Don Mario's Ristorante

Don Mario's Ristorante on Macquarie Street is George Town's Italian institution, and it comes with real history: the building opened as Mario's in 1960 under the D'Orazio family and served the Tamar River town for half a century before new owners Rob and Ollie revived it as Don Mario's in 2020. It is now a fully licensed restaurant and coffee lounge doing pizzas, pastas, risottos and grills, with the kind of retro charm you cannot manufacture.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome on lead in the outdoor seating area, with the indoor dining room reserved for registered assistance animals. Staff are accommodating with well-settled dogs, but bring your own collapsible water bowl rather than assume the kitchen has one. Tasmania's weather turns quickly, so the outdoor tables are best on a fine day; if the forecast is doubtful, call (03) 6382 1821 before you set off with the dog.

Worth knowing

The menu stretches from the loaded Mustang pizza to Sicilian chorizo, spinach and gamberi risotto, puttanesca, slow-cooked lamb shanks and seasonal seafood, and the kitchen can handle gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan requests. Trading is Thursday to Sunday, with lunch from 11:30am and dinner from 4:30pm, and weekends opening earlier from 8am for coffee and brunch. Hours shift with the seasons, so check the Facebook page before a special-occasion booking.

Getting there and parking

The restaurant sits at 20 Macquarie Street, George Town, right beside the Bass and Flinders Maritime Museum on the main drag, about 40 minutes' drive north of Launceston. Free unmetered street parking sits directly out front and along the surrounding streets, and if you are staying in central George Town it is an easy walk with the dog on lead.

Close by with the dogs

The George Town Foreshore Walk follows the Tamar River and is ideal for burning off energy before or after lunch, and Bark Park at the sports complex is the local fenced off-lead option. If you are making a weekend of the Tamar, BIG4 Low Head Tourist Park takes pets up the road, and Pilot Station Cafe at Low Head does the next morning's coffee by the lighthouse.

Max: Half a century of spaghetti smells in the walls, apparently. I did my best to add to the record from the outdoor table.

More Tasmanian feeds are on the dog friendly restaurants in Tasmania page, or browse George Town.