Named after an earlier British parliamentary institution, Bellamy's has been in existence since the establishment of the New Zealand Parliament in the 1850s.

Originally the service was used exclusively by members of Parliament (MPs) and their guests, but now includes a restaurant open to the public.

[1] John Bellamy was the deputy housekeeper of the British House of Commons who, in 1773, set up a small dining room for MPs.

[5][6] Bellamy's was modelled as a premier dining facility; silver plate, crockery and table linen were shipped from Britain.

Since 2018[update], a restaurant called Bellamy's by Logan Brown is located on the third floor of the Beehive, with table reservations now available to all members of the public.