Your people.
Your milestone.
On the water.
Life’s big moments deserve a room worth the occasion — not a bland private dining room with carpet and a lectern.
Birthdays, anniversaries, engagements, farewells, reunions, wakes — if it’s worth celebrating, we’d love to host it. Up to 60 seated or 120 for canapés and cocktails, with the whole marina as your backdrop.
Not a venue hire. A proper celebration.
The kitchen does the cooking. The team handles the room. You show up, be present, and let the marina do the rest. We’ve been hosting private events since we opened — it’s where the Espressonist kitchen gets to show off a bit.
Every reason to gather
We won’t ask you to justify it as a “corporate event” — if it matters to your people, it matters to us.
Milestone birthdays
30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond. Seated dinner for the close ones or cocktails and canapés for the whole crowd — marina views are free with every booking.
Engagements & proposals
An intimate dinner for two or a surprise celebration with family and friends. Our team can help you plan the moment and the meal.
Anniversaries
1st or 25th — big round numbers and small meaningful ones both count. A private table or a semi-private dining area on the terrace.
Baby showers & christenings
Bright, light-filled and relaxed — the kind of space that’s festive without being loud. The kitchen does a beautiful high tea or long brunch spread.
Farewell parties
Sending someone off properly — a venue that fits the weight of the occasion. Good food, a room with a view, and space for the speeches.
Reunions & get-togethers
School reunions, old colleagues, family gatherings — a space that holds a crowd comfortably without losing the feel of a real restaurant.
Wakes & memorials
Warm, unhurried, and genuinely hospitable. We’ll take care of the details so the day can be what it needs to be. Just call us.
Any other milestone
Graduation, promotion, retirement, housewarming, first home — if it’s worth a proper meal and a glass of something good, we’re in.
108 River Esplanade — the marina, the gallery, the table.
The Espressonist sits directly on the Docklands marina at 108 River Esplanade. Originally a contemporary art gallery — and still one, with original works always on the walls — the space has a character you won’t find in a hotel private dining room.
Light-filled interiors open directly onto the waterfront terrace. The marina and skyline are outside the window. When it’s warm, the room and terrace can flow together. When it’s cool, the inside has enough warmth of its own.
Exclusive venue hire available for larger celebrations — our team manages the setup, the flow, and the pack-down.
Food worth the occasion
Modern Australian, with a nod to where our ingredients come from — Victorian suppliers, seasonal produce, and a kitchen that actually gives a damn.
Sharing platters & banquet
Long-table sharing style or plated — we can work to the format your group needs. Dietary requirements (vegan, gluten-free and more) catered for.
Canapés
A proper pass-around spread to kick off the evening — designed around your crowd and your night. Selections worked out with the kitchen.
Daytime & brunch
Baby showers, christenings and farewell brunches — the day kitchen does it beautifully. From a high tea to a long brunch spread.
Beverage packages available — curated wines, cocktails & non-alcoholic; bespoke-quoted.
The kind of night people talk about on the way home.
Wednesday to Saturday evenings, the venue becomes FOMO Bar + Grill. If your celebration is a dinner, you get the full FOMO kitchen — steak, seafood, the wine list. Daytime functions run under the Espressonist kitchen. Both are the same team, the same room, the same view.
Talk to us about your eventHow to book a function
Get in touch
Drop us a message via the form below, or call 0426 422 774. Tell us the occasion, the rough date, and how many people — that’s all we need to start. We’ll come back to you within one business day.
We’ll shape the day together
A quick conversation with our functions team — we’ll talk through the format (seated, cocktail, hybrid), the food and drinks, any special requests, and what the day needs to feel like for your people.
You show up, we handle the rest
We take care of the setup, the service, and the pack-down. You’re there for your people, not for logistics. Pricing is bespoke-quoted — no hidden fees, no surprises.
All functions are bespoke-quoted via kitchen@the-espressonist.com — pricing and inclusions vary by group size, format, and date.
Tell us about your celebration.
Get in touch and our functions team will be back to you within one business day. Or if you’d rather just call — that works too.
Enquiries: 0426 422 774 · Or email kitchen@the-espressonist.com