St. Patrick’s Day Menu

16 Food and Drink Ideas for your Restaurant

Leprechauns are coming and guess what? Your restaurant is about to get lucky. St. Patrick’s Day falls on March 17 and is one of the best holidays to capitalize on, with millions of Americans all over the country flocking to restaurants to celebrate the luck of the Irish with friends and family. The streets of New York will not be the only ones packed with millions of people; your restaurant is about to fill up as well.

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), the total planned spend for St. Patrick’s Day all over the US is $5.87 billion this year, with $42 being the average expected spending amount per person. That simply means a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for every restaurant.

Luckily, Riviera Produce is here to help you take advantage of the popular cultural holiday. We put together a set of cool decor ideas to set the mood of your restaurant as well as menu and drink suggestions that will make your competition turn green with envy.

Decorating Your Restaurant for St. Patrick’s Day

The ambiance of your restaurant is just as important as the food and drinks you serve. Decor sets the mood, and it is crucial that your guests are welcomed into a pleasant environment where they will want to spend their time resting and enjoying themselves whilst conversing with friends and family.

It is not necessary to spend a lot of money to decorate your tables. Here are some simple and entertaining ideas that can put your guests in the festive spirit and put a big leprechaun smile on their faces.

1. Place a shamrock plant as a table centerpiece.
2. Use green or gingham green and white table napkins for St. Paddy’s Day.
3. Green colored glassware or recycled green colored bottles as vases will add that perfect splash of color to your table. S. Pellegrino bottles are a good example. Simply wrap the bottle neck with some twine to make it more personalized.
4. Fill a “Pot of Gold” with gold chocolate coins and place it in the center of the table. It will be a delightful treat for both adults and children!
5. Sprinkle some Shamrock cutouts over your tables!

Of course, no atmosphere is complete without music, so make sure you play Irish music in the background. It’s totally up to you and your restaurant’s floor capacity whether you hire a band with dancers or simply play music over your speakers.

St. Patrick’s Day Food Ideas

Whether you choose to decorate your restaurant with the luck of the Irish, there’s no denying that St. Patrick’s Day is associated with joyous food and beverages. So, if you want your restaurant to win the pot of gold at the end of the day, you should absolutely include some traditional Irish meals on your menu.

Entree Ideas for St. Patrick’s Day

1. Cheddar and Herb Boxty. Potatoes, cheddar cheese, parsley, chives, and onions abound in these Irish pancakes.
2. Corned Beef and Cabbage Rolls. Lettuce wraps with corned beef are a great way to bring a touch of American-Irish tradition to your menu.
3. Blackened Shrimp Avocado Cucumber Bites. Spicy shrimp on top of crisp and cool cucumber slices with a savory avocado sauce makes for a light and healthy holiday appetizer with a fantastic blend of tastes, textures, and temperatures.

Main Course Ideas for St. Patrick’s Day

1. Beef and Guinness Stew. A traditional Irish farmhouse dinner made of smoky bacon, sweet red peppers, fresh herbs and tender butternut squash.
2. Shepherd’s Pie. The mashed potatoes, vegetables and savory meat makes this pie so rich and comforting, especially when topped with creamy gravy.
3. Spinach Pancakes and Corned Beef Hash. Who doesn’t love an all-day breakfast? These tasty green pancakes might just persuade the kids to eat their vegetables! They’re flavorful, moist, and custardy, with a wonderful hint of onion in each bite.

Dessert Ideas for St. Patrick’s Day

1. Guinness Brownies. These brownies are fudgy, cakey and intensely chocolatey with a naughty hint of beer (thanks to the Guinness).
2. St. Patrick’s Day Lime Poke Cake. Lime gelatin adds a touch of green and a hint of lime to this not-too-sinful marriage of buttermilk and gently sweetened whipped cream.
3. Irish Scones. These scones will go great with jams, jellies, and preserves made with fruits such as Persimmons, Kumquats or Quince from Riviera Produce’s Peak Season Special.

St. Patrick’s Day Drink Ideas

St. Paddy’s Day just wouldn’t be as much fun without folks enjoying their alcoholic drinks. It’s undoubtedly what a large portion of your customers are looking forward to with 152.5% more beer sold than normal on St. Patrick’s Day.

1. Classic Irish Coffee. You can’t go wrong with whisky spiked coffee topped with brown sugar whipped cream.
2. Dressed Up Irish Coffee. The kick to the classic Irish coffee, and not for the faint of heart. This is a delicious after-dinner coffee made with Irish cream, Irish whisky, and peppermint Schnapps.
3. Tipperary. Made of Irish whisky, Chartreuse and sweet vermouth with a hint of orange. According to legend, this was named after the song “It’s a Long Road to Tipperary,” which was popular among Irish soldiers longing to return home to the Irish countryside during World War I
4. St. Patrick’s Day Mint Schnapps Shakes. A pale green delight that is wonderful as a midday treat or dessert. The peppermint Schnapps makes it a grownup kind of milkshake.
5. Guinness Float. Ice cream spiked with Irish whisky and Irish cream makes this Guinness recipe cheers worthy.
6. Passion Fruit Fizz Sour. This cocktail is spring in a glass. Passion Fruit Puree is the refreshing reminder that grass does not only seem to be greener because of St. Patrick’s Day, but because spring has now arrived. Riviera Produce has several different Perfect Puree varieties that you can add to your food and cocktail menus.
7. Green Smoothies. It doesn’t have to be alcoholic to be a good St. Paddy’s Day drink, but if it’s green, it’s definitely in! Get creative with green smoothies and browse through the wide selection of local green produce that Riviera Produce has to offer.

Whether it’s cabbage for your appetizers, potatoes for your main course or fruits and purees for your green desserts and drinks, Riviera Produce has all the ingredients and garnishes that you’ll need for a fully stocked and festive St. Patrick’s Day menu.

Just remember not to rely too much on luck, the Leprechauns might not be on your side if you wait too long to order everything you need. So be sure to stock early so you don’t miss out on what could be a lucky day for your restaurant!