Private Dining Rooms Hunter Valley

Private dining in the Hunter isn't limited to winery restaurants out among the vines. On High Street in Maitland, The Dining Room @ The Pourhouse offers a room of its own inside a craft beer bar and bistro, set in the former Exchange Hotel, built in 1866.

The room seats about 40 for a sit-down meal, or holds up to 60 for a standing, cocktail-style gathering. Catering comes from the bistro, so the menu can be shaped around a banquet or passed food depending on the format. It's an indoor space, which takes weather out of the planning.

The setting suits groups who want a separate room for speeches and conversation but still like the energy of a pub around them. The front bar pours from 10 taps, and there's live music on Friday and Saturday nights, so the night can carry on after the meal.

Occasions the room is set up for:

• Birthdays, including 21st, 30th and 40th dinners.
• Engagement parties with family from both sides.
• Work lunches, Christmas parties and farewells.
• Corporate dinners that need a closed door.

For groups larger than 60, look across Hunter Valley venues, or see ideas for a farewell party.