A New Chapter: Transitioning from Restaurant to Retail and Accommodation

Dear Valued Customers,

We have some big news to share with you! After much thought and careful consideration, we’ve decided to embark on a new journey and change the direction of our business. We will be transitioning from a restaurant to a retail shop and accommodation (commencing a renovation very soon, set to open in late 2025).

Why the Change?

This decision was not made lightly. Over the past five years, we've loved serving you delicious meals and creating memorable dining experiences. However, as we look to the future, we believe that evolving into a retail space allows us to better serve our community in a new and exciting way. This change will enable us to focus on what we love most—bringing high-quality, unique products to you, our cherished customers. The plan to add quality accommodation upstairs and in the distillery space will mean we are targeting small numbers which ultimately supports the community’s views on tourism.

Our friends @furneauxdistillery are moving into their own brand new premises not too far away as they continue to expand. Their delicious gin and whisky will continue to be available at the wharf and tastings now take place at their new place when they open. We thank them for being part of the Wharf and can’t wait for locals and visitors to experience their amazing facilities and farm.

What You Can Expect:

Our new retail shop will feature a curated selection of locally made take-home meals using Island ingredients, focusing on breakfast, lunch and dinner items, Tasmanian wine and other local or Tasmanian pantry products. These products have been carefully chosen to reflect the same passion for quality and creativity that you’ve come to expect from us. We’re excited to bring you items that inspire and delight, whether for your own home or as thoughtful gifts for others. We will also continue to support Park Run on Saturdays. We love being part of such a great community initiative.

Timeline: 

The restaurant will officially close its doors on Sunday the 8th of September, and we’ll be hard at work transforming our space into a welcoming retail environment, ready for this summer. We plan to open our new shop on Monday the 14th of October, and we can’t wait for you to see what we’ve been working on! We will be completing the accommodation renovation at the same time as operating as a retail shop and appreciate your patience around this.

A Heartfelt Thank You: 

We want to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported our restaurant over the years. Your loyalty and love have meant the world to us, and we hope you’ll join us in this next chapter. Whether you’ve dined with us once or have been a regular for years, you are a part of our story, and we are incredibly thankful for that.

As we make this transition, we’re excited about the opportunities ahead and are confident that our new direction will bring even more joy and satisfaction to our community. We look forward to welcoming you to our new retail shop soon. Stay tuned for updates, sneak peeks, and more details as we get closer to our re-opening!

If you have any questions and want to talk about all things related to the Wharf, Island tourism, business operations and key learnings, I’m happy to share and have a coffee with you. To organise please message Jo on 0407 459 806.

With heartfelt thanks and anticipation, 

Jo and Tom Youl

On Island Time