Coal River Farm

Coal River Farm brings together handmade Tasmanian chocolate, artisan cheese, farm produce and a restaurant experience. For this Launceston listing, it is worth noting that the venue’s own website identifies the restaurant as being in Cambridge, Tasmania. The farm visit is built around seeing cheese, chocolate and produce being made, followed by something to eat in the restaurant or a browse through the shop’s chocolate, cheese, hampers, pantry goods and gift options.

Chocolate is a major draw, with seasonal creations made from chocolate sourced from around the world. The farm’s Leatherwood Honeycomb is one of its best-known products, available coated in milk or dark chocolate or left plain. The restaurant also puts its own produce and cheese at the centre of the menu, with a seasonally changing modern Australian offering based on locally grown and sourced ingredients.

The standout experience is High Cheese, available daily and designed as a generous tasting of the farm’s cheeses and chocolates with a drink. It includes four cheeses, fruit paste, fruit, nuts, crisp breads and hand-cut chocolates, while the cheese boards offer a smaller way to sample the range. Other menu options include baked and cooked cheese dishes, salads, breakfast plates, pasta, meat and seafood, followed by desserts such as pavlova, chocolate pudding and baked cheesecake. Real hot chocolates and Tasmanian drinks are also part of the restaurant offering.

Coal River Farm is a family-run business founded by Daniel and Melanie Leesong, whose interest in Tasmania’s produce grew from a small attempt at knitting and vegetable growing into a larger farm enterprise. Their five children are part of the story and may be seen around the farm, giving the place a distinctly family-oriented character. The mix of tastings, chocolate and cheese shopping, a children’s menu and group-friendly sharing options makes it suitable for families and groups, while High Cheese and the farm-made products give couples or visitors looking for a relaxed food stop a clear reason to visit.