Melbourne Park Function Centre

After a record-breaking 2026 that brought more than 1.3 million people through the gates, the Australian Open returns to Melbourne Park from January 11 to 31, with more seating, more shade, and its biggest food line-up yet. Here’s some of what’s will be new in 2027: Grand Slam Oval will be bigger with triple the shade. The festival hub has had a rebuild. More two-storey structures have grown its footprint by 45 per cent, and the shade structure is three times the size it was.  Court 6 is getting the biggest temporary grandstand ever built at Melbourne Park, with 17 per cent more seats. The Highline is also back, with elevated views, extra shade and a direct link to the Courtside Bar. What food will be at the Australian Open 2027? Shake Shack returns to Topcourt and John Cain Arena, with a new bookable dine-in space (bookings already open) at Topcourt where you can have the exclusive New York Steakhouse Burger (with aged cheddar, sautéed mushrooms, fried onions and horseradish peppercorn mayo) and an AO-exclusive Dot Cake dessert. Garden Square gets Abla’s, Smith + Daughters and Melbourne hot spot The Frog Club. Shane Delia is also bringing in Pastizzis by Vinu & Delia, a Maltese street food collab with Malta’s Sphinx Pastizzeria. Hector’s adds breakfast for the first time, and its cult AO-only doughnuts are back. Grand Slam Oval welcomes Kolkata Cricket Club’s butter chicken, Auckland taqueria Tacoteca and an AO-exclusive bánh mì menu from Khanh Ong at Locals. They join...