Your Party, Our Place
PARTY PLANNING TIPS
Hosting a birthday party at Olive Tree Brasserie is the ultimate “win-win.” You get the atmosphere, the professional service, and the gourmet food without the mountain of dishes or the frantic house-cleaning.
However, a successful restaurant party requires more than just a reservation for ten. Here is your roadmap to planning a seamless celebration that feels like a party, not just a dinner.
The Space
Decide what kind of energy you want. Our brasseries offer three types of party space:
Heart Of The Action: Best for small, intimate groups, holding your party in the main restaurant gives the full energy of the atmosphere, without feeling like a small gathering.
A Private Space: Perfect for 10–20 guests. Your own designated space, private from the man dining area. Perfect for all the gift-opening and toasts.
The Exclusive Use: The ideal setting for large groups or “milestone” birthdays, take over the whole brasserie for a grand soiree. All the speeches, you own music, your own bar, plus any entertainment you’d like to plan in.
Master The Menu
Smaller groups may prefer to order from the main A La Carte menu. For groups larger than 10, we will ask you to pre-order to ensure everyone is catered for in advance. This is also a great way of preventing ordering lag, where one person is still debating what to have, after everyone else has ordered.
For larger parties, consider a set menu. Plenty of choice for your guests, but if you’re picking up the tab, you can keep to your budget knowing your price per guest.
Or, keep it casual to encourage lots of mingling, with a buffet. Great for standing events where you prefer to steer way from a formal sit-down meal.
Remember to include any dietary requirements. When selecting your options for the menu, ensure there is at least one solid vegetarian/vegan and gluten-free option.
The Logistics
To ensure you actually enjoy the night instead of playing “event manager,” handle key details 48 hours in advance, so that you can enjoy your party prep and focus on that outfit.
The Tab: Decide early if you are planning to split the bill with friends, or pick up the entire tab. It will help awkwardness on he day and ensure the Olive Tree team are aware of how to split the bill.
The Decor: If you’re dining in the main restaurant, keep it “low-profile.” Think balloons tied to chairs or a few floral centerpieces.
For private dining spaces or exclusive use, you’re more than welcome to bring a little extravagance to the party with your own choice of decor. Please check with the team to ensure they’re happy for you to use wall space or hang items from furniture.
The Timeline: Give your guests a “Start Time” 15–20 minutes before you actually want to sit down. There is always one friend running late whilst the others are itching to order the drinks in.
Not forgetting.. it’s your party! So plan in advance to avoid fretting or rushing around after your guests on the day. Our team will take care of the showstopping service, you focus on enjoying your event.
Speak to us about your vision for your celebration and we’ll help bring it to life.