diff --git a/src/lib/menu/menu-item.ts b/src/lib/menu/menu-item.ts
index c19a40b0184..d97367b69ab 100644
--- a/src/lib/menu/menu-item.ts
+++ b/src/lib/menu/menu-item.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {
   ViewEncapsulation,
   Inject,
   Optional,
+  Input,
 } from '@angular/core';
 import {
   CanDisable, CanDisableCtor,
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ export const _MatMenuItemMixinBase: CanDisableRippleCtor & CanDisableCtor & type
   exportAs: 'matMenuItem',
   inputs: ['disabled', 'disableRipple'],
   host: {
-    'role': 'menuitem',
+    '[attr.role]': 'role',
     'class': 'mat-menu-item',
     '[class.mat-menu-item-highlighted]': '_highlighted',
     '[class.mat-menu-item-submenu-trigger]': '_triggersSubmenu',
@@ -59,6 +60,9 @@ export const _MatMenuItemMixinBase: CanDisableRippleCtor & CanDisableCtor & type
 export class MatMenuItem extends _MatMenuItemMixinBase
     implements FocusableOption, CanDisable, CanDisableRipple, OnDestroy {
 
+  /** ARIA role for the menu item. */
+  @Input() role: 'menuitem' | 'menuitemradio' | 'menuitemcheckbox' = 'menuitem';
+
   private _document: Document;
 
   /** Stream that emits when the menu item is hovered. */
diff --git a/src/lib/menu/menu.spec.ts b/src/lib/menu/menu.spec.ts
index 87c25446cbe..81415a13364 100644
--- a/src/lib/menu/menu.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/menu/menu.spec.ts
@@ -385,6 +385,30 @@ describe('MatMenu', () => {
     expect(role).toBe('menu', 'Expected panel to have the "menu" role.');
   });
 
+  it('should set the "menuitem" role on the items by default', () => {
+    const fixture = createComponent(SimpleMenu, [], [FakeIcon]);
+    fixture.detectChanges();
+    fixture.componentInstance.trigger.openMenu();
+    fixture.detectChanges();
+
+    const items = Array.from(overlayContainerElement.querySelectorAll('.mat-menu-item'));
+
+    expect(items.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    expect(items.every(item => item.getAttribute('role') === 'menuitem')).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('should be able to set an alternate role on the menu items', () => {
+    const fixture = createComponent(MenuWithCheckboxItems);
+    fixture.detectChanges();
+    fixture.componentInstance.trigger.openMenu();
+    fixture.detectChanges();
+
+    const items = Array.from(overlayContainerElement.querySelectorAll('.mat-menu-item'));
+
+    expect(items.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    expect(items.every(item => item.getAttribute('role') === 'menuitemcheckbox')).toBe(true);
+  });
+
   it('should not throw an error on destroy', () => {
     const fixture = createComponent(SimpleMenu, [], [FakeIcon]);
     expect(fixture.destroy.bind(fixture)).not.toThrow();
@@ -2100,3 +2124,18 @@ class DynamicPanelMenu {
   @ViewChild('one') firstMenu: MatMenu;
   @ViewChild('two') secondMenu: MatMenu;
 }
+
+
+@Component({
+  template: `
+    <button [matMenuTriggerFor]="menu">Toggle menu</button>
+
+    <mat-menu #menu="matMenu">
+      <button mat-menu-item role="menuitemcheckbox" aria-checked="true">Checked</button>
+      <button mat-menu-item role="menuitemcheckbox" aria-checked="false">Not checked</button>
+    </mat-menu>
+  `
+})
+class MenuWithCheckboxItems {
+  @ViewChild(MatMenuTrigger) trigger: MatMenuTrigger;
+}