Six Luxe Private Rooms Around Australia for Your Next Baller Night Out
Why book a table when you can book a whole room?
Six Luxe Private Rooms Around Australia for Your Next Baller Night Out
In partnership with
Why book a table when you can book a whole room?
More so than any other in recent memory, this summer is going to be all about socialising. And, whether you've got a special occasion to celebrate or looking for places to have those overdue catch-ups, you can't beat a private dining room if you want to go all out.
We've teamed up with Hennessy to highlight six impressive private rooms in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane for your next baller night (or day) out. Round up your crew, get the Henny flowing and your night is set.
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Sydney hospo juggernaut Merivale knows a thing or two about creating venues that are places to see and at which to be seen. And for over a decade, Mr Wong has been one such destination, thanks to its classic Cantonese fare, plush 1930s Shanghai-inspired surrounds and constantly buzzy atmosphere.
Guests are seated over two levels – on the upper level if they’re walk-ins or on the lower level if they’ve booked in advance. But if you’re looking to go all-out, you’ll want to book a spot at one of the two semi-private spaces.
One space sees you perched on a Juliet-style balcony overlooking the main dining room, while another is fronted by a beaded curtain and features a round table that comfortably seats 12. This latter option features walls adorned with goods that might be found in a traditional Chinese dry pantry, and is also slightly raised above the main room, offering an ideal vantage point.
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Looking to the past often helps shape the future, and the guys behind 1889 Enoteca have renovated the fit-out to best show off the old Moreton Rubber building in Brisbane’s burgeoning Woolloongabba. Like stepping into the heart of old-time Europe, Enoteca offers traditional Roman fare with an impressive interior to match — think raw bricks, long-lost stained glass windows, and the original wooden floorboards.
Here, there is passion behind the food, and even more so behind the wine. ‘Enoteca’ translates to ‘wine library’, and wine can be seen everywhere — from the hundreds of empty bottles making up the decor to the full ones ready for drinking. Wine also takes centre stage in the restaurant’s private dining space. Available for groups of up to 40 people, the basement cellar is a beautifully restored room that features exposed brickwork and beams, and has walls adorned with wine bottles, naturally. Bursting with charm, this distinctly atmospheric room is perfect for gatherings large and small.
Image: Nikki To
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A recent venture from renowned chef Scott Pickett (Estelle, Lupo), Chancery Lane has taken over the historic Normanby Chambers site at 430 Little Collins Street — and it has done so in style. The space is now kitted out with dimly lit dining zones, curved banquettes and arched windows framed in dapper black steel.
Food-wise, you can expect Euro-accented bistro fare that’s at once timeless and unafraid of modern technique. This is complemented by a grand, globe-trotting wine cellar, including a pick of top-shelf wines displayed artfully in a former safe within one of the dining room walls.
The expansive restaurant also features a number of spaces for private entertaining. The 18-seat Archways Room can be booked with an adjoining private atrium for pre-dinner drinks, or even as an extension of the room. In the semi-private Cellar Room, which seats 12 and adjoins the Archway Room (the two rooms can also be combined to create a bigger space), you’ll be enclosed behind a plush velvet curtain on one side and an imposing floor-to-ceiling wine rack on the other. The room comes with its own dedicated wait staff, too.
The most in-demand room though? That’d be the ten-seat Chandelier Room, in which dedicated wait staff cater to your every need. Plus, the room features a large-scale artwork and a spectacular 19th-century French chandelier.
Image: Tania Bahr Vollrath
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Sydney’s Potts Point has seen many restaurants and bars come and go in its time, with upscale eateries now moving into sites previously home to the dives of the Cross’s colourful yesteryear. And one of those elegant spots is Franca Brasserie, located on Macleay Street.
With its name derived from lingua franca — a common language adopted by those whose native languages are different and historically a mix of Italian, French, Greek, Arabic and Spanish — Franca takes cues from all corners of the Mediterranean, though it leans heavily on France. Naturally, wine is a big feature on the menu, but rest assured the cocktails are taken just as seriously, too.
The space exudes classic brasserie vibes — think spacious green leather booths, red velvet chairs, an open wine cellar and lots of marble detail. It also houses two private spaces: an elevated, semi-private table for up to 16 and a ten-person chef’s table that’s bordered by glass panels that look out into the dining room on one side and the wine cellar on the other. It’s impressive stuff, and an ideal destination for a night when you really want to impress the crew.
Image: Jennifer Soo
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The sandstone building on the corner of Brisbane’s George and Elizabeth streets has been home to many things over the years, including Queensland’s first radio station, government departments, offices, cafes and a bank. Now, it’s the site of one of Brisbane’s most talked-about bars — the excellently named Boom Boom Room.
Head down to the basement of the heritage-listed art deco building to find the cavernous izakaya, which can accommodate 250 people in its decadent bunker-like surroundings decked out with old-school furniture and lighting. Complementing its menu of Japanese dishes is an extensive drinks selection, including a very approachable sake list complete with an explainer.
If you’re feeling extra, the space also includes two private rooms in the 1920s bank vaults — these even have the original bank vault doors — that seat up to 18 people, or can be combined to accommodate up to 30. To really go all out, book a spot in the Trumpet Room. Centred around a glittering Timothy Oulton Rex table illuminated by an equally extravagant chandelier above and offset by accents of deep red and navy, this room is an instant party-starter if ever there was one.
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Flower Drum is the stuff of Melbourne legend. Since 1975, the Market Lane institution has been at the forefront of the city’s Asian dining scene, and, over its years, has seen a veritable who’s who of Melbourne personalities take a seat in its opulent-yet-understated dining room. As such, this bona fide Melbourne celebrity has long been a byword for a special occasion or a classy night out in the city.
The interior reflects the restaurant’s notoriety: lush ruby carpet, delicate wood carving in every corner, and attentive, smartly dressed waiters who offer intuitive and attentive service.
As befitting a restaurant of its status, Flower Drum is home to two private spaces, both of which are exemplars of the venue’s ethos of top-grade service and classic Chinese-style banquet dining. The ten- to 20-person private room can accommodate up to two round tables or a single long oval table, while the larger room can fit between 20 and 50 patrons. Both rooms are tastefully adorned with traditional Chinese artwork and decor and serve as a reminder that sometimes, less is absolutely more.
Image: Colin Leong (Flickr)
Level up this summer with Hennessy. Hennessy V.S brings elegance and complexity to any mix while showcasing its versatile appeal. Whether it’s an Espresso Martini, an Old Fashioned or the game-changing mix Hennessy x Ginger, Hennessy allows you to step it up this summer.
Top image: Boom Boom Room
