342 Argyle Street, North Hobart

Open Wednesday to Friday for lunch and dinner, Saturdays for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

When Trophy Room opened last August, it felt like a great addition to the Hobart cafe landscape. Owners Rose and James, originally from Sydney, had been running their excellent Trophy Donuts stand at Farm Gate Market for a while so it was exciting to see their next step unfold as a physical space. Billed as a bistro style cafe/restaurant it’s exactly the sort of place you’d want to have a relaxed lunch. But more recently they opened for nights so it was time to see what an evening service was like.

A gorgeous gluten-free friend booked us in for a Saturday night table. The space was darkened and candlelit, which felt warm and inviting, and a nice counterpoint to how the space feels during the day. GF dining can be hit and miss, I’m told. But walking into Trophy Room, the first thing Rose said to us was “I’ve made a list of all the gluten free options for you!” She enthusiastically took us through the menu and variations – of which there were ample.

I started with a little prawn sando – a crunchy Panko-crumbed prawn sandwiched between soft white bread with iceberg lettuce and a lick of mayo. At the same time, a bountiful plate of shaved mortadella hit the table for us to share. On my previous visit for lunch, I’d enjoyed the mortadella cruller – a deep-fried pastry ring, sliced in half and filled with mortadella. This night though, we forwent the cruller component and just enjoyed the mortadella. This was followed by a beautiful raw tuna dish of thin sliced fish, marinated in a zingy dressing topped with tomatoes and chives, and everyone’s gluten-free favourite – risotto. This version was rich and buttery, with delicious pieces of local lamb. I had no room for dessert but if I had, the Bombe Alaska would have been the pick (filled with bee pollen icecream and strawberry), and I’ll definitely head back again soon to enjoy that.