Popular Hobart eatery Billy’s Burgers and Bar will serve its last burger on May 3, marking the end of an era as the Elizabeth Street Pier undergoes a multimillion-dollar transformation.
The closure comes as part of a major redevelopment of the entire precinct, which will see the venue replaced by a new operator while Billy’s owner Leo Miller focuses on creating a brand new restaurant next door.
“It’s done for good. On the 3rd of May, that’s our last trading day for good,” Miller told Pulse.
The decision follows the closure of neighbouring venue T42 a year ago to undertake renovations.
“It was either redo Billy’s again or fold it up, basically,” he said.
“We’ve decided to do the latter and just focus on the new venue.”
The new restaurant will occupy the former T42 and Asian Gourmet On The Pier spaces, featuring what was described as a “multimillion-dollar fit-out” offering casual dining with an expanded menu that will still include burgers.
The new restaurant is expected to open in July.
“We are gonna have burgers on the menu, very similar to what we’re doing now,” Miller said.
“It’ll be a more expansive menu and probably somewhere between what we’ve been doing at Billy’s and what we were doing at T42.”
Silverleaf, the landlord of T42 and Billy’s Burgers, is undertaking a $40 million redevelopment of the Victoria Dock precinct, including expanding accommodation from 56 to 98 rooms.
Billy’s will continue normal trading until its final day, with Miller considering special events for the closing weekend to farewell regular customers.
