Located across from Princes Square, Small Grain's first fixed address has replaced the previous VegOut location next to the Buddha Cafe and Restaurant. After building the eatery's status up to a much-loved Harvest Market mainstay, husband and wife operators Hedeh and Lydia Nakano said they were ready for the next step.

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"This has been a dream of Hedeh's for a long time," Mrs Nakano said.

The couple first met in Japan, while Lydia was teaching English and after marrying there they moved back to Tasmania in 2011, where Mr Nakano set up a stall specialising in Japanese cuisine.

After taking an extended break from that first venture around 2015, the couple decided to establish a new eatery that allowed them more freedom. Named after the style of sushi rice common in Japanese cuisine, Small Grain first started serving customers in 2017.

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"Small Grain offered us the opportunity to do more fusion food - something totally different," she said.

Five years, a food van and hundreds of Harvest Market okonomiyaki later, Mrs Nakano appeared excited to explore what the couple's first brick-and-mortar location could offer.

"It's been a good first couple months but it's also been a real learning curve for us," she said.

Initially opening in March for lunch service on Wednesdays through Fridays, Small Grain's Charles Street location has just expanded its opening hours to include a later 5pm to 8pm slot for those craving a Japanese-inspired dinner.

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With the aid of a permanent location, Small Grain has also expanded the menu to include small bites like dumplings and karaage chicken, as well as filled rolls with fillings such as beef and Kimchi or eggplant and haloumi.

Looking around Princes Square, it seems Small Grain is joining good company, with Charles Street already a favourite eatery destination for Launceston food-lovers - covering a sweep of cuisines and budgets amongst its ranks. And Mrs Nakano believes that trend could be set to continue, following Launceston's recent UNESCO listing as a City of Gastronomy.

"I think after the UNESCO win we could see a new emphasis on food," she said.

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