Caviar Menu Pricing in Australia: What to Charge and Pay
On an Australian menu in 2026, caviar is typically priced by weight rather than by dish: roughly $90 to $165 for a 10g serve, and $199 to $450 for a 30g tasting, with the variety and the house deciding where in that range a line falls. A single bump sits lower, and a supplement over an existing dish lower still. What follows explains how those figures are built, so that a diner can read a menu with confidence and a host, chef or event planner can set a price that is generous to the guest and sound for the business.
TL;DR
- Venue menus we reviewed place a 10g serve at about $90 to $165 and a 30g serve at about $199 to $450, with Beluga at the summit and Oscietra commonly between $200 and $350 for 30g.
- A caviar bump is generally priced between $18 and $49, the higher figure when a vodka pairing is included, while a caviar supplement on pasta or tartare tends to sit around $15 to $20.
- The price you see reflects variety, grade, cold-chain care, Australian import compliance and the accompaniments, not the roe alone.
- Hosts catering privately should plan on 3g to 5g per guest for bumps, and more for a seated tasting.
- Buy from a supplier who can explain provenance and storage; at this level, that explanation is part of what you are paying for.
Table of Contents
- What caviar costs on Australian menus in 2026
- Why the price per gram looks the way it does
- Reading a caviar menu as a diner
- Setting your own caviar menu price
- Our perspective
- Caviar for your table or your event
- Frequently asked questions
- Sources
What caviar costs on Australian menus in 2026
Caviar pricing in fine dining is less mysterious than it appears once you see how it is quoted. The roe is sold in small, fixed portions, and the portion is the unit of price. According to a recent venue menu, premium 10g serves range from $90 to $165, while 30g serves run between $199 and $450 depending on variety and brand. At the top of that scale, a Perth steakhouse lists 30g of Beluga at $450, whereas 30g of Oscietra is commonly found at roughly $200 to $350.
The table below gathers those ranges alongside the add-on formats that sit beneath them. Treat it as a map of the market rather than a rate card: individual venues price according to their sourcing, their service and their room.
| Format | Typical menu range | What shapes the figure |
|---|---|---|
| 10g serve | $90 to $165 | Variety, grade, accompaniments |
| 30g serve | $199 to $450 | Beluga at the top, Oscietra mid-range |
| Caviar bump (about 5g) | $18 to $49 | Standalone snack or paired with vodka |
| Supplement on a dish | $15 to $20 | Added to pasta, tartare or similar |
The bump and supplement ranges come from another venue menu in the same research, where bumps are priced from roughly $18 as a standalone snack to about $49 when a vodka pairing is included. Menus change with the season and the supply, so confirm any figure before you plan around it.
Why the price per gram looks the way it does
A first glance at a 30g line at $450 invites the question of whether the number is justified. Several costs sit beneath it, and most are invisible on the plate.
Variety and grade
The sturgeon species determines rarity, egg size, flavour and therefore price. Beluga, with its large, delicate pearls and buttery smoothness, is the preeminent name and is priced accordingly. Oscietra offers a nuttier richness and a firmer bead, and Baeri, often the most approachable, makes an admirable introduction. If you wish to understand the hierarchy before comparing menus, our guides to the types of caviar ranked from Beluga to Baeri and to what separates Beluga from Osetra set out the differences in detail.
The cold chain
Fine caviar is perishable and unforgiving of temperature drift. Serious suppliers hold it in dedicated, temperature-controlled storage rather than in ordinary refrigeration, and the cost of that discipline is carried in the price. We have written separately about who keeps caviar at 5°C on its way to an Australian doorstep, because a tin that has been mishandled is a poor bargain at any price.
Australian import rules
Compliance is a genuine cost. In 2026 the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry raised the evidence required for imported retorted salmon roe, including caviar products, requiring an Official Government Certificate to attest that the goods are retorted rather than relying on a manufacturer’s declaration. Commentary on the change, such as this overview of Australia’s 2026 food policy, notes that it applies from mid-2026. The notice concerns salmonid roe, not sturgeon caviar, so it will not touch every tin, but it shows the direction of travel: documentation matters, and buyers are wise to ask suppliers for it.
The accompaniments
The roe never arrives alone. Buckwheat blinis, cultured crème fraîche and chives exist to balance the brine and richness, and a considered menu price allows for them. The same logic applies to the glass beside it: a Vancouver restaurant’s caviar programme is built around Champagne pairings, and the principle travels well. Mother-of-pearl spoons, chilled service and a flute of something dry and precise are part of the transaction. Our expert guide to pairing caviar with champagne explains which styles flatter which roe.
Reading a caviar menu as a diner
The most useful habit is to reduce every line to a price per gram. A 10g serve at $120 is $12 a gram, while a 30g tasting at $300 is $10 a gram; the larger portion is nearly always the better value if the table is sharing. A bump at $35 for about 5g is $7 a gram, which appears cheaper but rarely includes the ceremony or the pairing, so it is the experience you are buying, not the arithmetic.
Beyond price, three questions repay asking. Which species and which producer is this? How is it stored and when was it opened? And what arrives with it? A house that answers fluently has usually taken care at every step before the tin reached your table. A vague answer at $450 for 30g deserves a second thought.
It is also worth noting the surcharges that sit outside the menu line. Many Australian venues add a service charge for larger groups and a surcharge on Sundays and public holidays, as set out on one Perth menu, so a caviar course for a party of eight or more can cost more than the board suggests.
Setting your own caviar menu price
For a restaurant, a caterer or a private host building a menu, pricing starts with portion and works outwards. Our chef-focused guide to serving caviar profitably, whether as 3g bumps or 28g tastings goes deeper; the essentials follow.
Decide the format first
The bump is the most theatrical and the most forgiving format. It lets a guest taste a very fine roe for a modest outlay, and it has become a high-margin, dramatic addition to a service. Our piece on how a caviar bump reveals quality explains why those few seconds on the back of the hand tell you so much. The tasting serve suits a seated course or a celebration, and the supplement suits a kitchen that wants to elevate an existing dish without redesigning the menu.
Work out portions per guest
For events, one Australian oyster caterer’s guidance suggests about 3g per person for a modest bump at a large gathering and 5g per person for a more generous one. Multiply by your guest list, add a small margin for service, and you have the quantity to order before you consider anything else.
Price the whole plate
Cost the roe, the blini or toast, the crème fraîche, the garnish, the vessel and the pairing, then decide the margin. Pricing a bump at the very edge of the market can look timid; pricing it with a vodka or Champagne pairing, as the $49 end of the range does, communicates occasion and justifies the number. Most venues land comfortably within the ranges above, and moving outside them requires a story the guest can taste.
Worked example
Suppose you host sixty guests and wish to offer a 5g bump to each. You require 300g of caviar, plus a margin, so perhaps 330g. At a wholesale cost that you know and a menu price within the market range, the question is whether the bump at, say, $35 covers roe, accompaniments and labour. If it does not, the answer is rarely to cheapen the roe; it is to change the format, perhaps a 3g bump, or to include a pairing that carries the price.
Our perspective
We approach caviar pricing from the supply side, and what we see is that the number on a menu is only as honest as the tin behind it. Our collection is curated around rare, authentic roe from prestigious producers, with attention to artisan quality, ethical sourcing and the story of each item, because a discerning guest can taste the difference between careful handling and indifference.
Our advice to hosts is to resist the temptation to chase the lowest price per gram. A modest portion of a very good Baeri, served cold, with fine accompaniments and a properly chosen Champagne, will delight more than a generous spoonful of something that has travelled poorly. When you do spend on Beluga, spend on it deliberately: serve it simply, in a quiet moment, and let it be the occasion.
To buyers, we would add that provenance is not a luxury but a safeguard. Ask where the roe was produced, how it has been stored and what documentation accompanies it. A supplier who welcomes those questions is one worth keeping.
— APTENT
Caviar for your table or your event
Should you wish to taste before you plan, our caviar collection includes the 30G Baeri Signature Caviar for an intimate tasting, as well as the 50G and 250G Baeri and the 250G Oscietre Signature Caviar for larger gatherings. Our champagne selection offers the natural companion. For a bespoke evening that pairs wine and caviar, our team can guide you through APTENT Privé private events, and corporate hosts may prefer Corporate and VIP gifting. Current pricing for each product is shown on its page.
Frequently asked questions
How much does caviar cost on a restaurant menu in Australia?
In 2026, a 10g serve is typically $90 to $165 and a 30g serve $199 to $450. Beluga sits at the upper end, while Oscietra at 30g is commonly around $200 to $350. Smaller formats such as bumps and supplements are priced considerably lower.
What is a caviar bump and what does it cost?
A caviar bump is a small portion, typically about 5g, taken directly from the back of the hand to showcase the purity of the roe. Menu prices generally run from about $18 as a standalone snack to about $49 when paired with vodka. It is often matched with vodka or Champagne to cut through the richness.
How much caviar should I order per guest for an event?
For bumps, plan on roughly 3g per person at a large event and 5g for a more generous serve. A seated tasting calls for more, and 30g is a common shared portion on menus. Add a small margin for service and confirm quantities with your supplier.
Why is caviar so expensive in Australia?
Price reflects the rarity of the sturgeon variety, careful temperature-controlled storage, and compliance with Australian import requirements, which the government has tightened for some roe products in 2026. Quality accompaniments add to the cost of a finished serve. Asking for provenance and documentation helps you judge whether a price is fair.
Sources
- Stan’s Lounge menu
- Institut Polaire menu
- BICON: changes to evidence requirements for retorted salmon roe
- Australian Food Policy 2026: Key Laws and Regulations
- Caviar Dining Experience, Acquafarina
- 6 HEAD Perth à la carte menu
- Oysters and Caviar, Shuck Yeah
