Tapas-style dining exploded in the 90s, and while theme restaurants may have mostly gone out of style, the concept of small plates continues to thrive, offering diners a casual and social way to enjoy a variety of flavors.

For chefs and restaurateurs looking to innovate, creating an Irish-inspired tapas menu presents an opportunity to blend traditional elements with contemporary appeal for St. Patrick’s Day. With some key ingredients and a creative approach, you can craft a menu that evokes classic Irish roots while remaining fresh, modern, and approachable.

Pint-Sized Plates

Creating a successful Irish tapas menu requires a balance between honoring tradition and adding innovative twists. Here are some practical tips:

• Reimagining Classics: Transform familiar Irish dishes into shareable bites. For example, you might serve mini shepherd’s pies in ramekins or reimagine Irish soda bread as a crostini topped with smoked salmon, dill cream, and capers. Pair beer-braised Braveheart® Black Angus Beef Hanger Steak medallions with horseradish aioli for melt-in-your-mouth flavor or serve crispy colcannon cakes with tangy pickled vegetables, such as Delancey Street Deli® Gourmet Pickled Red Onions.

• Flavor Pairings: Enhance dishes with bold and unexpected pairings using traditional Irish ingredients like Braveheart® Black Angus Beef Bone Broth Concentrate. When reduced and seasoned with herbs, its deep umami flavor serves as an authentic complement to dishes like shepherd's pie or bangers and mash with gravy. And consider reimagining classic cabbage specials by combining earthy flavors with bites like oysters and bacon.

• Interactive Elements: Incorporate traditional Irish cheeses in tapas, such as cheese-stuffed peppers or warm, gooey cheese dips. To enhance the effect, serve these hot dishes in mini cast iron skillets, evoking the rustic sophistication of modern Irish cuisine. Add an in-house signature element with Delancey Street Beer Cheese Base, using your preferred suds. Or get extra creative with charcuterie-style platters featuring bite-sized boxty pancakes, smoked fish, and various toppings for diners to assemble themselves. Themed boards are all the rage on social media, and a well-designed platter, garnished with green and gold elements that evoke the hills of Ireland, might be the perfect photo-worthy order on this festive holiday.

Lucky Portions

Setting the right price points is key to encouraging diners to explore the full range of a tapas menu while ensuring profitability.

• Portioning Tips: Keep portions small yet satisfying. Aim for three to four bites per plate to ensure dishes are easy to share and encourage diners to try multiple offerings.
• Tasting Bundles: Offer tasting menus or sampler platters with three to five dishes at a set price. This approach encourages exploration and simplifies ordering decisions.
• Anchor Pricing: Include one or two premium items, such as a dish featuring prawns or artisanal cheese, alongside more affordable options like potato-based dishes. This creates a perception of value while catering to different budgets.
• Transparency: Highlight the quality and origin of ingredients, such as authentic Irish butter or premium whiskeys, to justify elevated pricing and reinforce the menu’s authenticity.

Time to Shamrock and Roll

The success of a tapas-style menu depends on a kitchen’s ability to execute efficiently and maintain consistency during service.

• Prep Ahead: Pre-portion and prepare ingredients that can be quickly assembled, such as sauces, garnishes, and cooked proteins.
• Cross-Utilization: Design a menu that allows ingredients to serve multiple purposes. For instance, Braveheart Black Angus Corned Beef can be served as part of a soup or stew, sliced thin for a classic Reuben on Heritage Ovens® Rye Bread, or cubed and crisped for an unforgettable hash.
• Pacing: Consider requiring the entire order to be placed at once so that the kitchen can properly control pacing to the table.

An Irish-inspired tapas menu is a creative way for chefs to tap into the energy of St. Patrick’s Day with authentic flavors and dishes in bite-sized portions. By bringing innovative twists to traditional ingredients, it’s possible to craft a temporary menu that is fun to eat and feels unique amidst a sea of other Irish offerings. Whether through reinvented classics or bold new flavor combinations, this approach brings the warmth and richness of Irish cuisine into an elevated, modern menu.