As winter becomes a distant memory, we are all feeling a little spring in our step these days. Everything seems lighter … from our moods to our clothing to our food cravings.

With that, your menu and restaurant design and feel should reflect the lightness of spring for your guests, both literally and figuratively – open the windows, dust off your patio furniture and start prepping your pantry to offer lighter menu options.

If you need a little inspiration, here’s a list of our favorite seasonal spring ingredients (in no particular order): English peas, artichokes, asparagus, spring strawberries, ramps, fiddlehead ferns, fava beans and radishes (to name a few!).

Just the list makes us hungry to dive into new menu development.

At VSAG, we believe in relishing the seasons. We work with our clients to create great seasonal menus that fit within their specific mission and brand identity. For example, our client Potomac’s Founding Farmers offers sustainable, farm-to-table fare, so we helped develop a spring menu that featured more locally sourced fruits and vegetables and seasonal ingredients for dishes like the Artichoke and Chick Pea Gunny Sack, Gardener’s Pie and Spring Veggie Succotash.

To get a head start on what’s in this spring at your local farmer’s market, check out http://www.realtimefarms.com and plan a visit. Local farmers are a great culinary resource and welcome the support of their harvests.

So, as the warm spring breeze fills the air, let our VSAG creative team of expert restaurant consultants, food service consultants and chefs work with you to create an innovative, lighter menu that celebrates the season through your brand.