Where to Find a Banquet Menu Under $100 for Every Occasion

When it’s time to gather all your friends for the ultimate chinwag, Fancy Hank’s is one of Melbourne’s top destinations. Specialising in slow-cooked American barbecue, it makes the most of high-quality Gippsland meat, smoking it for up to 22 hours. If you want to sample all of the Fancy Hank’s greatness, its three increasingly awesome two-course banquet menus are tough to beat. The Pitmaster menu ($59 per person) kicks off with Louisiana boudin, barbecued wings and devilled eggs before you receive the main course of 14-hour smoked Rangers Valley brisket and 12-hour smoked Tasmanian pulled pork. The Meatmaster menu ($69 per person) piles on smoked sausage links and extra snacks, while the headline Ribmaster menu ($99 per person) adds a huge serving of smoky ribs and even more sides to enjoy.

Melbourne is home to a few top-notch Mexican joints, but Mamasita is super popular for a reason. If you’re ringing in another trip around the sun, booking in for a banquet here is a good choice as the feast simply goes on and on. For $49 per person, Mamasita’s basic Feed Me banquet starts with classics such as chargrilled corn and pork cochinita tacos before a shared family-style main and a light dessert to finish. The Staff Favourites menu ($65 per person) takes things up a level, adding chicken tinga tostaditas and ceviche of lime-cured market fish, while the Celebration menu offers fried fish tacos and a host of other Mexican favourites, including mezcal margaritas and Portuguese sweet wine, for $78 per person. If all that still isn’t enough, consider adding the paired cocktail menu ($50 each) or the premium mezcal set ($75 each) to liven up the party.

For a family dinner that’s classy without going overboard, Jamu is the way to go. Situated just off Bridge Road — and around the corner from its much-loved sister cafe A Thousand Blessings — Jamu produces incredible Malaysian-inspired dishes with an Australian twist. Start with kingfish ceviche, cheeseburger spring rolls and a tasty selection of bao and dumplings, then move onto larger sharing options like pork hock with tamarind caramel sauce and Thai sweet and sour charred octopus. The Feed Me banquet is available for a reasonable $58 per person and takes a journey through the chef’s favourite dishes.

So, you’ve smashed through all those KPIs — and, now, you and the team are looking for a way to celebrate. The best reward for hard work comes in the form of a visit to legendary pizzeria 400 Gradi for bottomless margherita pizza and drinks. We’ve crunched the numbers and figured out that it’s not hard to get outstanding value from this deal — for two hours, you can consume all the pizza, wine and beer you can manage for just $45 each. If you’re after something a little stronger, a bunch of cocktails — including Aperol spritzes — are also included in the price.

Founded by influential Melbourne-born chef Ashley Davis, Copper Pot Seddon is the culmination of all the delicious food he uncovered in Michelin-starred kitchens across Europe. Seeking to capture the absolute best cuisine from across the continent, this gastronomic adventure is your chance to sit down for a fancy meal that won’t break the bank but will have you and your loved one wistfully reminiscing that amazing European trip — or planning one for the near future. Once a month, that European-style feast can be in the form of a classic Sunday roast. For $50 per person, the restaurant dishes up a hearty four-course lunch with a particular protein theme — this month, it’s beef and, in August, it’ll be venison. Lunch may not immediately scream ‘romance’, but add a bottle of red and the cosy atmosphere of Copper Pott Seddon’s dining room, and you’re onto a winner.