It’s that warm, wonderful time of year again. Consumers look forward to the end of winter and welcome the sunshine of spring. They’re ready to get out of the house, and that puts them on track for eating out more often. Take advantage of this upswing in attitudes with spring menu ideas for your restaurant.
Give your customers renewed reasons to enjoy your dining room. Flex your creativity as a foodservice professional with timely menu engineering. From spring lunch recipes to desserts that celebrate the season, open up your opportunities to put an extra bounce in business.
Refreshing Your Restaurant Menu: 20 Springtime Ideas
It’s only natural for premium produce to take center stage this time of year, so keep your commercial kitchen pantry stocked with a variety of veggies. Artichokes, sweet peas and zucchini are just a few of the ingredients included in this list of 20 spring menu ideas.
Fresh Brunch Menu Ideas for Spring
Open your restaurant doors with a spring brunch that sets the tone for the rest of the day. Wake up customer interest with springtime specialties that serve a wonderful blend of breakfast and lunch.
1. Decadent Chocolate Waffles
Appeal to the chocolate lover in everyone’s soul with dark, rich waffles that also serve as a healthy brunch choice. Buckwheat keeps these chocolate waffles off the guilty-pleasure list. Sliced strawberries and Greek yogurt top the brunch dish with enticing spring accents.
2. Springtime Artichokes Benedict
The eggs Benedict brunch tradition takes on a fresh look and taste without English muffins or poached eggs. Instead, this sensational seasonal recipe crowns roasted artichoke hearts with fluffy scrambled eggs and pancetta. It’s an irresistible springtime version of the original.
3. Fresh Veggie Frittata
This is another brunch classic made with fresh zucchini and potatoes. Prep potatoes before service to save even more time with the Food Network’s quick-fix recipe. Busy restaurant kitchens can turn out multiple orders of spring veggie frittata with one pass of the pan.
4. Bananas Foster Casserole
Transform New Orleans’ world-famous dessert into a restaurant brunch sensation. Its basic ingredients blend into a breakfast cassarole that looks as good as it tastes. Drizzle bananas with rum and caramel syrup, toss with cubed French toast, and bake into a bubbly brunch delight.
Special Spring Lunch Menu Ideas
Keep your restaurant’s springtime lunch service light and inviting. Keep customers engaged with selections that please the eye and the palate. These ideas offer perfect pairings of beautiful presentations and wonderful flavors.
1. Spring Asparagus Salad
It’s one of the season’s most celebrated vegetables starring in light spring lunches. Served as a side or entree, chilled asparagus salad is elegantly simple and versatile. Layer asparagus spears over a bed of fresh arugula, escarole or baby iceberg lettuce, and dress with sweet balsamic vinegar.
2. Avocado And Cucumber Soup
Credit Chef Giger again for developing a recipe that really salutes spring. His cool combination of avocado and cucumber creates a luxurious soup. Presentation in Iceberg Baby® lettuce bowls makes it a unique springtime dish.
3. Salmon With Jamaican Sorrel
Add tropical notes to your spring lunch menu by topping baked salmon with sorrel sauce. Jamaican sorrel brings a mix of spicy, sweet, citrusy and tart flavors to this springtime seafood favorite. The time-saving sauce moves from food processor to plate in just minutes.
4. Fresh Strawberry And Rhubarb Crisp
How do you make spring fruits and vegetables play well together? Match them up in this delicious dessert recipe from Chef Ina Garten. Sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb bring out the best in each other when they’re baked into a heavenly crisp. Fresh orange juice and zest add another layer of spring flavors.
Irresistible Spring Buffet Menu Ideas
This time of year, banquet rooms stay full and dining room stations stay busy. Fill your restaurant’s buffets with appetizers, sides and entrees showcasing the irresistible flavors of spring.
1. Spring-Fresh Dippers
Plate premium produce with a delicious sauce, and serve a signature in-house crudites platter. We share Southern Living’s smooth dip that truly complements crisp, spring-fresh vegetables. The secret to this appetizer’s silky sauce is a teaspoon of Beau Monde seasoning.
2. Orzo Risotto And Spring Veggies
Spring-inspired risotto can serve as a healthy side or entree. The recipe blends whole grain orzo with a medley of spring vegetables including cremini mushrooms and butternut squash. It’s a quick prep for busy commercial kitchens, and it holds well on buffet steam tables.
3. Chilled Shrimp And Fusilli
Tender pasta spirals provide just the right textural touch to this chilled buffet dish. Fusilli, shrimp and peas combine to create a light and satisfying plate for lunch or dinner buffets. Customize the springtime recipe by replacing the fusilli with housemade pasta or adding a creamy white sauce.
4. Cornish Hen Stew
Streamline a busy dinner service with a comforting cornish hen stew. The make-ahead entree pairs tender, tasty poultry with fresh asparagus, carrots and peas in an ultra-smooth cream sauce. Food & Wine recommends pairing this mouthwatering medley with a young sauvignon blanc.
Vegetarian Spring Dinner Menu Ideas
Spring’s freshest bounty deserves its own menu, but vegetarian dishes aren’t just for vegetarians. Develop these spring veggie dinner ideas into entrees that please all health-conscious dining room guests.
1. Veggie Pasta Salad
It’s light, healthy and filled with spring produce. This pasta bowl from Food Network star Jeff Mauro hits all the right notes for a perfect warm-weather lunch. We suggest fresh green peas for elevating the dish to springtime heights.
2. Penne, Peas And Asparagus
Simplicity makes this veggie dinner a spring favorite with busy commercial kitchens. Penne pasta, peas and asparagus are bathed in a light cream sauce and garnished with chopped sage and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Substitute vegetable stock for the recipe’s chicken broth to create a perfect vegetarian spring dinner.
3. Spring Vegetable Polenta
If vegan appetites could smile, they would beam at this healthy take on traditional polenta. Bon Appetit tops the Northern Italian comfort food with fresh spring vegetables and tofu. A little miso makes the polenta rich and savory.
4. Spring Vegetarian Stew
This hearty dish is a delicious take on traditional meat stews. It’s a healthy comfort food made even better with locally sourced produce. Slowly simmer spring vegetarian stew with the season’s freshest peas, artichokes, asparagus and leeks. The dinner entree can be easily reworked to incorporate summer, fall and winter vegetables.
Fine Dining Menu Ideas for Spring
Crisp, white table cloths, attentive service and elegant entrees are the hallmarks of fine dining. Elevate the experience for your restaurant’s guests with refined menu selections that highlight the best of springtime’s bounty.
1. Grilled Ginger Lamb Chops
Treat customers to a sophisticated dish of grilled spring lamb chops marinated in a fragrant ginger sauce. Cilantro and oyster sauce complete the unique flavor profile. This recipe calls for a 2-hour soak, but you can streamline service prep by refrigerating the chops in marinade overnight.
2. Garlic Pork Shoulder And Vegetables
Slow-roasted pork shoulder offers a unique take on the spring classic made even better with garlic and herbs. Oregano, coriander and thyme complete the garlic rub and create a crusty exterior that seals in juicy tenderness. Side with a medley of peas, carrots and fava beans, and serve as a signature spring fine dining dish.
3. Poached Wild Salmon
When we think of spring menu ideas for fine dining, we picture a simple, elegant plate of poached wild salmon. Bon Appetit satisfies appetites for this seafood favorite and gives it a special springtime touch with peas and morels. Feel free to substitute savory shitakes or peppery chanterelles.
4. Spring Fruit Sorbet
Sorbet can be so much more than a classic palette cleanser. The frozen delight is perfect for serving fresh fruit goodness in beautiful dessert bowls. The James Beard Foundation shares basics for blending up a delectable fruit sorbet. It’s an ideal finish for casual lunches and elegant dinners.
Supplying Our Very Best Year-Round
It’s our pleasure to offer restaurant menu ideas that complement the season and help keep your tables full. We’re happy to do it year-round too. We enjoy sharing summer recipes for romaine hearts, fall inspiration for Brussels sprouts and winter holiday menu tips. And we love sharing recipe ideas for the home chef as well (check out our spring menu ideas here).
When you’re looking for fresh takes on starters, sides and entrees, we’re always your dependable online resource. As one of California’s oldest and largest produce growers, Hitchcock Farms proudly supplies the premium products that define premium quality in your foodservice operations.
