk in and were told that a cancellation made a spot available for us. Upon arriving I was awed with the space. The large and minimal concrete surrounds are my style, the loose-weave draperies bring a lightness to the place and the wallaby and possum skins here and there keep it grounded in Australiana. The branding is a little bit naff and kind of seems a bit too 60's Peter Sellars for the interior, but that's just an opinion The tables were sparsely positioned around the joint, if this were Melbourne you would cram about 12 more seats in. That being said it was nice to have room to breathe. Our waitress was a cute young thing who knew her business about the menu without any pretense. Admittedly the drinks list wasn't as all encompassing as one might expect (we're Chardonnay drinkers) and the price points were on the high end. As for the food, we had zucchini flowers and ashen goats-curd which didn't have a huge amount of personality. The octopus was two tentacles that tasted surprisingly like pork-belly. The potato dish was quite delicious, cooked in clam juice with an anchovy and fragrant basil cream, however $22 for 3 small potatoes was a bit steep, I guess the light-fittings must have been expensive! Finally we had the lamb steak that came with a bready kind of roux, it was mind-blowingly tender and juicy, but again at $48 for a small portion, the value wasn't really there. All in all, Franklin serves a level of dining that is niche in Hobart, some of their items are a little less special than others and perhaps that will change with time. Perhaps the portions could be a little more generous; despite how delicious something may be, if your customers leave hungry that's what they will be talking about. read more

Fantastic venue with good wine list and open plan seating. Very modern and cement walls/ ceilings but I like it. Well done. read more

Tried to book by phone. Was told to book online. Website said "unable to book online from your country". Australia? Tried again to phone. This time got recorded message saying to book online. Guess they don't want my business. Will go elsewhere. Recomnended? Absolutely NOT. read more

Great looking place but unfortunately the staff let it down. Rude and seemed bothered by us being there! Food OK but not an enjoyable night because of our waiters. The waiter asked - " I suppose you wanna another drink" We told we laughed at the food when it arrived, by the waitress. Table of 8, visiting from Melbourne , wouldn't go again on our next visit to Tasmania Bizarre service! read more

Hip and funky seem to have gotten a little out of hand of late; my wife and I as members of a small party enjoyed the food at Franklin but the evening was spoiled by an indulgent 'sommelier' who offered a wine list that frankly undermined the food. To offer only one lesser known Tas Pinot by the glass, and the only other at $140 a bottle was just the start; but the 'cuteness' in offering obscure and frankly not very pleasant wines is a disconnect with customers ( remember them!)... who are not embarrassed to be drinking top quality Australian..and hopefully Tasmanian wine. As for the supposed 'minimal intervention' policy...get real. First select the best wines...then IF they are 'minimal intervention'...and I mean IF, as several listed on the Franklin wine list were not...then mark them as so...and who knows you'll see if that's what your customers, not your sommelier want to drink. read more

Small plates, very modern Australian but still a pleasant evening here. Everything we had was flavoursome, if not small. Particular shout out to the bread. read more

The service was the worst I've actually ever had they stand around inattentive and don't ever check on u or ask how everything was. The waiter would scratch his hair and never wash his hand. After complaining he smiled back like a small child who had somehow won an argument. Furthermore the food was underwhelming for the price it's at. Overall it was one of the most disappointing experiences I've had. read more

Open just a few weeks. Not quite ready for prime time. Worlds best salted butter, good bread. Had the salted fish broth (3 out of 5) not much salt or taste and calamari (good 4 out of 5) for appetizers. Clearly both prepared before-hand as they came out within 5 minutes of us ordering. Next up was our first fish the Grilled silver Trivially. Rubbery, barely warm, and in spite of the bright green bed of nettles, celery and lovage - all of it lacked any flavor (1 out of 5). Then 10 minutes later our Wood roasted flathead fish with Urchin butter. Fish was flavorful but I assume all Australians must be born knowing how to expertly debone a very bony fish, because our waitress left it up to us. (3 out of 5) They don't serve coffee. We did not stay for dessert. Waitress was nice, however the whole place felt like a work in progress. Here's hoping they get better in a few months. read more

It could have been so good. The design of the restaurant is perfect, Scandinavian-industrial concrete with post punk music playing over the stereo. We tried to book but couldn't and were told if we turn up they keep seats unbooked at the bar for walk-ins so we might just have to wait. We got there at 6.30 and they estimated an hour wait so I was happy to have a drink and wait. The older couple who were ordering desert when we arrived ended up taking nearly 2 hours to eat dessert and mull over their wine (and they were at bar seats so they didn't book - have some consideration for people around you, jeez) and only after we had been there 1 1/2 hours the waiter offered us some bread, we eventually took a seat at 8.15pm (almost 2 hours after we arrived) Now the food. We were pretty starving at this point. The appetisers were fantastic, the chicken liver parfait and pickled cherries I'm still thinking about, and made me think it was worth the wait. Then we ordered 2 mains and a side of vegetables. First the vegetables came out - caramelised Dutch carrots in a duck broth, but no mains. We started picking at the carrots and they were so good we finished them off quickly. 30 minutes later one of the mains arrived - the whole flathead. Good, but it was just fish and between the two of us we ate it in a couple of bites. Then another 40 min for the second main (by this time it was after 10pm) and the lamb was good, not sure about $48 worth of good, it was a hunk of lamb with very salty 'bread sauce' served very very medium rare. It would have been much better if we could have broken up the plate with some delicious carrots... It felt like we ate 10 bites of food each over nearly 2 hours and we were not really satisfied but I didn't want to wait another half an hour for a peach. Total bill (2 appetisers, carrots, fish and lamb, plus 3 pots of tap beer and 2 lemon lime and bitters) $128. read more

Really enjoyed Franklin on Friday night, the pork belly 'main' was to die for and Kingfish 'entree' perfect balance of flavours and generous size. flathead was lovely but I think it needed a side - strange to just get a whole fish on its own with no accoutrements - think the waiter should have explained that better. But now I understand portion sizes and where sides fit in I know how to order next time. Wine list unusual, think more wines by the glass would work better given the different flavours in each dish and disappointed there was no Chardonnay by the glass. Overall, really enjoyed the food and I like the aesthetic. Will be back ! read more

As a celebration of the coming New Year my partner and I chose Franklin, only part of the evening was a celebration, the kitchen should be congratulated on their food choices and presentation but sadly that was where it ended as the wine list was a huge let down with a sommelier to match. As a couple who appreciate a variety of wines and have travelled the world primarily to explore new regions and varieties it was to say the least frustrating to have a sommelier who told us we were "Old School". This we consider to be out right rude but will put it down to ignorance. read more

We visited Franklin during Dark Mofo's Winter Feast and pretty much loved everything about it. The room is expansive and uncrowded, the furnishings slick yet comfortable. We especially enjoyed the many excellent cocktails suggested by the highly knowledgeable and pleasant staff and the general vibe of the place - kinda trendy and dandy, but not aggressively hipster. Do try it for yourself - highly recommended! read more