Sunbear Hobart: Coffee & Small Plates

Local institution, tourist’s delight, and champion of small producers, nipulana/Hobart’s Sunbear is a warm hug dressed up as an inner-city café.

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Sunbear owners Dee and Merlin (image supplied)

Opened in 2019, the often sun-streaked space on Collins Street hosts a steady stream of regulars and first-time visitors from Monday to Saturday, slinging a menu of local produce-heavy small plates, house-baked pastries, and excellent coffee. 

Co-owners Merlin Scott and Dee Wootton have been at Sunbear’s helm since September 2023, originally in partnership with Tasmanian darling Brooke Holtz and her husband Ben. Brooke and Ben have since handed over their share of the reins, but the original values for which the venue has been so loved since day dot remain. 

“There have always been a couple of cornerstones to how we do business, and they continue to be what drives us now,” Merlin says. “One is building connection and creating a space where everyone feels welcome and comfortable. We take the idea of feeling like home very seriously, and work hard to achieve that. 

“The other cornerstone is all about our product. We know how delicious food and coffee can be if you invest in the best produce. So we put that first when creating an item for our menus. 

“These are things that you can’t necessarily measure on a sheet. It’s about the feeling you get when you eat food that makes you feel something, in a place that is imperfect in a really beautiful way.”

Sunbear Hobart (image supplied)

Sunbear’s menu is Dee’s baby, and hinges heavily on produce from the gardens of local friends and farmers, including Springdale Farm, Westbae Pastoral and Eva at Sow Small Market Garden. While it changes throughout the year, always-on crowd favourites include seasonal vegetables on toast, an enormous egg and salad sandwich, and arguably Hobart’s best omelette.

“We’re often told that if we take the omelette off the menu, there will be a revolt,” Merlin says. “We use the very best quality eggs, and you get this buttery, cheesy, unctuous omelette, with Pigeon Whole toast and beautiful dressed local leaves. It’s simple food done really well.

“We’re also known for our version of ‘something on toast’. It’s about using the platform of toast to show off the best vegetables that you can get every season. The idea is that we buy the best thing, treat it simply, and make it yummy.”

Sunbear’s “sunny omelette” (image supplied)

It’s a philosophy that is shared by much of Sunbear’s loyal community. While Merlin, Dee and their team are on standby to share the stories of provenance and produce with café guests, they recognise that the food on the plate does the very best talking. 

“There’s a big group of people who have made Sunbear their home away from home, specifically because they know what we represent, and they share those same values,” Merlin says. “And then there’s people who connect with us and the space on an emotional level. They care about warmth, about being greeted with a genuine smile, and feeling connected.”  

Sunbear’s “Big Egg Sandwich” (image supplied)

Eat & Drink lutruwita/Tasmania with Merlin Scott, Sunbear Co-Owner

Coffee: We’re big fans of our own coffee at Sunbear! We work with Coffee Supreme, who support us closely with our dream to serve simple, delicious fare that has a story, and share our pride in knowing where our ingredients come from. Out and about, the team at Moonah’s Shake A Leg Jr  are doing great things - we’ve had filter and espresso from them on our menu over the years. We also love to drop by and visit Clare and Elrick at Wide Awake or Agent Cooper when we’re zipping past.

Baked: We absolutely love a country bakery. We’re spoilt for good options if you’re happy for a road trip. Our faves are the kiosk at The Agrarian Kitchen in New Norfolk, Summer Kitchen in Ranelagh, and Poolish & Co. in Cygnet. We feel connected to the values and feelings of those businesses. 

Pub: Alex and Zac at The Waterloo in Swansea are doing great things. We went up to the east coast recently, bought everything off the menu, shared a bottle of wine, and got giggly.

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