Best Private Dining Rooms in Melbourne

Ever dined inside a golden orb? For most, the answer is probably a resounding “no”. But you can change that at this modern Asian fine diner and tea bar, which is one of the biggest Melbourne openings of the last few years. The orb snugly seats eight people, but there are more options for private dining depending on the size of your group.

Upstairs at Poodle, the handsome art-deco dining room is equipped with a customisable table that can flex between intimate affairs and 20-person parties. You can bet there’s a dinner and drinks package to suit either mode.

Of Chancery’s three luxe private spaces, the Chandelier Room is the big ticket option – and the most sought after. Up to 12 guests can dine beneath the dazzling 19th-century French namesake, with dedicated waitstaff ferrying those elevated bistro dishes to the table.

The Greenhouse is Etta’s lush, private courtyard out back – and you can book it for up to 14 people. As the name suggests, it’s planted with greenery and is completely weatherproof, which creates an enviable space to share chef Rosheen Kaul’s joyful set menu.

Inspired by a Japanese shoin (“study”) room, Supernormal's private dining space is adorned with contemporary art, and comes equipped with a discrete Bose sound system and a whisky cart for karaoke kick-ons. Big enough for 40 seated guests, or 60 standing.

The upstairs ballroom at this fun Italian spot – with its chequerboard floors, fireplace and views of Gertrude Street – can be booked whole or divided by a heavy curtain for smaller groups. Vince’s Bar on the outdoor patio comes with a private bartender for spritz-loving crews of 20.

Tokyo Tina’s private space, Tokyo Private, is a low-lit den next-door to the restaurant – complete with karaoke, free-flowing booze and a Japanese banquet for up to 24 people. Good times lie within.

This neighbourhood Italian joint has two private dining spaces: one is for larger groups, with a terrazzo-tiled balcony and an old-timey Edwardian fireplace. Then there's the hidden, members-only Rosarno room, with a self-serve drinks cart, record player, card table and movie streaming.

In an iconic southside building, this alluring bistro does old Chinese favourites in new ways – try them at the cocktail bar upstairs in a curvaceous eight-seater booth with views over Carlisle street. Or for groups of 28, the dining room adjacent has you covered.

An incredible, hand-crafted brass table is the centrepiece at Auterra’s soaring upstairs space. It’s complete with a fireplace, colourful artworks and a private bathroom for an extra-exclusive touch. Come here for European drops and elegant snacks with 11 of your favourite people.

When size matters, Andrew McConnell’s exemplary boozer punches well above its weight. The bright and intimate dining room fits 18, with views over Gertrude Street and a menu designed by McConnell himself. You can also curate your own playlist from the in-house vinyl collection.

One of the city’s best wine bars has a 12-seat dining space that’s primed for private, European-influenced diners. There’s also a second, bigger space (The Sunset Room) where you can really dial up the romance at golden hour with a few glasses from the extensive house cellar.

Andrew McConnell’s singular culinary flair is best experienced from the privacy of Gimlet’s intimate, 12-seat Palm Room. Book in for lunch or dinner, then soak up the cinematic grandeur of this modern classic, Martini in hand.

If your shindig calls for the drop-in spirit of a pub with the food of a more polished eatery, Half Acre can partition many of its gorgeous nooks for private dining. And if you’re gunning for size, you can even book the whole venue.

Aru's secluded 12-seat dining room, Banda, is perfect for smaller celebrations. But the adjoining terrace can be booked out for groups of up to 30.

Choose from two private dining rooms: each of them are underneath the main dining room of Scott Pickett's fire and smoke-focused restaurant. Or if you need something larger, you can book out the entire floor, combining both rooms.

Choose from Estelle's Matilda Room (30 guests) or the Harrison Room (20 guests) or combine them for larger functions. The indoor courtyard is also available to hire for a sit-down lunch or dinner, or a standing cocktail function.

For intimate groups of up to 12, the private space inside this exemplary wine bar has you covered. It’s a quiet place to get across the menu of modern Australian dishes, ferried to your table by personal waitstaff.

The private dining rooms at Bottega can accommodate any kind of event, ranging from small gatherings to 60-person soirées. And no matter which space you choose, each has a beautiful view overlooking leafy Bourke Street.

If you’ve got the budget, Society’s 20-seat Green Room is a private dining experience usually reserved for presidents and movie stars. By that, we mean a private chef, kitchen and sommelier pouring drops from the restaurant’s peerless wine cellar. Timber, stone and grandeur abound. There’s even a private entrance so you don’t get papped.

There are three, private, eight-seat dining rooms at Melbourne's best Japanese restaurant. The incredible food is undoubtedly the star here, and the only menu option is a degustation. If that's the kind of private dining experience you're looking for, you won't find better.

This modern Thai restaurant has a moody, private mezzanine space big enough for 36 people. Aptly named The Loft, it overlooks the entire venue – sit up here and enjoy a banquet menu of punchy Thai dishes and cocktails. If you're going all out, you can book the entire upper level, Longsong, for up to 100 guests.

This spot just off St Kilda Beach is one of Melbourne's original Mexican restaurants, and it's still one of its best. Head upstairs to find its bright dining room for up to 20 guests. Enjoy a long lunch or dinner with share-friendly Mexican favourites. Or book the room for a guided chocolate and tequila pairing.

This is one of Melbourne's best Japanese restaurants. It's certainly its most ambitious. There's two intimate dining rooms at lower ground level for intimate kaiseki-style meals and an upstairs 56-seat dining room – Kuro – for more bustling affairs.

This brewery and slick, wine-bar-style restaurant has a surprisingly large dining room hiding upstairs. It's nice and quiet, with high windows that admit gentle afternoon sun. Book in here and you get access to most of the food menu downstairs, plus boundary-pushing beers.

Enter the cyberpunk facade to find Chris Lucas’s two-level Japanese diner. Take your pick from two dining rooms which can accommodate up to 14 or 70 guests. Sip on imported sake, slurp your noodles and call it good manners (it is in Japan), and drink cocktails named after Tokyo’s neighbourhoods.

This well-loved brasserie offers two very French private spaces. Book the classy La Salon Prive (up to 30 seated or 50 standing) inside for candlelit French meals beside a wall of wine. It overlooks the second space, Le Jardin Terrasse (up to 58 seated or 80 standing), where you can feast on dishes inspired by famous French chateaus like Chantilly, Chambord and Versailles.

Feast on celebrity chef Shane Delia’s creative, high-definition Middle Eastern food across four event spaces. The Sultan Room seats up to 18 and is decked out in velvet seating and brass finishes, almost fit for royalty.

The sprawling four-level Saint Hotel has private and semi-private dining rooms to get you away from the din. A private dining area seats up to 16 people and has views onto Fitzroy Street, while a second semi-private area seats up to 10. Settle in for canapés, meats cooked in the Josper grill and cocktails that celebrate native Australian ingredients.

Head to Chin Chin’s upstairs dining hall for executive chef Benjamin Cooper’s uncompromising Thai fare. Choose from two dining areas (up to 50 seated, 60 standing) or book out the entire space to party in private at this Melbourne institution.

This St Kilda fine diner has peerless views out over the bay, which you can also enjoy in the Palm Room – a bright and private space for up to 40 guests. The more intimate Cellar Room seats up to 14 guests around a round table, and lets you glimpse Stokehouse’s wine collection in the neighbouring cellar.

The downstairs sibling to Stokehouse also has private dining in The Bay Room, an up to 40-seat space with deck access and waterfront views. As the name suggests, the easy-breezy menu is centred around pasta.

Find Jayda right next to Maha Restaurant, where you can dine in the semi-private, moody lounge room or book the whole venue and party under the glow of red, orb-like lamps. The former suits up to 30 seated people, while the latter can accommodate up to 120 standing guests.

This cosy Italian diner specialises in serving home-style Sicilian food with generosity and heart. Upstairs, its dining room can seat up to 30 people for your next celebration. The decor is simple, the wine is served in carafes or tumblers and the service is friendly, creating an intimate and welcoming environment.

Working with top-grade produce such as green lip abalone, snow crab and full-blood Wagyu, Crown Casino’s in-house Cantonese restaurant is largely geared towards visiting high rollers. But the luxurious dining room and its sweeping Yarra views are within reach of the average punter, provided they order wisely.

This south-side restaurant nods to Saint Lucia, with earthy hues and large-scale works by a Melbourne collage artist. Stop by for crab linguini and European-inspired cocktails – like Bellinis and “two-sip” Negronis.

Kahaani, which means “story” in Hindi, showcases deep cuts from India’s diverse regional cuisines. Try the refined reshmi kebab, or the family-recipe goat curry that predates Partition.