Nine Melbourne Bars and Restaurants You Can Hire Out for a Private Party with 19 Mates

After a couple of months spent cooped up at home dabbling in some serious alone time, it's safe to say most of us are itching to get back out there and into some semblance of normal life. And sitting down to a feed at an actual restaurant with your mates? That's surely right near the top of the hit-list.

Happily, under Victoria's newly eased restrictions (which came into effect at midnight on May 31), cafes, restaurants, pubs and clubs are allowed to reopen for dine-in service, to a maximum of 20 seated customers per enclosed space. Of course, there are a few rules to follow — guests are required to order a 'meal' alongside any booze and will need to leave their contact details for tracing purposes.

But in short, dining out is back on the menu. And, if you really want to kick things back off with a bang, you'll even find some venues offering themselves up for exclusive hire. Yep, we've scouted out nine Melbourne spots you can snap up for a private 20-person food party, to welcome yourselves back into society in style. But you'd best book quick — reservations are filling up fast.

While the following venues are allowing bookings of 20 customers, there's still a maximum of six diners per table and a requirement to keep 1.5 metres of space between tables, in line with the government's restrictions. If all goes to plan, the government hopes to increase the dine-in customer limit to 50 per enclosed space, from 11.59pm on June 21. Most venues' booking options will likely change then.

RICE PAPER SCISSORS, FITZROY

The masters of share-friendly, modern Southeast Asian eats are back, as Rice Paper Scissors flings open the doors this week. And, if you've got 19 hungry mates, the long-running Brunswick Street restaurant can be yours to book out for a private feast. Rice Paper Scissors' shared feed menus are famously good value, at just $32 per person for lunch or $37 at dinner. And as always, there's a swag of options to tempt both vegans and their carnivore counterparts. Settle in for dishes like sticky whisky-marinated barbecue lamb ribs, coconut snapper ceviche and a plant-based Burmese tea leaf salad, matched to Asian-inspired sips like the Pandan Colada.

Bookings: online.

Jean-Louis Carvalho

BODEGA UNDERGROUND, CBD

If you've been nursing a craving for Bodega Underground's tacos and impressive mezcal selection, then here's some cracking good news — the subterranean CBD taqueria is finally welcoming dine-ins once more. Even better, you can book out the whole venue for a private, 20-person Mexican fiesta. A sumptuous feed-me menu clocks in at $50 a head, running to dishes like slow-cooked lamb riblets teamed with poblano chilli, roasted cauliflower with salsa verde, and tacos loaded with black beans, pickled jalapeño and vegetable chips. As always, vegan mates are well looked after and the bar is slinging a slew of punchy tequila cocktails, with a range of different drink packages on offer.

Bookings: online.

Nicholas Wilkins

AMARILLO, FITZROY

Neighbourhood bar Amarillo made its much-anticipated return on June 3, and is back slinging interesting wines and an inviting menu of rustic Mediterranean fare from Wednesday through Sunday. And, if you'd like the place all to yourself, you can book for a group of 20, spread across different tables throughout the venue's two rooms. The kitchen's even unveiled a brand-new menu to get acquainted with, featuring elegant plates like octopus teamed with chickpeas and melted tomatoes, a salt cod and potato galette, and clams matched with white beans and sherry. If you've visited before, you'll know signature cocktails like the Momoko Spritz and the mezcal-infused Smokey Negroni are well worth a look-in, too.

Bookings: online.

FEAST OF MERIT, RICHMOND

If you've ever wanted to take over that secluded rooftop at Feast of Merit, there's never been a better time than now. Not only is the plant-filled, Middle Eastern-inspired diner welcoming back guests, but its rooftop space is available to book exclusively for two-hour sittings, if you've got a group of 20. Make yourselves at home among the ferns and fairy lights to enjoy free rein of the full a la carte menu, starring dishes like creamy hummus dressed with pumpkin seeds and capers, roast harissa potatoes, and the share-friendly slow-roasted lamb shoulder. To match, there's a stack of Aussie brews, a local-leaning wine list and plenty of celebratory house cocktails.

Bookings: online.

DAVID'S, PRAHRAN

Like the sound of a private yum cha party at one of Melbourne's most celebrated Shanghainese eateries? Well, this month, you're in luck. Long-running Prahran restaurant David's is offering up its entire space for group bookings of 20, with 90-minute sittings available from Wednesday to Sunday. There are even three differently themed yum cha feasting menus to choose from — Wednesday's vegan lineup, a roster of spicy dishes on Thursdays and a classic yum cha selection the rest of the week. Grab the chopsticks and get stuck into the likes of szechuan chicken ribs, plump pork buns, ginger prawn dumplings and a spicy veggie san choi bao, for only $45–50 a head.

Bookings: online.

Tim Ross

HALF ACRE, SOUTH MELBOURNE

An architectural gem in the backstreets of South Melbourne, Half Acre is an idyllic setting for that post-lockdown party you've been craving. And right now, you can book out the venue's bar and eatery exclusively, for groups of up to 20 diners from Tuesday through Thursday. There's a variety of seasonal food and drink packages to choose from, though you can rest assured no one's walking out of this shindig hungry. Get your guests amped for produce-driven plates like wood-roasted lamb with labneh and burnt eggplant, and grilled cabbage with chimichurri and torched goat's cheese. And of course, the fan favourite za'atar bread, fired over wood and paired with smoked butter. Minimum spends may apply — shoot them an email to enquire.

Bookings: email [email protected].

Julia Sansone

TIPICO, WINDSOR

You can now book out Windsor favourite Tipico for your own pasta party. As always, Tipico's kitchen is showing off its flair for modern European eats, with plenty of house-made pasta dishes primed for a winter feasting session with friends. Gather your favourites to devour plates like braised ox cheek pappardelle, rich duck and thyme gnocchi, and a veal cotoletta with house-made giardiniera. Or, save the decision-making and opt for the $60 per person feed-me menu. And don't forget, there's loads of top-notch Italian vino to round out your night.

Bookings: online.

Peter Tarasiuk

MRS SINGH, CBD

Jessi Singh's Indian-accented wine bar was still in its infancy when lockdown took effect. But the playful Mrs Singh is making up for lost time, back in action and serving dine-in customers seven days a week. If you've got a crew of 20, the space can be yours to book out entirely for a private feasting party, celebrating a menu packed with creative, modern dishes. Get excited for the likes of vindaloo momos, duck paratha pancakes, a smoked lamb curry and house-made breads — including the cult favourite blue cheese naan with caramelised onion. And you can pair those spices with a crisp craft brew, or one of four house gin and tonics.

Bookings: online.

AGOSTINO CELLAR BAR, CARLTON

Keen to class things up a bit post-lockdown? Housed within Carlton's iconic King & Godfree building, Agostino has finally reopened the doors to its chic bluestone cellar. And the intimate space is available to book out in its entirety for a swanky subterranean soiree, Thursday through Sunday. The Italian-style wine bar promises a fitting backdrop for your reentry into social life, with a newly minted share-style set menu to match. Clocking in at $75 a head, it might star dishes like house-made cherry tomato and pesto focaccia; a vodka, tomato and chilli paccheri pasta; or a classic veal ossobucco with gremolada. Meanwhile, the wine list is packed with plenty of goodies of its own.

Bookings: online.

Top image: Half Acre by Tim Ross.