Phat Fish – contemporary, timeless, quintessentially Tasmanian.

The interior exposes the original sandstone walls and is filled with the beautiful warmth of Tasmanian Blackwood timber. The Blackwood table tops, bar, and seating booths offset the industrial-looking polished concrete floors and feature tiles to perfection. The combination is contemporary but timeless. It is the ideal combination for fashionable but historic Salamanca Place.

“Wood is warm and contrasts with the hard surfaces. We didn’t want the venue to feel too sterile and industrial,” said Owner and carpenter James Jubb.

“There is a level of luxury to timber. We chose Blackwood because it is a mid-colour that contrasts well with the sandstone walls and being a hardwood, is durable, which is important in a busy pub.”

The Blackwood joinery was grain filled and finished with a two-pac clear spray.

“We wanted to use a Tasmanian species because it fits our brand – we want to be as Tasmanian as possible, and our customers expect us to be,” he said.

For the outside breeze barriers, they needed an externally rated timber. They selected Spotted Gum, which looks somewhat similar to Blackwood. The combination created continuity between the inside and outside spaces.

James, along with his three siblings, Robert, Emily, and Kevin co-owns the bar with two other partners – Tyler Petersen, who is the Venue Manager, and Australian Cricketer James Faulkner.

The Jubb family have a long history in the business. They own Customs House at Sullivan’s Cove (a favourite with Sydney to Hobart yachtsman), which was also fitted with a new Blackwood bar last year.

It was important to the owners of Phat Fish that the timber was produced sustainably, safely, and to the highest quality.

“In Tasmania, we know that there are sustainability measures in place that ensure the timber extracted is environmentally friendly. We’re world leaders in the way we do it,” said James, who learned about the industry when he was training to be a carpenter.

Venue Manager, Tyler Petersen, said that they wanted every aspect of the venue to be high quality and as Tasmanian as possible.

“Tasmania has a great brand – the food, the beer, the timber. We’ve worked hard to carry it through every aspect of the offering, which we have hand-picked for quality at every decision point.

“We offer amazing Tasmanian seafood and created a drinks list to match. We cater to everyone, but we stock high-end Tasmanian drinks like craft beer and whiskey as well.”

Phat Fish is open seven days. The kitchen is serving from 11.30am – 10 pm daily. Friday night’s there is a DJ, and while the bar is busy, they’re open until around 2 am.