What To Eat and Drink at Melbourne Art Fair 2026
Art may be the headline, but the drinks menu is doing its own quiet performance in 2026.
This year, Melbourne Art Fair leans fully into classic glamour. Think Beverly Hills Polo Lounge energy translated for the Southbank set: polished, confident, unapologetically chic. No gimmicks. No edible smoke. Just very good food and very serious drinks.
HOW TO DRINK CHAMPAGNE, PROPERLY
At the centre of it all: Bollinger (Lady Kath’s fizz of choice).
Our official Champagne Partner arrives with Grande (and friends), poured cold, crisp and exactly as it should be. Whether you begin at the VIP Preview or find yourself orbiting the Champagne Bar, designed in collaboration with MAF ambassador Brahman Perera later in the evening, Bollinger is the through-line of the Fair.
It’s decadent, and it pairs exceptionally well with red dots.
THE MARTINI MOMENT
Melbourne Gin Company claims their territory with a custom-designed Martini Bar, pouring bespoke Melbourne Art Fair Martinis made exclusively for the occasion.
At the core: small-batch, artisan gin from MGC. Distilled with obsessive precision, built on a clean botanical profile that holds its line under ice and doesn’t need to hide behind a garnish.
Olive or twist. Your call. Because nothing pairs with contemporary art quite like clarity — and a martini made with intent.
WINES WITH A BACKBONE
Our official wine partner, Ministry of Clouds, returns for its third year.
Bernice and Julian’s wines are gastronomic in spirit, precise, and expressive. Elegant whites that carry you through the afternoon and serious reds that hold their own against robust conversation.
These are wines that understand context. Find them at the Ministry of Clouds Wine Bar and Bistro, furnished by Dann Event Hire.
THE NEIGHBOURHOOD BREWERY BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER OVER A PINT
For anyone who might prefer a beer over a flute, Stomping Ground has you covered.
They hold the staunch belief that beer should be for all walks and suit all tastes, from laid-back drinkers to the adventurous.
THE MENU: ELEVATED CLASSICS
For 2026, the dining at Melbourne Art Fair has been made to feel as considered as the art around it, and considerably easier to digest.
The brief itself was loosely informed by a recent lunch at the Beverly Hils Polo Lounge where Andy ordered a club sandwich of such heroic proportions he was obliged to transport half of it back to the hotel in a hat box, which, as it turns out, is an excellent way to carry a sandwich.
That, essentially, is the spirit here. Prepared by the culinary team at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, the menu draws on seasonal Victorian produce and local suppliers, grounding the offering in place while keeping the tone relaxed.
The menu nods to deli counter comfort and café indulgence: a refined Reuben, fried ravioli with warrigal green pesto, cannoli filled with stracciatella and lifted with Kakadu plum, and fries dusted with pepperberry that demand immediate attention. Even the desserts carry a certain ceremony, with citrus-bright yuzu tarts arriving like small, edible sculptures.
In 2026, we strongly encourage you to stay for lunch at the expanded Ministry of Clouds Wine Bar and Bistro— if only to avoid making important financial decisions on an empty stomach.
