Creating a bar menu with the best bar foods is daunting, especially considering your guests taste preferences. Some customers enjoy a classic basket of fries, while others seek more unique food experiences. As you formulate the perfect bar food menu, include traditional bar food alongside creative menu items to appeal to all customers. We compiled some of our favorite bar food ideas and valuable tips to help you create the best bar food menu that will please any hungry customer.
Among the changing bar trends in the industry, some of the best classic bar foods remain the same. Below are some common bar menu ideas to satisfy your customers and maximize your profits.
Theres always room on your menu for more classics. Add a regional or local favorite that your customers will love, like Philly cheesesteaks or Chicago-style hot dogs. Either way, youve started your bar food menu off right by including some classic options.
Overall, the most popular bar foods are burgers, fries, sandwiches, finger foods like pretzels and nuts, and healthier options like salads. Of course, the most popular bar foods will depend on the bar, the patrons, and the skills of the cook.
Bar Snacks and Appetizers
Offering bar snacks and bar appetizers is a great way to entice customers to order food and stay at your establishment longer. These options are typically finger foods in small portions, making them easy to pass around the table. An app platter or sampler with multiple snacks allows customers to sample your menu and order more of their favorites. Additionally, bar appetizers encourage customers to order food spontaneously, which increases your revenue.
Here are a few of our favorite bar snacks and appetizers to add to your menu:
- Chips with house-made salsa or guacamole
- Popcorn
- Soft pretzels
- Jalapeno poppers
- Fried pickles
- Coconut shrimp
- Potato skins
- Chicken fingers
- Pepperoni rolls
- Flatbread
In addition to the classics, you can (and should) show off your unique recipes. If you cant think of new bar food ideas, try developing a fresh take on the classics above or form new concepts. If you are opening a new bar or are looking to reinvigorate your bar food menu, take some inspiration from some of the hottest spots in major cities:
- Cheese fries with cheddar, Gouda, and chives: By including unique ingredients like Gouda cheese and chives, one establishment in NYC offers an upscale, new twist on a favorite bar food.
- Roasted portobello with artichoke-truffle mousse and parmesan: This unique item originating in Miami combines complementary flavors and hearty finishing touches that create a fulfilling bar snack.
- Cheesecake eggrolls: Most of us might be accustomed to savory eggrolls, but a bar in Los Angeles offers a rare version with this sweet snack sure to entice late-night guests.
- House-made sausage plate: This plate from Chicago features seasonal accompaniments to go with the sausage. Try creating your own version to offer guests a variety of one type of food, like a cheese board, or make a platter that includes an assortment of house specialties.
Restaurants and bars can differentiate themselves with more intricate or aesthetically pleasing dishes that include exotic ingredients or combine uncommon flavors. By offering your guests something different, you can create a memorable experience for guests so they will look forward to returning.
Classic Bar Food Has a High Profit Margin
Traditional bar food, such as french fries, onion rings, and wings, can be made cheaply. You can find inexpensive bulk bar food that is quick to make and does not require much labor. This option makes your classic bar food excellent to feature on your menu by keeping your food affordable for virtually every customer, and you can turn a handsome profit even with low prices.
New York’s Best Bar Food Will Satisfy Every Craving
What to eat in a bar?
In bars, sometimes the appetizer menu is the only menu. The owner chooses not to offer full-blown meals to patrons, instead giving them a choice of several appetizers to snack on. Nachos slathered in cheese, refried beans, beef or chicken, black olives, tomatoes, and anything else that seems tempting to you
Name some healthy protein bars.?
An ideal protein bar should have low carb, high protein, low fat, high fiber, rich in omega 3 fatty acid, low sodium, moderate sugar or less artificial sweeteners should meet the requirements of a healthy snack. Some of them are Zing, Think thin, Bobo, Super pop snacks, Aloha, Organ, One, Layers, Oat mega, Epic etc.
What are bar snacks?
Bar snacks are a fun, timeless category of low-lift foods that are easy to enjoy whenever you’ve got a cold drink in hand. Maybe that drink is a lightly chilled, citrusy Albariño that begs to be paired with garlicky sautéed shrimp.
Are bar foods a good strategy?
One effective strategy is offering popular and profitable bar foods that keep customers returning for more. According to Ginger Hultin, a registered dietitian, “people will consume more [food] at meals when they’re including alcohol…”.