How to be Bar Snack Savvy

Elevate your restaurant’s bar snack offerings from the traditional and boring options to the unexpected by livening up your approach with some new, innovative culinary creations that go beyond pretzels or peanuts.

The idea is not to put your bar business plan into financial overdrive, but to find creative ways (that fit within your overall concept & budget) to elevate the conventional to the next level, and to keep those bar guests a little bit longer.

Typically, it’s best to offer bar snacks that are tasty, tidy, bite-size morsels of culinary love that encapsulate your concept and entice guests into taking on a full meal at your eatery. A sample bite and sip experience can make a significant difference to the bottom line.

Some new takes on classic bar snack favorites could include:

  • Try house made brick oven pretzels and fresh potato crisps served with featured dipping sauces, scratch-made dips or cheeses that enhance presentation (selected daily)
  • Elevate a bowl of mixed nuts by creating your own blend of spiced, candied, or herbed walnuts, roasted almonds, pecans or The crunch is still there, but with more flavor and appeal.
  • For a new take on pickled vegetables, experiment with pickling seasonal produce such as beans, beets, okra, sweet ‘n spicy peppers, mushrooms or onions
  • Indulge guests with freshly baked garlic crostini, ciabatta or pita breads paired with seasoned olives international locales (for an added, unexpected twist, transport guests to Spain, Italy, Greece and the like by having bartenders pair this snack with wines from the same global regions as the featured olives)

By changing up the familiar bar snacks with some unexpected servings, guests will surely respond in favor to your innovative flavors and hopefully linger in your space to enjoy the great spirits, as well as the creative, inspired food choices from bar snacks to main dishes to desserts.

box iG pretzles

photo courtesy of Farmers Fishers Bakers