Pub and Grill Menu Ideas to Stand Out from the Competition

Poutine with Mushroom Gravy

One of the best (and easiest) bar food appetizers to ever be invented is poutine. It’s cheesy, greasy, salty, and filling — all you could ask for from a pub appetizer. For the unfamiliar, poutine is a holy combination of rich gravy, crispy fries, and melted cheese curds — that’s it. Its simplicity is what makes it such a great appetizer, too!

If you decide to opt for poutine, try to think about what sets your pub apart. Do you have craft beer on tap (or brew it, maybe)? Then build a stout gravy! Alternatively, you can use andouille and coffee to make a tasty redeye gravy, or even build out a demi glace “gravy” (should the urge hit you). Just because poutine is simple doesn’t mean it’s without creativity.

Mediterranean Hummus Board with Spiced Lamb, Olives, and Pita Chips

Boards are an excellent appetizer for two reasons. First and foremost, they can often be prepared almost entirely before service. Simply build them, wrap them, and then pull them when needed. This particular board will require a little bit of fire time, as your lamb will need to be heated, but proper prep will make that simple. 

Build out a board with hummus, an assortment of veggies, olives, any house pickles you may have, and some pita chips. From there, you can use sous vide spiced lamb bites that are seared during service and you’re set! If you want to get creative, mix up the spice rub for your lamb and build a tzatziki or chimichurri to accompany the lamb.

Beer-Battered Cheese Curds with Bacon Jam

If you opted to go with poutine, you’ll already have cheese curds. Beer battering them and deep frying makes for a great, quick-to-fire appetizer that hits all of the right spots for pub grub. Keep in mind that you’ll need to bread and fry them first, so plan for that as part of your prep process. From there, you can beer  batter during service and heat up its playmate, bacon jam. 

Generally, bacon jam will be made by slowly cooking bacon and caramelized onions into, well, a jam — but you can get creative here. Add a touch of sweetness with blackberries, some heat with chipotle peppers, or even add a bit of brightness with preserved lemon peel. 

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Reuben

Reubens are a staple at delis, pubs, breweries, and bars for a reason — they’re tasty and incredibly simple to make. Creating a vegetarian (or vegan) version can be a great way to bring in more veggie-based guests with a tasty sandwich. So, how do you make it?

Buy large portobello mushrooms and separate the cap from the stem. Soak the caps in a marinade made with dark beer (preferably a sweeter stout or brown ale) for prep and grill them during service. Once they’ve been seared, you can add sauerkraut and swiss, a bit of Russian dressing, and you’re set with a tasty vegetarian alternative to the classic Reuben on rye.

Bourbon-Glazed Pork Belly Banh Mi

Banh Mi is an incredibly popular sandwich in Vietnam that takes inspiration from French cuisine. Generally, it will consist of seared pork belly, pate, pickled veggies, and cilantro on a French roll, but you can get incredibly creative here. 

Marinade small bites of pork belly in a bourbon-based marinade with a touch of apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt. From there, you can sous vide or par-bake the bites and add a brown sugar bourbon glaze during service when searing. After that, all you’ll need are pickled veggies (ideally carrot and radish), some cilantro, and a sauce of some sort — I highly recommend a cilantro vinaigrette to bring a touch of brightness to the dish.

Cajun Blackened Fish with Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges and Chipotle Creamed Corn

Cajun blackened fish is a staple in the States, and for good reason. It’s delicious, versatile, and easy to make. 

For this dish, you could combine a chipotle creamed corn with blackened cod and charred roasted sweet potato wedges. Spread a generous (~4-6 ounces) serving of chipotle-infused creamed corn along the plate, lay your seared fish atop it, and add wedges of charred sweet potatoes. Garnish with lime and cilantro and serve with a citrus vinaigrette.

Pickled Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts and Strawberry Vinaigrette

Sweet pickled beets pair incredibly well with goat cheese and toasted walnuts. Add them to mixed greens with a strawberry lemon vinaigrette, and you’re off to the races. Once strawberries are out of season, you can switch to apples, pears, and other sweet fruits to add a bit of natural tartness.

Charred Broccolini with Lemon Zest and Garlic Breadcrumbs

This dish is always a winner, and it’s so simple. Blanch your broccolini ahead of time and then char on the grill during service. Grate a bit of fresh parmesan over the broccolini and top with garlic breadcrumbs. From there, pop that baby in the oven (or in the salamander if you want to skip the grill) for a couple minutes and watch the magic happen. Drizzle with a nice olive oil and grate fresh or preserved lemon zest over the top, and you’re off to the races.

Grilled Asparagus with Parmesan and Balsamic Reduction

This is another classic that’s a classic for good reason. Grilled asparagus follows the same general process as the broccolini above — blanch ahead of time for texture and color, sear on the grill, and finish with a balsamic reduction, fresh lemon zest, and freshly grated parmesan. It really is that simple. If you want to get creative, add crushed candied walnuts or a chimichurri. 

Bourbon-Infused Apple Upsidedown Cake

If you’ve ever made a pineapple upside down cake, you know where this is going. The only difference here is that we have a bit of a 21+ twist on the classic. 

Stew apples like you would for an apple pie, seasonings and all, and then soak them for several days in a bourbon of your choice. From there, build an upside down cake using the apples and enjoy the indulgence that’s to come. Serve with honeyed vanilla ice cream for bonus points!

Grilled Pineapple with Coconut Sorbet and Chili Lime Salt

Grilled fruit is an often overlooked dessert that’s incredibly simple but delicious nonetheless. Pair grilled pineapple or mango with coconut sorbet, chili lime salt, and a touch of agave nectar, and you’re set! It’s quick to prep, quick to fire, and just as delicious as you’re hoping it is.

Seasonal Bread Pudding

While bread pudding often gets a bad rap as “boring,” it’s a dessert that’s made for restaurants. You certainly have bread — brioche, baguettes, burger buns, any of them work. 

Once they begin to go a little stale, chop those babies into bite-sized pieces and build a pudding. You can mix in seasonal fruit or nuts to add a bit of texture (if you’re feeling creative), and serve it with a creme anglaise and berry jam. 

The Blood Orange Sazerac

For the uninformed, a sazerac is an old fashioned made with rye whiskey in a glass that’s been washed with absinthe. Simply swapping the orange for blood orange can provide a nice change in flavor and a wonderful deep red color, all while feeling new and exciting for guests.

The Bee’s Knees

One of my favorite cocktails of all time, the bee’s knees is an incredibly simple gin cocktail. It consists of honey syrup (simple syrup made with honey instead of sugar), gin, soda water, and lemon. What makes this cocktail so great, though, is its proclivity to modification. Add fresh mint for a botanical take on a mojito, or make it with aquavit for a more savory take on the same cocktail — the choices really are endless.

The Fernaperol

Finally, we reach a good old fashioned shot cocktail. It only takes two ingredients, making it a great special to run if you want to get drinks sold quickly. Combine equal parts Fernet and Aperol (or Campari, if you want to make a Ferari shot), shake with ice, and strain into a shot glass.