Freshen Up Your Menu This Spring
As the weather starts to warm up, your menu should too.
Freshen Up Your Menu This Spring
As the weather starts to warm up, your menu should too.
Spring is the perfect time to refresh your drinks offering, keep your regulars engaged, and attract new customers looking for something that matches the brighter, more social atmosphere outside. With long lunches, birthday celebrations, footy finals, and the Spring Racing Carnival all filling the calendar, patrons are looking for elevated classics with a seasonal twist.
Embrace Seasonal Flavours
Spring brings an abundance of fresh fruit and vibrant flavours that work beautifully in cocktails and spritz-style drinks. Think strawberries, apples, watermelon, mandarins, pears, pineapple, and herbaceous ingredients that deliver a refreshing lift.
Incorporating seasonal produce is a simple way to create limited-time specials, encourage repeat visits, and give your drinks menu a fresh point of difference.
Put a Fresh Spin on Classic Cocktails
Mandarin Spritz
Looking to offer something a little different from the usual spritz selection?
A Mandarin Spritz delivers bright citrus notes, refreshing bubbles, and the kind of easy-drinking appeal that feels like sunshine after a long winter. We recently tried one and it perfectly captured that first warm spring afternoon feeling.
For inspiration, check out this recipe from The Grouchy Bartender: https://www.grouchy-bartender.com/cocktails/blog-post-mandarinello-spritz
A Lighter Piña Colada
The Piña Colada remains a crowd favourite, but a few simple tweaks can make it feel much more suited to spring.
This version comes courtesy of Tasmania's Grape Bar, and the secret is surprisingly simple: skip the coconut cream. The result is a lighter, fresher cocktail that's tropical without feeling overly rich.
Ingredients
45ml 1800 Coconut Tequila
15ml Malibu Pineapple Rum
15ml house-made pineapple syrup (spiced with cinnamon, star anise and cardamom)
20ml freshly squeezed lime juice
Method Shake all ingredients with ice and serve over crushed ice. Garnish with fresh pineapple.
Smoke on the Water: Forbes 32 Best Spring Cocktails
“It’s the perfect winter-spring transitional cocktail.” - Volkan Temel, The Edgewater - A Noble House Hotel
Ingredients:
· 1.5 oz. mezcal
· 0.25 oz. fresh lime juice
· 1 oz. watermelon cubed
· 0.5 oz. jalapeño syrup or a slice of fresh jalapeño
· Lime wedge, garnish
Method: Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a rocks glass, preferably over a large ice cube. Garnish with lime wedge.
Spring trends aren't limited to cocktails: Wines
As temperatures rise, many customers begin reaching for lighter, brighter wine styles. Crisp whites and refreshing rosés naturally find their way back into rotation, while chilled reds start making a seasonal comeback.
Consider highlighting:
Rosé for easy drinking and versatility
Pinot Grigio for a crisp, refreshing option
Chardonnay for guests looking for a fuller-bodied white
Chilled light reds for something a little different as the weather warms
Make the Most of the Season
A seasonal drinks menu doesn't have to mean recreating the wheel. A handful of fresh cocktails, a spotlight on seasonal produce, and a curated wine selection can create excitement and encourage customers to linger a little longer.
Spring is all about fresh starts. A refreshed menu could be exactly what your venue needs to make the most of the busy social season ahead.
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