Melbourne's best restaurants for group bookings

The frenetic service at Jim’s is part of its charm, as is the absence of a menu. Just like dinner at Yia Yias, you'll get what you're served – and you certainly won't be disappointed. The menu is meat-heavy, so vegetarians beware – though the saganaki alone is worth the trip. Without much pricing guidance, prepare to pay around $50 and up for the banquet, with à la carte dishes ranging from $10 for entrees to $30 for meat mains. Oh, and it's BYO, which is handy for large groups.

Housed inside an early 1900’s textile factory named ‘Panama House’, the huge floor-to-ceiling arch windows of this Fitzroy restaurant provide signature views over the heart of Smith Street. The menu is described as "journeys across countries in a way that is uniquely Australian", with an eclectic mix of dishes like duck liver parfait, lamb shoulder with pine nut gremolata and pavlova of the day. Large groups can dine on the 'let us feed you' menu dubbed the 'Fitzroy feast' – and at $69 per person, we can assure you no one will go home hungry.

When young Abla Amad came to Melbourne in 1954 she brought the love of cooking developed while watching her mother in their north Lebanese village. Later, she sharpened her culinary skills with the Lebanese women who would meet in each other’s kitchens to exchange recipes. Abla loved feeding people so much that meal-making for her family turned into hosting Sunday feasts for the community – and then came the restaurant. You can book for up to 20 people at this Carlton institution and a hearty, delicious feed is guaranteed.

Newcomer Young Hearts is on a mission to bring together the food, drink, music and art synonymous with Melbourne’s culture. Bi-annual kitchen residencies hosted by household names and rising culinary stars keep the menu fresh and exciting, while natural and local wines are the focus of the drinks list. The space caters for walk-ins, group bookings and private events and functions, including entire venue takeovers.

Paying homage to the gypsy travellers of Europe, L’Hotel Gitan serves seasonal and modern French food. Lying just to the side of the main dining room is the Copper Suite, featuring a handpicked custom redwood dining table sourced directly by the Reymond family from Moama. With copper accents and the mesh wine cupboard separating you from the main dining room, this private dining room can be booked for groups of up to 12.

No, Grossi Florentino isn’t luxe for less, but it is one of the best Italian restaurants in the city and as one of Melbourne’s last bastions of lavish European dining charm, it's the perfect venue for a special occasion. Book the private dining room for up to eight people, or the Wynn room for up to 30. The price of entry is $175 for three courses, $205 for four courses or $210 for the 'gran tour' of six.

Our 2021 Revive Award winner Teta Mona is a boho-chic all-day restaurant serving simple, delicious Lebanese with plenty of wins for vegans and very little fuss. It's BYO with furniture that looks like a cross between the share house of an anthropology enthusiast and a stall at the Dandenong markets. Book for up to 12 in the dining room, or for up to 22 in the courtyard. 

The folks at Commune Group, responsible for fellow Southside gems Firebird, Hanoi Hannah and Tokyo Tina, have added to their collection yet another ambitious project: a two-level Italian dining and drinking space alluringly christened Studio Amaro.The multi-purpose venue isn't just another place to wine and dine, with a generous focus on music and DJ residencies. Think disco, funk and plenty of Euro nostalgia. On the food and drink front, expect no-nonsense aperitivo drops, a sharp selection of wines and beer, and classic Italian staples designed for sharing. 

Brunswick Street may be ground zero for cocktails in Fitzroy, but lurking in the back streets is one of Melbourne’s finest establishments for getting in your cups on sunny days, freezing nights and boring Mondays. This comfy, unpretentious pub serves great food and takes bookings of up to 20.

Gilson is a seasonal neighbourhood eatery that’s all about sharing good food and good times. Privato, Gilson's private dining suite, seats groups of up to 30 people. Guests can choose from a set menu of $79, $95 or $125 per person, featuring pizzas, antipasti, pasta and more – with a focus on locally grown ingredients.

'Eating house' doesn't quite cut it. ‘All-day diner’ falls worryingly short. In fact, when trying to sum up the place Cumulus Inc plays in Melbourne’s hungry heart, ‘favourite clubhouse’ comes as close as any description. And maybe that’s the thing about our winner of the 2018 Legend Award. Cumulus Inc is so many different things to so many different people. For city office workers, it’s the perfect show-off gaff for breakfast meetings with out-of-towners (bonus points for feigned nonchalance in the face of its boast-worthy fabulousness). If you're in a large group, all we advise you do is simply book ahead.

Chapel Street has recently been graced with the open doors of gorgeous sky-high newcomer Beverly Rooftop. Sitting high above the Goldfields House development in South Yarra, the swanky drinking and dining space offers unmatched 270-degree views of Melbourne. With a focus on fresh ethically sourced produce and contemporary techniques, the modern Australian menu nods to Southern Californian influences.  Whether you're making a booking for a birthday lunch or a team celebration, Beverly sets the scene for a memorable multi-sensory experience.

Goldy's Tavern is the Benjamin Button of pubs. At over 150 years old, it should be creaking towards retirement. Instead, it’s cooler than ever. Once the haunt of Chopper Read back when it was known as Leinster Arms Hotel, it now acts as a little oasis from the chaos in Fitzroy’s backstreets. There’s room for big groups, small intimate dates, catch-ups with mates, after-work drinks, games of pool, a break from the kids, a break with the kids, a nice solo meal taking in the ever-changing mosaic of Fitzroy's most interesting characters, a nice sit-down dinner, a Sunday roast that rescues you from the depths of your hangover, a big family birthday… you get the point.

A two-storey site that previously housed sweat-covered patrons on the dancefloor of Hugs and Kisses Club has since transformed into a karaoke joint that has retained the glow of neon lights. Inspired by Hong Kong and the many karaoke bars that fill it, Yum Sing House is a hybrid of karaoke and modern Cantonese food in Melbourne’s CBD. Headed by the team behind Tang Australia (the same folks behind CBD bars Ms Collins, Bond Melbourne and Scarlett Saturdays), the venue has a restaurant on the first floor and five karaoke rooms plus a bar upstairs. Each room is themed around neighbourhoods and nightlife spots in Hong Kong. Step into the Mongkok room if you have a small group of seven or fewer; Wan Chai, Kowloon or Central rooms for eight to 15; or Happy Valley for 15-25. Each has comfy sofas, top-of-the-line audio gear and visuals that will make you feel like you're in Hong Kong.

You don’t give your fancy new restaurant a marquee name like Society without raising expectations. Accessorised with a top-end city location at the so-schmancy-it-hurts 80 Collins development, Chris Lucas’ darling is a bold assertion for the ye olde verities of occasion dining. We love the huge circular banquette seating for big groups – it's intimate but feels open in the spacious, high-ceilinged restaurant at the same time.