Reservations
Level 9 Dining Room & Terrace – Monday to Saturday
Level 9 Clocktower Bar – Monday to Saturday
Level 10 Sky Bar – Tuesday to Saturday
Menzies Bar & Bistro – Monday to Saturday
Shell House
Melbourne Cup
Celebrate Melbourne Cup Day 2025 at Shell House
Four ways to play
Immerse yourself in the glamour and excitement of the race that stops the nation at Shell House. Join us for our unforgettable fourth-annual Melbourne Cup celebration on Tuesday, November 4th.
Choose one of four ways to play at the best Melbourne Cup celebration in the CBD, with multiple screens and sound throughout each level of the House. 2025 tickets are on sale early after last year’s sell-out event – get yours now to avoid missing out.
Dress to impress in your finest race day attire and participate in our Fashions on the Field competition for a chance to win a range of fabulous prizes.
All guests receive complimentary access to the Official After Party at Sky Bar, featuring Sydney’s best DJs playing late into the evening.
Menzies Bar
Dine on a delicious shared banquet menu in our convivial Margaret Street bistro while you cheer on your favourites. Ticket holders will also receive a complimentary spritz on arrival to kick-start the fun.
Shared banquet menu by Culinary Director Joel Bickford
Sourdough, cultured butter
Schiacciata di patate, tomato, olive, thyme
Red Snapper crudo, preserved cedro lemon, espellette
Trottole, Blue Swimmer Crab, tomato, tarragon
Southern Queensland Mulloway, romesco & smoked eggplant
Beef short rib, ragu of broad beans, peas & cipollini onion
Asparagus, brown butter hollandaise, toasted foccacia
Barbecued zucchini, fresh bufala, mint
Ricotta & chocolate tart
(menu subject to change due to seasonal availability)
$125 per person, including spritz on arrival.
Reservations from 12pm.
All guests will receive complimentary access to the Official After Party in Sky Bar.
Dining Room & Terrace
Our sun-soaked Dining Room & Terrace is the perfect spot to enjoy a long Melbourne Cup lunch in laidback luxury. Secure your seat high above the CBD for the ultimate celebratory afternoon and evening.
5-course shared menu by Culinary Director Joel Bickford & Head Chef Brad Guest
Oscietra Caviar, ebi prawn, agrodolce
Spring Ridge Venison, toasted cream, buckwheat, cured egg
K’Gari Spanner Crab, pencil leek, hazelnut, aged vermouth
Heirloom Tomato, buffalo feta, spiced seed, basil
Wagyu Bresaola, horseradish, melon, agretti
Lobster Tortellini, saffron, sunrose, pomelo
Tuna Cottoletta, cimi de rappe, bordelaise
Rangers Valley MB5 Short Rib, cippolini, rye, sorrel
Red Fire Lettuce, herbed salad cream, horseradish
Roasted Potato, marjoram, fried garlic
Strawberry, white chocolate, champagne, lime
Petit four
(menu subject to change due to seasonal availability)
$275 per person, including a glass of NV Ruinart Brut Champagne on arrival.
Reservations from 11:30am.
All guests receive complimentary access to the Official After Party in Sky Bar.
Sky Bar
Head straight to the top to enjoy Australia’s biggest day of racing in our oasis in the sky. Sip and snack the afternoon away with a stunning selection of canapes and cocktails, and enjoy our glorious skyline views as the sun sets.
Canapé Menu
Sydney Rock Oysters, finger lime, verjus
Scallop on scallop
Cobia, mandarin, spiced leaf
Raw beef, roasted bone marrow, cured yolk
Bresaola, pumpernickel, pickled melon
Chicken, burnt honey, tamari
Pecorino arancini
Truffled cheddar toastie
Beef slider, cheese, pickle, burger sauce, potato bun
Lobster roll, celery, parsley, aioli, milk bread
French fries, aioli
(menu subject to change due to seasonal availability)
$170 per person, inclusive of select beverages and canapés.
Canapé party from 12:30pm to 3pm.
All guests receive complimentary access to the Official After Party in Sky Bar.
Clocktower Bar
Secure our private event space, Clocktower Bar, to enjoy an intimate long lunch or cocktail party exclusive to you and your group.
Private party in the Clocktower
Includes private bar, sommelier, a large screen to watch the race and dedicated waitstaff looking after you on the day.
All guests receive complimentary access to the Official After Party in Sky Bar.
Enquire with our events team for further details.
The After Party
Continue the celebrations late into the night with our Official After Party in Sky Bar, kicking off straight after the race and grooving late into the evening. Features a stellar line up of Sydney’s best selectors to soundtrack your evening.
Sky Bar.
3:30pm til late.
Complimentary access for all ticket holders.
THE HITS ARE HERE TO STAY
8 More Weeks of $25 Handmade Pasta + $10 Wine
Commencing Monday 23 June – Saturday 16 August
You asked, we listened.
We are excited to announce that by popular demand, ‘The Hits’ is returning for 8 more weeks. That’s right: after regular sell-outs, we’re bringing back the most popular pasta deal in the CBD for one more round.
Crafted by Culinary Director Joel Bickford and his team, ‘The Hits’ features an 8 week lineup of our guests’ most beloved classic pasta dishes, all handmade in-house. Each week revives a different $25 pasta, plus $10 wine, available for lunch and dinner every day, until sold out.
As winter closes in, there’s never been a better time to pull up a seat at the bar for a quick and hearty midweek lunch, or round up your friends and huddle into a Menzies booth for a pasta and a few drinks.
Book a table now for your favourite week!
‘The Hits’ $25 Pasta
Monday-Saturday
Available all day in Menzies Bar
Reservations and full program below.
Walk-ins always welcome!
FULL PROGRAM
Week 1 | June 23rd – 28th
Spaghetti Vongole
Week 2 | June 30th – July 5th
Paccheri Genovese
Week 3 | July 7th – 12th
Spaghetti Polpette
Week 4 | July 14th – 19th
Braised Pork Maccheroni
Week 5 | July 21st – 26th
Orecchiette con Salsiccia
Week 6 | July 28th – August 2nd
Linguine Carbonara
Week 7 | August 4th – 9th
Bucatini Cacio ‘e’ Pepe
Week 8 | August 11th – 16th
Lobster Ravioli
CHEF’S TABLE EXPERIENCE – SHELL HOUSE DINING ROOM
The Shell House Dining Room’s ‘Chef’s Table Experience’ is the ultimate way to celebrate for one special party of two guests per night. Seated at the kitchen pass – the centre of gravity of the Dining Room – guests will be immersed in the action of the open kitchen as they are guided through a personalised and unique culinary experience.
The all-new winter Chef’s Table menu features dishes such as Swordfish Belly with Black Garlic, Kohlrabi & Salted Cumquat, and Wollemi Duck Tortellini with Pine Mushroom, Beluga Lentil & Sunrose, all specifically curated by Culinary Director Joel Bickford and Head Chef Brad Guest, showcasing a range of exceptional local produce in stunning seasonal preparations.
Tying the experience together seamlessly, Food & Beverage Director Alex Kirkwood has worked closely with Head Sommelier Eduardo Fritis-Lamora to deliver a paired beverage selection that elevates each course.
The perfect way to celebrate winter evenings and the season ahead.
Strictly limited seating.
Menu $165 per person
Beverage pairing $75 per person
Due to the bespoke nature of this menu, dishes are subject to change based on seasonal availability, and dietary adjustments may not be possible.
Make someones day at Shell House
All Prices in $AUD.
PERRIER-JOUËT CRAB + CAVIAR
At Shell House you can enjoy a bottle of Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut and our signature Crab & Caviar for $150.
Pre-order only – Make sure you select the drop down box to access this special offer when making your reservation online.
Now there’s a reason to make any moment a champagne moment at Shell House!
Martini Hour at Menzies serves as a place to celebrate the end of day, or the beginning of your evening. Everyday between 4pm & 6pm.
Paired daily with a limited run of fresh lobster rolls (until sold out), Martini Hour at Menzies Bar returns a sense of daily ritual to the heart of the Sydney CBD.
Reservations available, walk-ins welcome.
Host your next event with us
For more information or to talk to our team please enquire here
For all other general enquiries please email info@shellhouse.com.au
MENZIES BAR
GROUND FLOOR
Full-service dining in the bistro | up 40 guests seated
Bar drinks and snacks | groups of up to 20 guests casual over a mix of seated and standing | smaller parties up to 3 guests may be allocated to bar stools
Bar drinks and snacks | up to 70 guests for cocktail and canapés parties
Full exclusive use of Menzies for up to 100 guests seated | up to 200 guests cocktails and canapés over a mix of seated and standing
CLOCKTOWER BAR
LEVEL 9
Group bookings | up to 15 guests seated
Full exclusive use | up to 40 guests seated | up to 70 guests cocktails and canapés over a mix of seated and standing
DINING ROOM & TERRACE
LEVEL 9
Exclusive use of the Level 9 | shared banquet menus up to 94 guests seated | up to 220 guests standing cocktails and canapés over a mix of seated and standing
Semi-private dining | shared banquet menus up to 24 guests seated
Private dining | shared banquet menus for up to 94 guests seated
Level 9 and 10 may be hired exclusively for up to 400 guests
(Our outdoor terrace areas are weather dependent & not included in the above capacities)
SEMI-PRIVATE DINING ROOM
Level 9 semi-private dining room
Shared banquet menus for up to 24 guests seated
SKYBAR
Level 10
Casual group bookings | up to 40 guests cocktails and snacks over a mix of seated and standing
Exclusive use of level 10 | up to 140 guests cocktails and canapés over a mix of seated and standing
Level 9 and 10 may be reserved combined exclusively for up to 400 guests, a mix of seated and standing
SHELL HOUSE
Entire Venue
Shell House is proud to offer all 3 levels from the Menzies Bar and Bistro on the ground floor plus levels 9 and 10 for large product launches, activations, music and other large events
Capacity | up to 600 guests | mix of casual seated and standing
Food and beverage offerings to suit the style of your event
Four serviced bars
Outdoor spaces located on level 9 and 10
EXCLUSIVE EVENTS
We have an array of world class DJ’s, music and entertainment we can provide for you
AV capabilities via our supplier
Stunning floral arrangements via our supplier
Please let us know your requirements upon enquiry
Weddings at Shell House
Thank you for thinking of Shell House to celebrate your special day.
Shell House is an unparalleled hospitality experience, weaving realities of grandeur through multiple revived levels of a heritage palazzo icon.
If you are seeking a truly unique experience, Shell House is perfect for ceremonies, post-ceremony activities, wedding receptions or all the above.
Please contact our dedicated events team as we would be delighted to hear from you to see how we can be a part of the wedding of your dreams!
Press
Australian Bartender – “Campari Academy is bringing an Aperitivo Symposium to Sydney Bar Week”
Gourmet Traveller Review
Good Food – “Review: Bright Light in the Big City”
Broadsheet – “Our House: World Class Bar Takeover at Shell House”
Sitchu – “Best New Bars in Sydney for Cocktails & Good Times”
TimeOut – “The best new bars in Sydney”
TimeOut – “World Class x Shell House”
Good Food – “Sydney’s most exciting restaurant openings of the year so far”
Novonite – “Sydney’s most exciting restaurant openings of the year yet”
Broadsheet – “Sydney’s Best Bar Openings of 2022 (So Far)”
Daily Telegraph – “Top 20 restaurateurs reveal their favourite Sydney bars, restaurants and service”
The Urban List – “Sydney’s Most Beautiful Restaurants To Book For A High-Flying Feed”
The Urban List – “22 Of The Best Restaurants In The Sydney CBD Right Now”
HerCanberra – “Long weekending in Sydney? Here are 10 new restaurants to check out”
Broadsheet – “Best Things To Do In Sydney This January”
Delicious – “Review: Shell House Dining Room and Terrace is Sydney’s new fine diner in the sky”
Good Food – “Sydney’s Best Bar Openings of 2021”
Broadsheet – “Sydney’s Best Bar Openings of 2021”
Good Food – “Here’s Cheers! 15 of Sydney’s finest places to drink this Summer”
Good Food – ” Dining Room & Terrace opens at Sydney CBD’s $14million Shell House”
Good Food – “Good Food Guide 2022: The It List – next big things in NSW”
Good Food – “Sky Bar opens at Sydney mega-venue Shell House with a flood of bookings”
Delicious – “Behind-the-scenes at our 20th birthday dinner at Shell House”
Vogue Australia – “16 New Sydney Bars & Restaurants To Try Now”
GQ Australia – “22 New Sydney Restaurants To Try This Summer”
Boss Hunting – “Sydney’s 37 Best Rooftop Bars To Tie One On This Summer”
GQ Australia – “10 New Sydney Restaurants To Check Out Post-Lockdown”
Delicious – “10 New Restaurants In Sydney you may have missed”
Good Food – ” ‘Massive’ Queues Expected To Remain As Sydneysiders Return To Pubs And Restaurants”
Broadsheet – “Menzies Bar & Bistro, the First Venue in the CBD’s Monumental Shell House”
Concrete Playground – “The Menzies Bar Is the First Venue Opening Inside Shell House”
The Urban List – “The Point Group have taken on historic Shell House at Wynyard in the CBD”
Delicious – “Make up for lost time at this slick new European bar and bistro by Joel Bickford.”
Good Food – “Ward takes over the Dining Room & Terrace”.
Broadsheet – “Five Minutes With Aaron Ward”.
Gourmet Traveller – “From Opera House to Shell House.”
Good Food – “Top chef Joel Bickford swaps Aria for Fort Denison restaurant”.
Broadsheet – “Chef appointed Culinary Director of two monumental Sydney venues.”
Concrete Playground – “Chef Joel Bickford joins Shell House project”.
Hospitality Magazine – “Joel joins The Point Group.”
Spice News – “The Point Group nabs Joel Bickford”.
News For The Food Lover – “The Point Group announces Joel Bickford.”
Vouge – “The 16 best new restaurants in Sydney [July 2022]”
Vogue – “13 new Sydney Bars & Restaurants to try this Winter.”
Good Food – “Ambitious four in one mega venue.”
The Australian – “Sydney art deco icon gets a revamp.” VIEW
The Australian – “Sydney rich-listers break record”
Sydney Morning Herald – “Unveiling Historic Shell House revamp.”
Sydney Morning Herald – “Brookfield Place launches a new rooftop bar.”
Timeout – “Grab a drink in a clocktower.”
Concrete Playground – “A new multi-level venue for Sydney.”
Architecture & Design – “Brookfield Place, a place for Sydneysiders.”
Essential Magazine – “Taste Port Douglas Announces Its 2022 Chef & Talent Line Up”
Sitchu – “Sitchu’s Ultimate Guide to American Express delicious. Month Out”
Broadsheet – “Our House: World Class Bar Takeover at Shell House”
Sitchu – “Best New Bars in Sydney for Cocktails & Good Times”
TimeOut – “The best new bars in Sydney”
HerCanberra – “Long weekending in Sydney? Here are 10 new restaurants to check out“
TimeOut – “World Class x Shell House”
Good Food – “Sydney’s most exciting restaurant openings of the year so far”
Novonite – “Sydney’s most exciting restaurant openings of the year yet”
Broadsheet – “Sydney’s Best Bar Openings of 2022 (So Far)”
Daily Telegraph – “Top 20 restaurateurs reveal their favourite Sydney bars, restaurants and service”
Urban List – “30 Best Bars In Sydney Right Now”
Good Food – “The top six Sydney bar trends (and where to drink them)” Urban List – “Sydney’s Best Sbagliato Negronis And Where To Drink Them” 
Broadsheet – “Best New Restaurants in Sydney”
The Market Herald – “The Best Melbourne Cup Events Across Australia”
Harpers Bazaar – “These are the best (and brightest) marquees at the celeb-infused Birdcage”
Urban List – “16 Of The Best Outdoor Dining Spots In Sydney Right Now”
Sitchu – “World Class Cocktail Festival: Everything to Add to Your Calendar This September”
CNA Lifestyle – “Sydney for foodies: The ultimate guide from cafes and bars to experiential dining”
Broadsheet – “Sydney’s Best Bar Openings of 2022 (So Far)”
T Australia – “Shell House’s Recipe for Tuna Cotoletta”
Time Out – “The best new bars in Sydney”
Urban List – “The Best Martinis In Sydney Right Now”
Broadsheet – “Features: Menzies Bar”
Broadsheet – “World Class Cocktail Festival”
Eat Drink Play – “The Best Happy Hours In Sydney”
Concrete Playground – “Sydney’s 20 Most Clicked-On Restaurants of 2022 So Far”
News
Alex Kirkwood joins the Shell House team as Food & Beverage Director
At age 32, Alex is one of the country’s most acclaimed front-of-house talents, having spent over a decade cementing his specialisation of wine & beverage at Aria Sydney. His CV also includes front-of-house experience at some of the country’s top restaurants including Quay, Rockpool Bar & Grill & Momofuku Seiobo.
Alex, an award-winning Sommelier, supports all winemakers &producers, both local & international, whose primary emphasis is the quality of what their vineyards produce.
“We’re absolutely honoured to have Alex join our team at Shell House, which already includes some of the country’s best hospitality talent. Known for pushing the boundaries with wine, & creating award winning wine programs, I am so excited to work with Alex & showcase the incredible food & beverage we have to offer through his skill & experience. We have spent many years talking about working together over a bottle of wine at The Dolphin. Alex finally joining us is such an exciting moment for Shell House & The Point Group” – Brett Robinson.”
Aaron Ward joins the Shell House team as Head Chef of the Dining Room & Terrace
“I am absolutely thrilled to announce one of Sydney’s hottest Chefs, Aaron Ward has joined our Culinary Team at Shell House as the Head Chef of the rooftop Dining Room and Terrace. After spending time in such important Sydney kitchens as Ester, LuMi Dining, Copenhagen restaurants Relae and Amass, and then leading the kitchen success at acclaimed Sixpenny, Aaron joins Joel Bickford, our Culinary Director to further underpin the culinary identity of Shell House. Joel and I are so excited to continue menu development with Aaron and his new and innovative perspectives to deliver menus that I know Sydney will absolutely love when we open very, very soon.” – Brett Robinson
Joel Bickford, Culinary Director, Shell House & Fort Denison Project
The Point Group are thrilled to welcome acclaimed chef Joel Bickford as Culinary Director across two of their upcoming landmark venues, Shell House in the heart of Sydney’s CBD and Fort Denison in Sydney Harbour.
Joel, who was Executive Chef at Aria Sydney for four years, will work closely with Brett Robinson & the Shell House team to create casual and approachable dining experiences at Shell House Dining Room & Terrace and the Sky Bar Rooftop, when they open in October.
Joel has been honing his craft for 28 years. In 2013, the call of the country led him to Biota Dining in the Southern Highlands where the restaurant earnt two Chef Hats under his guidance. Two years later, Joel returned to the city to head up the kitchen at Sydney’s waterfront Gantry Restaurant & Bar, which was awarded its first Chef’s Hat after a year under Joel’s direction. Joel was named Daily Telegraph’s Chef Of The Year, 2015 and was more recently awarded Chef of the Year at the 2018 Savour Excellence Awards. Through his guidance and leadership in the ARIA kitchen, ARIA received two hats with a score of 17/20 from the Australian Good Food Guide for the past 4 years.
“I am thrilled to announce one of the country’s most respected culinary talents as the Culinary Director of Shell House and the upcoming Fort Denison project in Sydney Harbour.
Joel’s vast experience, creativity and dedication to quality, accompanied by his belief in our vision to create two world class dining destinations for Sydney, is such an important milestone and gives our team so much confidence.”
– Brett Robinson
“I am really looking forward to joining Brett and his team at The Point Group. The team’s vision to breathe new life into two remarkable Sydney buildings is so exciting and the perfect next step in my career.
It’s a great opportunity for me to challenge myself and work alongside a progressive, dynamic and forward-thinking team of people and I’m excited about creating these important new dining experiences for Sydney at a time when we all need some inspiration.”
– Joel Bickford
Growing up in a small rural town in the outskirts of Sydney’s rural Blue Mountains, Joel’s less-is-more approach to cooking is rooted in a lifelong connection to nature and a deep reverence for his ingredients and their unique regional qualities. His cooking style showcases seasonal Australian ingredients, with a razor-sharp balance between simplicity, extravagance and innovation.
Spread over three levels, Shell House is an unparalleled hospitality experience in the Sydney CBD, combining both indoor and outdoor settings over 1,250 sqm of space. This includes a ground floor bar Menzies Bar, The Dining Room and Terrace and the Clocktower Bar on level 9 and Sky Bar on Level 10.
“We feel like we have a once in a generation opportunity to do something extraordinary of a global standard, to build a new iconic hospitality landmark and take a leading role in reigniting the CBD dining culture. We love creating modern hospitality experiences in unique locations and have a proven track record of delivering experiences people love.”
– Brett Robinson
Rooftop diners will be provided with a bird’s eye view of the building’s iconic 400-tonne clock tower, which has been lovingly restored after being suspended mid-air for several years while Shell House was excavated and rebuilt.
Shell House is historically significant as the only surviving interwar commercial palazzo-style building in Sydney, clad with glazed terracotta ‘faience’ blocks. Standing at 65.5 metres high, Shell House’s façade is also one of the tallest retained heritage façades in the world.
Prior to redevelopment, Shell House was home to the Menzies Hotel, with its outdated 1970s interiors now being transformed into a contemporary office building designed by architects MAKE and Architectus with fitout by Woods Bagot.
Careers
Shell House – 3 Bars, 1 Dining Room.
Shell House presents a truly rare opportunity for hospitality. Our collective job is to revive a cultural icon, fill it with excellence and place it firmly at the epicentre of Sydney culture. Over three enormous levels we present a myriad of hospitality experiences to ensure we can meet the needs of all of Sydney. Our open invitation is for you to be a part of delivering this experience.
We are calling out for staff with all levels of experience. Innovative Culinary Leaders and Ambitious Chefs, Restaurant, Bar, Service and Management Specialists, Guest Relations, Hosts and Reservations Experts, Events Production and Marketing Aficionados, Section Waiters, Bartenders, Sommeliers, Barristas, Floor and Cellar Professionals & More.
Welcome to the new centre of gravity for the Sydney CBD.
For all position enquiries please email people@the-point.com
Shell House
(02) 9158 4000
37 Margaret St
Sydney 2000, NSW, Australia
Entry to level 9 and 10 via Wynyard lane.
Reservations can be made via the website, call us on 02 9158 4000 or email us at reservations@shellhouse.com.au
Dress regulations apply to all guests attending, and we reserve the right to enforce it or deny entry where applicable.
Guests are required to conduct themselves in an orderly fashion & to a high standard in accordance with all applicable licensing laws of NSW. Shell House reserves the right at its discretion to exclude or remove any persons from any events or the premises without liability, including intoxicated guests. Management reserves the right to close the bar when it is deemed necessary.