Sydney's best private dining rooms 2015

Behind walls, secret doors and bookshelves, up staircases and in cellars, Sydney's private dining nooks are tucked away in some of the city's best restaurants. Discover these hidden gems.

Ananas Bar & Brasserie

Ananas' private dining space, Le Salon, is a little piece of Paris for 44 people that can be elegantly concealed from the main dining room with a swish of silky floor-to-ceiling curtains. Within this cocoon, executive chef Damien Brassel's take on classic French pairs with the restaurant's très grand Champagne list.
18 Argyle Street, The Rocks, 02 9259 5668 ananas.com.au

The Roosevelt

The Roosevelt, once owned by Abe Saffron and visited by Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Sammy Davis Jr, boasts a concealed homage to the venue's underworld-meets-Hollywood history: The Poker Room. Tucked away at the rear of the bar, behind secret doorways, this speakeasy den holds up to 12 guests, and boasts a bottle locker for storing a decanter of fine hooch to go with one of The Roosevelt's three signature banquets: The Bardot ($51pp), The Elvis ($68pp) or The John Wayne (a $97pp 12-course spectacular). Naturally, it's all set up for after-dinner poker.

32 Orwell Street, Potts Point, 02 8096 1787 or 0423 203119 theroosevelt.com.au

Eau de Vie

Lined with private whisky lockers and rare bottles from around the globe, the hidden Whisky Room at Darlinghurst's award-showered cocktail bar can host up to 40 guests for cocktails and complementary bites from the EDV deli.

229 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst, 0423 263 226 (bookings) or 9357 2470 (venue) eaudevie.com.au

The Bellevue Hotel

This Paddington stalwart's recent swanky makeover includes a sexy pair of upstairs private dining rooms with an interconnecting wall. One seats 16, its little sister can hold 10, and when two become one, they can host 32 for a spread from exec chef James Metcalfe: a three-course set menu ($75pp), six-course tasting menu ($80pp) or three-course Le Grande Boeuf ($100pp) which includes a shared whole roasted rib of beef, dry aged for six weeks and slow roasted for four hours.

159 Hargrave Street, Paddington, 02 9363 2293 bellevuehotel.com.au

Saké Restaurant & Bar Double Bay

Cameron Diaz, Benji and Joel Madden and Cold Chisel have all partied discreetly in the private spaces at Sydney's newest Saké. Nakano (seats 24), Hiroo (seats six) and Azabu (seats ten) all have wooden slat doors dividing each room from the main restaurant space while affording glimpses from within of chefs in the open kitchen – as well as a tantalising peep at who's inside when you pass by.

33 Cross Street, Double Bay, 02 8017 3104 sakerestaurant.com.au

Saké Restaurant & Bar, The Rocks

The Bonsai private dining room at Saké in The Rocks seats up to 30 guests in contemporary Japanese style, with a large table and sliding doors for extra privacy, and has become a popular celeb party nook. Angelina Jolie celebrated one of her children's birthdays there and Khloe Khardasian and Ed Sheeran have both hired the space. Saké also has smaller private dining rooms Blossom and Cherry, both for up to eight people. Hugh Jackman recently enjoyed a private dinner in Cherry.

12 Argyle Street, The Rocks, 02 9259 5656 sakerestaurant.com.au

Rockpool Bar & Grill

The art deco treasure of the 1936 City Mutual building is filled with elegant hideaways for private enjoyment of Neil Perry's feted fare.

The Bligh Dining Room, on level one, seats up to 20 guests (or 50 standing) with its own lounge area for pre or post drinks and leafy street views; the Hunter Dining Room, also on level one, seats up to 30 guests (50 standing) and the Boardroom can hold eight. The rooms are all beauties, boasting the building's characteristic dark timber, marble and brass features. For the lucky 20 seated or 40 standing guests in the Mezzanine Dining Room, adjacent to the main restaurant, there's a private staircase and views out to the soaring ceilings and towering marble columns of one of Australia's most stunning restaurant interiors.

66 Hunter Street, CBD, 02 8078 1900 rockpool.com/rockpoolbarandgrillsydney

Rockpool est. 1989

Three-hatted Rockpool est.1989, in another lovely old heritage building, houses its private parties in the cosily sumptuous, 14-seater Private Dining Room at mezzanine level, lined with black leather-upholstered seats made for the country's most eminent VIP bums.

11 Bridge Street, 02 9252 1888 rockpool.com/rockpoolsydney

Café Sydney

The enviable Circular Quay harbour panorama enjoyed by Café Sydney's private room and its slice of terrace has drawn some heavyweight visitors – David Beckham, Elton John, Teri Hatcher and Ashton Kutcher. It seats up to 14 and minimum spends apply depending on the size of your party.

Fifth Floor, Customs House, 31 Alfred Street, Circular Quay, 02 9251 8683 cafesydney.com

Spice Temple

Surround 12 of your friends with beaded curtains, bathe them in sultry lighting and take a trip through regional China on Neil Perry's two-hatted modern Chinese menu. This exotic little opium den of a private room is your spice road to instant popularity.

10 Bligh Street, CBD, 02 8078 1888 rockpool.com

Otto

Otto's home in the heritage Cowper Wharf houses some unique enclaves; a party of six to 14 can dine in the elevated, 10-year-old, timber Wool Lift, a few steps above the main restaurant but completely exclusive and with a dedicated waiter. The ruby-hued upstairs Rosso Room, for 35 seated or 50 standing guests, overlooks the marina below so you can watch the gin palaces sail by while enjoying your own indulgences from exec chef Richard Ptacnik's one-hatted modern Italian menu.

Area 8, 6 Cowper Wharf Road, Woolloomooloo, 02 9368 7488

Pendolino

Head chef and owner Nino Zoccali's passion for olive oils surrounds you in the restaurant's private dining room, which doubles as Pendolino's Olive Oil Library. The walls are lined with Zoccali's remarkable collection as backdrop (and key ingredient) for his regional Italian dishes and artisanal pastas. The space, with moveable walls, can be divided to accommodate groups from four to 56 and has optional soundproof panels to manage the atmosphere. A minimum spend applies.

Shop 100, Level 2, The Strand Arcade, 412-414 George Street, CBD, 02 9231 6117 pendolino.com.au

The Governor's Table

Governor Phillip once hosted his banquets at this site of Australia's first Government house, and you can do the same in The Governor's Room, a private space for 12 with bronze mirrored walls, sheer curtains and grey smoke glass lighting. There's also the16-seat French Oak Governor's Table for banqueting in an alcove of the main restaurant.

Corner Phillip and Bridge Streets, 02 9241 1788 thegovernorstable.com.au

Flying Fish

Wine and water combine perfectly in Flying Fish's rustic wharf location. The harbour is right outside, and within, a stunning two-storey wall of wine flanks The Wine Room, a beautiful private dining space for up to 30 seated guests, including part of the outdoor all-weather terrace. The pastry kitchen also overlooks the space, so you can watch exec chef Stephen Seckold's team at work.

Lower Deck, Jones Bay Wharf, 21 Pirrama Road, 02 9518 6677 flyingfish.com.au

The Gantry Restaurant & Bar

Created during architects Bates Smart's redesign of the Pier One hotel, The Gantry Restaurant & Bar's private dining room draws on the industrial roots of the wharf building, with rich, dark, clubby furniture, brass lighting fixtures, and weathered timber flooring complementing the original exposed pillars and steel framing. The money shot is through the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Sydney Harbour – spectacular at sunset. Up to 12 people can enjoy the views and personalised, produce-driven menus. Minimum spends apply.

11 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay, 02 8298 9910 thegantry.com.au

Bentley Restaurant & Bar

Brent Savage and Nick Hildebrandt have so many awards for their innovative food and wine they could have used their 70-seater private dining room as a trophy cabinet. Fortunately, it remains an opulent haven with interiors by design guru Pascale Gomes-McNabb matching the edgy wow factor of the main restaurant. A private entrance, sound proofing, modern AV and projection system mean you could do serious business here, but it would be criminal not to make it all about the food.

27 O'Connell Street, Sydney, 02 8214 0505 thebentley.com.au

ARIA

ARIA Sydney's long, slender private dining room maximises its up-close harbour views with a wall of windows down one side, so the postcard Harbour Bridge vista jostles for attention with Matt Moran's acclaimed food. Seating up to 60 guests or 120 standing, the room also has an exclusive terrace for drinks.

1 Macquarie Street, East Circular Quay, 02 9240 2255 ariarestaurant.com

Guillaume

After years in the cavernous Bennelong space, Guillaume Brahimi has embraced the old world and intimate in his elegant new Paddington digs. His private dining room, for up to 14 people, is as exquisitely chic as you'd expect from the maître of high French dining: Hermes wallpaper, antique oval mirrors and immaculate white linen.

92 Hargrave Street, Paddington, 02 9302 5222 guillaumes.com.au

The Grounds of Alexandria

Queues are sometimes the downside of this furiously popular café/roastery/bakery/urban farm – but not if you hire The Lock In, added late last year to The Grounds' bar, The Potting Shed. A plain door at the back of the shed leads to a Prohibition-style whiskey den with brick archways, working fireplace and diminutive bar. Up to 20 people seated or 30 standing can hide in here for a shared feasting table or a cocktail and canape party with your own private waiters and bartender.

Building 7A, 2 Huntley St, Alexandria, 02 9699 2225, thegrounds.com.au

Est.

If the ivory textured fabric walls of est.'s private dining room could talk, they'd whisper secrets about the last five prime ministers, who have all spent quality dining time in this 16-seater capsule of indulgence. Antique chandeliers or floor-to-ceiling windows light the space to your liking, and Peter Doyle offers set dinner and lunch menus of his two-hatted contemporary Australian food.

Level 2, Establishment, 252 George Street, 02 9240 2300 merivale.com.au

Mojo

Luke Mangan's Waterloo warehouse wine and tapas bar also houses one of Sydney's coolest and best-concealed dining hidey-holes. Cone of Silence can only be accessed by walking through Mojo's wine cellar, where an unobtrusive door opens onto a funky, blonde timber lined box with graphic tables, canary yellow chairs, pendant lights, a rotating art gallery and room for up to 16 seated guests or 28 standing. A minimum spend of $1200 on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and $1500 Friday and Saturday plus ten percent service charge applies.

8 Danks Street, Waterloo, 02 9002 5346 mojobylukemangan.com

Regatta Restaurant and Bar

Perched at the top of the pier that houses Rose Bay Marina, Regatta enjoys an enviable harbour panorama and water lapping close by. In Blue Room, adjacent to the bar, 45 seated or 65 standing guests can soak up the postcard vista from behind the big windows or out on the verandah. Two ($75) and three ($95) course menus come with four alternatives for each course and include treats such as ocean trout crudo with Yarra trout roe, apple and cucumber gazpacho, and hand rolled garganelli with spring lamb ragu, peas and haloumi.

594 New South Head Road, Rose Bay 02 9327 6561 regattarosebay.com

O Bar Dining

O's Salon Privé is one of the highest dining spots in Sydney and provides your own constantly unfolding, 360 degree view of the city and beyond from 47 floors up. Silver leaf walls applied by hand, glowing wall panels and gold mohair touches provide a sumptuous backdrop to Michael Moore's bespoke menus. Dedicated wait staff will lavish attention on 28 seated or 48 standing guests.

Level 47, Australia Square, 264 George Street, 02 9247 9777 obardining.com.au

Beppi's

Beppi Polese's cellar is worth a visit just to gaze upon the godfather of Australian food's remarkable collection of vintage wines lining the walls. Adjacent to the main cellar area and with their own walls of bottles are The Magnum Room, which seats up to eight, and The Vintage Room, which seats up to 10. These dim-lit shrines to the vine have closeted endless powerbrokers; Kerry Packer was a regular, and Sinatra and Jagger have both visited (small fry to Polese, who once served a drink to Hemingway himself).

21 Yurong Street, East Sydney, 02 9360 4558 beppis.com.au

Buon Ricordo

Armando Percuoco's Paddington stalwart has seen the likes of Cate Blanchett and Billy Joel seek privacy while they dine traditional Neapolitan style. For the most intimate meals, there's a table for up to six in the wine cellar, surrounded by Percuoco's impressive stash of drops, and for 12-40 (one rectangular table) or 40-60 (round tables), the upstairs room, with its glowing copper mirror ceiling, floral seats and bar is a gorgeous escape from public view with old-school attentive service.

108 Boundary Street, Paddington, 02 9360 6729 buonricordo.com.au