Committee Room Restaurant at the MCG: Melbourne’s finest lunchtime view
A three-course lunch overlooking the hallowed turf, with a birthday to celebrate and a whole day at the ‘G to make of it.
My dad’s birthday landed on a weekday this year, so we did something we’d talked about for a while: a morning at the MCG, followed by lunch at the Committee Room Restaurant, looking straight out over the ground. We enjoyed the MCG guided tour, then sat down for lunch with a cocktail each and a three-course set menu matched with French wine, before finishing the day with a wander through the Australian Sports Museum. This was a decadent, memorable day that doesn’t need an excuse, but a birthday worked just fine.
If you’re planning your own day at the ‘G, our MCG Tour review covers the tour side of things in more detail.
About the MCG Committee Room Restaurant
The Committee Room Restaurant sits on Level 2 of the MCC Members’ Reserve, with tables angled towards the ground and floor-to-ceiling windows offering magnificent views.
Open to the public for lunch on weekdays, no membership is required, and the menu draws on European lunch club traditions: familiar dishes done properly, with a French-leaning wine list to match.
It’s a sit-down, three-course affair rather than a quick bite, and the room has the feel of an old-fashioned dining club rather than a stadium café.
Tips for your visit
- Book ahead. This isn’t a walk-in restaurant, and weekday lunches fill with members and their guests.
- The set menu is good value for the occasion. The cost of $95 per head for three courses, not including drinks, we felt was fair given the setting and the standard of the food.
- The à la carte menu suits a smaller appetite. If three courses feels like too much, you can order individually and still enjoy the room.
- Make a day of it. We highly recommend the MCG tour and a visit to the Australian Sports Museum. Doing the tour first works well, as you arrive at lunch already having earned your appetite. There is a special tour & lunch package (see below).
- Dress smartly. A neat dress code applies in the Members’ Reserve, so leave the joggers and shorts at home.
- Dietary needs are well looked after. We had a gluten-free requirement in our group and the kitchen couldn’t have been more accommodating, almost every dish on the menu could be adapted. The gluten-free sourdough bread was some of the best we’ve had.
Chris’ review
I’d only been to the Melbourne Cricket Ground once in my 77 years, but this week my daughter shouted me a guided tour. What an eye-opening experience.
The MCG is not just a playing field and spectator seating for around 100,000. Even on a non-playing day, the level of behind-the-scenes industry is fair dinkum unbelievable. Our tour guide led us through an amazing labyrinth of sporting facilities and history, in what felt like another suburb, circumnavigating underneath the four levels of seats.
The highlight of my day was lunch at the Committee Room Restaurant. What a setting, right next to the famous Long Room, overlooking the hallowed turf, with sporting history and heritage giving a unique energy to the surroundings, and a huge glass window inviting spectacularly calming views of the lush green oval. The ambience was further enhanced by a satisfying menu showcasing premium, time-honoured recipes with a modern twist.
We opted for the three-course set menu, and I was delighted with an entrée of citrus-cured Western Port kingfish, a melt-in-your-mouth beef tenderloin main and apple pie for dessert, all accompanied by delicious sides and selections from the wine, cocktail and drinks menu. The service was superb.
Touring the MCG was a fantastic experience for me, and it couldn’t have finished better than with lunch at the Committee Room Restaurant.
The MCG Tour and lunch package
You can book the tour and the meal together from $133 per person. The one-hour guided tour departs at 11 am and takes you behind-the-scenes, including to the players’ change rooms and out onto the boundary line, before lunch at approximately 12 pm, with a three-course set menu included. Drinks are an additional charge, which works well as the drink selection is so varied.
It runs Monday to Friday, the same neat dress code applies, and bookings are essential. Full details and bookings are on the MCG’s Committee Room Restaurant and Tour Package page here.
Special event nights
Beyond the regular weekday lunch service, the Committee Room Restaurant also runs themed evenings through the year, pairing a curated menu with live entertainment.
They’re worth keeping an eye on if you fancy something a little more occasion-driven than a weekday lunch. Recent and upcoming examples have included:
- Opera Night, a four-course menu accompanied by a live opera singer and pianist.
- Duck & Pinot Night, three courses each matched to a premium Pinot selection.
New theme nights are added throughout the year, so check directly with the restaurant closer to the date if you’re after something specific.
A bit of history
The Committee Room sits within the MCC Members’ Reserve, on Level 2 next to the Long Room, in a part of the ground steeped in cricket history. For most of its life, it was a members-only space, used for functions and quieter match-day dining away from the crowds in the outer stands.
In more recent years, the room has opened its doors to the public for weekday lunches, a shift that means anyone can now book a table looking out over the ground that has hosted Test cricket, VFL and AFL grand finals, and the 1956 Olympic Games, without needing an MCC membership.
The menu style, drawing on the long lunch traditions of European dining clubs, is a deliberate contrast to the fast pace of a match-day crowd. It’s designed for lingering over three courses on a quiet weekday, which is exactly what makes it work so well for a lunch like ours.
Accessibility
- Access to the Members’ Reserve on non-match days is via Gate 2.
- Lift access is available to all levels of the Members’ Reserve, including Level 2, where the Committee Room is located.
- Accessible toilets are located on Level 2, behind seating bay N42 (near the stairwell at the back of the stadium) and behind N46 (near the lifts).
- Members and guests requiring accessible seating or facilities can contact the venue in advance to arrange this, including any companion card requirements.
- If you’re visiting for lunch rather than a match, call ahead to confirm the easiest route in and to flag any accessibility needs, so staff can have things ready when you arrive.
Getting there
- Public transport: Jolimont Station is the closest, a flat five-minute walk through Yarra Park to Gate 2. Trams 48 and 75 stop nearby at Jolimont Station/MCG. Richmond Station is a further walk, and involves crossing Punt Road and a gentle uphill stretch through Yarra Park.
- Driving: Car parking is available underneath the stadium for Committee Room Restaurant guests. This must be requested upon booking, and is subject to availability. This entry route is accessibility friendly with lift access.
- Drop-off zone: Taxis and rideshares can drop off at the turning circle on the corner of Jolimont Terrace and Jolimont Street, a short, flat walk to Gate 2.
Committee Room Restaurant Gate 2, Level 2, Members’ Reserve, MCG, Brunton Avenue, Yarra Park, Jolimont VIC 3002
For bookings and dining enquiries, please contact MCG Hospitality on (03) 9657 8877.
This article was published in collaboration with the MCC. We were hosted as guests for lunch. All opinions are the writers’ own.
Heading off on your own Melbourne adventures? Join our Facebook Group and share your stories, ask questions and connect with others for further inspiration.
