A new upstairs wine bar has quietly opened in North Hobart, with two experienced hospitality operators hoping to carve out a relaxed space in a changing Hobart dining scene.
Teddy’s, located at 325A Elizabeth Street, launched two months ago as a walk-in-only venue combining a compact wine list with Asian-inspired dishes built around raw preparations, spice, salt and crunch.
The bar is owned by Jeffrey Thaow, who runs the floor and wine program, while Glenn Byrnes leads the kitchen.
Both bring extensive fine dining backgrounds to the venture, with Thaow having worked at Melbourne’s Supernormal and Hobart venues including Pepping and The Tasman, while Byrnes has cooked at Vue de Monde, Peppina and Aloft.
Thaow said Teddy’s was designed to offer a more relaxed and informal style of dining.
“It’s a little imperfect, a little moody and hopefully comfortable straight away,” he said.
“More like a room you found than a room trying to impress you.”
Teddy’s opening comes during a period of change for Hobart’s hospitality scene, with new independent venues continuing to emerge while several established operators have closed.
Recent months have seen new concepts including Don Frico open in Salamanca, while the collapse of Pub Banc Group led to the closure of several Hobart venues, including Republic Bar, Cargo Bar and Jack Greene.
The contrasting fortunes reflect a changing market for hospitality operators, with smaller owner-led venues entering the scene while larger groups face rising costs and shifting customer habits.
Teddy’s menu is not tied to one country or cuisine, instead drawing broadly from Asian cooking traditions and designed to pair with wine.
“It’s the kind of food we like eating with wine: raw dishes, bright acidity, salt, spice, crunch, richness and enough substance to turn a few plates into dinner,” Thaow said.
The wine list changes regularly and leans on Tasmanian producers.
Thaow said the venue was aimed at filling a gap in Hobart’s dining scene.
“A lot of wine bars can feel either too snacky, too serious or too European-leaning,” he said.
“Teddy’s sits somewhere in the middle.”
The bar is open from 5pm on Thursdays and Fridays, from 3pm on Saturdays and from midday to 4pm on Sundays.
No bookings are taken.
