Margate Train

Weekend mornings mean special breakfast to me and special breakfast means pancakes! When in Hobart for me there is non better than at the Margate Train.

For those who don't know Margate Train is Hobart's last passenger train The Tasman Limited and these days it stands just before the small town of Margate about 20 kilometres South of Hobart. It's carriages are re purposed into compact shops, including a book shop, sweet shop, and a deli.  It's cute, fun and has stacks of character.

The front of the train is for kids (big and small!) to play on and I generally take full advantage of this however it was a bit rainy when we visited so I opted for a little bit of retail therapy at White Doily Lane - you can check them out here.

My main reason for attending is the Pancake Train located in the original dining cart.

Inside one end of the pancake train there are wooden long tables and small two people tables but if I were you I'd ring ahead, book and secure a first class spot, the comfy seats and  booth style seating are most definitely worth the phone call!  You can find their website with contact details here.

Let's talk about the pancakes, check 'em out!

Seriously fluffy, seriously syrupy and seriously delicious. You can choose from a delicious menu of sweet and savoury pancakes as well as equally yummy things for the anti-pancake people out there (I know, anti-pancake is most definitely an oxymoron in my book). They also offer gluten free, dairy free and egg free options which is pretty cool - however I haven't had a review of these. This surely means I need to return in the name of research?!

The staff are great, friendly and professional even when the train gets super busy (which is does!) and it's really reasonable on the old wallet if you're not prepared to spend a fortune. 
If there isn't any seating inside grab a spot on a very cheery bench on the grass and enjoy your food there.There are also a couple of non pancake food stalls around the site so even the fussiest of eaters will be pleased! 

Margate train is a great little stop of on the way to the ferry terminal at Kettering and a great spot to take tourists, family and friends for something a little quirky and special. 

And if you need any more persuasion to take a trip to Margate just look at these pancakes again, they are ready for their close up!  

Anyone got any other suggestions for pancakes around Hobart? I've heard Mount Elephant Pancakes is pretty special but it's a bit too far for me to travel, actually, pancakes might just be worth it!

Botanic Burgers

Today we started at The Royal Tasmanian Botanic Gardens - I've always been a fan of a lazy stroll on a crisp clear day and the botanic gardens is the perfect place to do this. 

 

After our fair share of wandering, clean air and hogging the various water features we deserved a rest, so we headed to The Burrow. 

This a relatively new addition to the gardens and I love it! It's just under the shop and restaurant and offers a variety of books, games and amenities for everyone to enjoy.

 My favourite things are the beanbags...

                                               

You can drag one (or three!) of these babies onto the grass and enjoy!

I grabbed a coffee, my book and set about relaxing in the afternoon sunshine, looking up occasionally to take in the stunning surroundings.

This would be a perfect spot in the summer sunshine with a giant picnic and a bottle of something fizzy, but today we had something else in mind. A BIG juicy burger, check this bad boy out.

That's what I call a burger! The Burger Haus in North Hobart is relatively new in the Hobart burger scene but don't discount it because of this, it's recently been voted best burger in Hobart by 7HOFM and it's definitely one of the best in my opinion.

The space is small but cozy industrial and has a general chilled and fun vibe. They have a few long tables which are shared for that German tavern sort of feel and the staff are friendly and helpful.

Back to the food, the chips, oh the chips.

Fluffy, crisp and served with a deliciously creamy aioli, the perfect addition to the meaty, salty and sweet burger. 

I can't recommend The Burger Haus enough - friendly, relaxed, well priced and delicious. They also have a selection of speciality milkshakes, peanut butter and nutella should definitely seal the deal for any one on the fence! 

Unfortunately you can't book a table and it does get rather busy, especially Friday and Saturday nights so I would recommend a late lunch or early dinner. You can find their Facebook page here for more info. And more details for The Royal Tasmanian Botanic Gardens here