Donovans Makes Room for More: A New Chapter for St Kilda’s Beloved Beachside Institution
A familiar Melbourne favourite is expanding its home by the bay, with a new private dining room designed for bigger celebrations, long lunches and memorable gatherings.
There are restaurants you visit, and then there are restaurants that become part of your story. For almost three decades, Donovans has been one of those special places for Melburnians – a much-loved beachside institution where milestones are celebrated, long lunches unfold and memorable evenings are shared over exceptional food and wine.
Now, as Donovans approaches its 30th anniversary, the iconic St Kilda restaurant is making room for more.
Opening Friday 27 November 2026, the new dining room offers a beautiful extension of the Donovans experience, overlooking the sparkling waters of Port Phillip Bay. Seating up to 45 guests, the space has its own private entrance from Jacka Boulevard and has been thoughtfully designed to feel like a natural continuation of the restaurant's much-loved interiors.
Rather than creating something separate, the new room embraces the warmth and familiarity that have made Donovans such an enduring favourite. It will operate as part of the existing restaurant, sharing the same kitchen, floor team and signature unhurried approach to hospitality.
The expansion also answers a long-standing request from guests. With the intimate Library accommodating 12 guests and the existing private dining room seating 24, the new space offers a welcome option for larger celebrations – from milestone birthdays and engagement parties to wedding gatherings, corporate occasions and end-of-year festivities.
Naturally, the food remains a central part of the experience.
The new room will feature the menu already enjoyed by guests in Donovans' private dining room, beginning with shared entrées, followed by a pasta or risotto course and two mains. A particular highlight is the traditional guéridon service, with barramundi, eye fillet or porchetta brought to the table and carved in front of guests.
It is a touch of tableside theatre that has long been part of the Donovans experience, honouring the legacy of the late Kevin Donovan and the restaurant's longstanding approach to generous, memorable hospitality.
As proprietor Nick Parkhouse explains, the expansion is about continuing the restaurant's legacy while growing thoughtfully as a family.
“We’re so excited to build on the legacy that is Donovans; the family is growing, slowly and thoughtfully,” he says.
Since opening in 1997, Donovans has built its reputation on more than its beautiful waterfront setting. It is the atmosphere, the generous Mediterranean-leaning menu, the familiar faces and the feeling of being welcomed into someone's home that keep guests returning.
And now, there is another room around the table.
For those planning a special celebration or simply looking for a beautiful setting to bring everyone together, Donovans' newest dining space offers another reason to rediscover this Melbourne institution.
The Details
Opening: Friday 27 November 2026
Capacity: 45 seated guests
Location: Donovans, 40 Jacka Boulevard, St Kilda VIC 3182
Enquiries: eat@donovans.com.au
Phone: (03) 9534 8221
Website: donovans.com.au
Christmas and end-of-year celebration enquiries are now open.
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