Pigeon Hole

Food was tasty — however service incredibly slow but friendly. Menu not suitable for young kids and sold out of both specials + the soup by 1245. Seems like the beginning of a great idea let down a little by the execution

Some of the best bread I’ve ever had in my life! True artisans are baking this bread, a fantastic barista will be making your cup of coffee and some wonderful chef is stirring the porridge to make it come out just right. Goldilocks recommended!!! Goodness– can you all move to my neighborhood in California. Please! :-) YUM

There are a few cafes in Hobart that seem to consistently generate interest. Tricycle Café, Jackman & McRoss, Machine Laundry Café etc… Whether it’s for their menu, coffee or ambience they’re normally very good recommendations for a quick bite to eat or a catch up with friends.
We hadn’t eaten at Pigeon Hole previously, but not for a lack of trying! Every time we had stopped by for breakfast it was always jam packed with singles, couples and families getting their weekends off to a relaxing start.
So it was with great anticipation that we walked through the doors and sat down for a light meal!
The size of the café is a little deceptive at first glance, and it would be easy to think that they only had a few tables seating three people at most in the front and side of the narrow room. Fortunately, the room opens up at the rear and there are numerous tables out the back more suitable for larger groups of four or more.
There was a great ambience within the café, with obvious regulars drifting in and out, ordering their regular weekend kickstarters ‘to go’, or a loaf of freshly cooked bread from the numerous varieties on offer. While at the same time there were quite a few families with children in tow, reading their papers and generating a buzz at the rear of the café. It was pretty obvious that most, if not all, had been before and they were coming back to an old favourite.
The menu was very appealing, ranging from typical breakfast fare, through to a soup of the day and a number of paninis. While not extensive, it gave enough options to satisfy most cravings, including those of the vegetarian or gluten free type!
We had walked in with the expectations of breakfast, however after reading the descriptions of the paninis we very quickly changed our minds and decided to give them a go. For myself it was the Porcetta Panini with Aioli and Hazelnut Gremolata ($ 11.50). While for my wife it was the Wagyu Brisket, Pickled Carrot and Gouda Panini ($ 12) and a cappuccino.
Other menu items that appealed included the (very epic sounding) Eggs en Cocotte, with Jamon, Soused Onion, Leaves, Preserved Lemon and Parsley, with either Grana or Teleggio cheese ($ 12.90), or the popular Natural Yoghurt and Gluten Free Crunch with Strawberries and Agave ($ 11.90).
I have to say that they must have these paninis pre-​made and ready to throw on the grill-​press, because it would have been no more than 5−10mins between placing our order and having them served up on rustic wooden chopping boards at our table! Points for efficiency, but it certainly cut down on time to relax/​chat.
The paninis smelt wonderful, and the fillings looked delicious, with sticky gouda cheese oozing deliciously out of the wagyu panini, and the vibrant green herbs of the gremolata in my porcetta panini catching the eye.
To taste? The fillings themselves were wonderful. Fresh, interesting flavours that worked very well together; particularly the porcetta panini, which was a bit of a surprise to us both as we were expecting the wagyu panini to be the better of the two! Simple combinations, but they work effectively together on the taste buds!
BUT! Unfortunately the meal was let down quite a bit by what can only be described as extremely liberal application of oil during the toasting of the paninis. As you can see from the photos, both paninis were served in a tiny pool of oil, with a little extra on top, just for good measure! While I don’t mind oil per se, the texture and volume really did detract from what was otherwise a very good meal.
In the end it was a great start to the day. While perhaps not quite reaching the heights that we expected for such a Hobart institution, it’s a café that we would certainly return to another day (but hopefully with a little less oil next time!).

Pigeon Hole’s got a bit of a cult following in Hobart and I can easily tell you why. Their fresh bread is renowned across the city, and available from many a store around town, as well as right here at the mother ship.
This is one of those places that seems to have gained a bit of recognition as a Hobart icon, so lots of tourists will have Pigeon Hole on their «must visit» list. I have to admit, I’m a little underwhelmed by their breakfast options. I think it’s probably worth putting emphasis on the bread here as being the must-​try, and to be honest, maybe that’s why the menu’s so brief? Come here for a simple breakfast. One that includes bread. For example, you should probably try the avocado on toast, because this is a locavore’s delight – the avocados are from South Spreyton Avocado farm, up at the top end of the state, and of course the rye & molasses bread is Pigeon Hole’s own. The Spreyton avocados are small and full of flavour… though currently served just sliced in half, allowing you to do your own scooping and spreading. This would be fun (though I could really just do this at home, guys) if the avocado’s skin wasn’t so flaky, and if I was served with a spoon and a knife, instead of a fork and a knife. Surely I’m not the only person who scoops their avocado with a spoon. Anyway, apologies in advance if that meal continues to be served up as DIY as I got it, because I failed to speak up that morning. Maybe next time.
There’s not a great deal of seating, though remember to check down the back of the café before giving up and getting takeaway– the space down the back is larger than it appears from the front! Also don’t be afraid to share the bench outside with strangers if it’s a nice, sunny day. The coffee is very good here, and I’m sure I’ll up my rating from 3 to 4 stars once I’ve communicated my grievances about the menu.

Good coffee and quality food. Not a huge selection, but what they do have is pretty special. This is not a large place, and my only criticism is it can get a little cramped on occasion.

«That was such a great coffee! One of the best I’ve had all year!» Rather than just thinking it, I make sure I tell the waitress as she places my breakfast in front of me.
I’m usually a poached eggs or fancy pants bircher muesli kind of girl — but I am so taken with the displays of bread at Pigeon Hole that I settle for the simplest thing on the menu: two big slices of toasted sourdough with butter, accompanied by home-​made rhubarb and vanilla jam. Perfection. This is wonderful bread and the care that goes in to the presentation (on a wooden board with a vintage knife) elevates this from «boring menu option» to «beautiful and memorable».
My companion has the baked beans and almost stabs me with his fork when I lean over trying to sample some. Everything here is good — the wonderful coffee, the simple but considered breakfast items, the friendly and efficient service, the cute interior…
I watch people sit out the front in the sunshine, dogs by their feet, newspapers across their laps and I daydream about moving to Tasmania just so I can make this my local.