You do it with less square footage and fewer tables. You apply the same smart business sense that makes big restaurants successful. You’re proud of the kitchen staff, front-of-house service, and your cafe food menu.
Size doesn’t matter when you know you’re cooking and serving your very best. Still, every small operation can use new small cafe menu ideas.
Fresh Inspiration for Your Cafe Food Menu
1. Cafe Menu Ideas for Breakfast
New Orleans French Toast
This French toast, made famous in New Orleans, is sure to impress your diners. Topped with confectioners' sugar, it's the perfect breakfast dish for those with a sweet tooth.
Breakfast Tacos and Burritos
Spice things up first thing in the morning with breakfast tacos or burritos. These menu items are easy to customize and can be packed with fresh ingredients.
Eggs Benedict
Achieve that classic diner feeling in your cafe by offering Eggs Benedict, one of the most popular American breakfasts. This dish is simple yet delicious and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
2. Cafe Menu Ideas for Lunch
Elevated Sandwiches
Fresh sandwiches are staples on cafe lunch menus. Make yours memorable by offering more than the basics. For instance, this turkey and cranberry sandwich perfectly encapsulates the flavors of Thanksgiving between slices of sourdough bread.
Hearty Chili
Lunch customers also appreciate a big bowl of red. Chili is a favorite entree year-round, and it also makes a great topping for hot dogs and burgers.
Creative Pizzas
Pizza is the perfect lunch meal for those looking for a quick bite to share. Use seasonal veggies to top your pizzas, and don't be afraid to get creative. This Brussels sprout and broccoli pizza is fresh, colorful, and flavorful.
3. Healthy Cafe Lunch Ideas
Veggie Sandwiches and Wraps
Veggie sandwiches, subs, and wraps appeal to vegetarians and healthy eaters alike. Use a sturdy bread like sourdough and pack the sandwich with leafy greens, fresh vegetables, and plenty of seasonings.
Cozy Soups
Warm up a hungry lunch crowd with healthy, housemade vegetable soups made with a light chicken stock. Take advantage of locally sourced veggies that keep soup recipes seasonally fresh.
Colorful Salads
Salads are another excellent healthy lunch choice. Use Napa cabbage as a base for this summer salad and this chopped salad with chicken.
4. Hearty Cafe Dinner Ideas
Perfect Burgers
Keep late-night diners happy by making your best hamburgers even better. Grill up burgers made with a mix of ground sirloin and lamb. Top them off with crunchy pickled lettuce, and serve them on housemade buns sided with thick-cut fries and fresh onion rings.
Shareables
Give the dinner crowd sharing options with cafe menu items like big baskets of fried shrimp and fish with hush puppies. Pass around plates of fried chicken, bowls of biscuits and boats of gravy. Mediterranean platters are another great way to keeping large parties lively.
Classic Sides
Pair your hearty, protein-packed entrees with sides of veggies or potatoes to create a traditional American plate. Mashed potatoes are always a favorite for dinner.
5. Ideas for Cafe Menu Specials
Mother's Day Brunch
Celebrate families with special dishes on Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Grandparents' Day. This frittata makes a delicious brunch special.
Theme Nights
Switch up your menu by hosting Taco Tuesday, BBQ Thursday, or a monthly tapas night. Promote your specials with steady feeds across social media, and invite your customers to snap, tweet, and pin their favorites.
Cultural Celebrations
Let upcoming cultural celebrations inspire new, limited-time dishes for your cafe. Serve jambalaya during Mardi Gras, or offer sausages for Oktoberfest.
6. Delicious Cafe Dessert Ideas
Fruit Pies
Fruit pies are always in season, so bake yours with locally sourced peaches, apples and cherries. Turn that fresh produce into deep dish pies, mini pie tarts, and fried fruit pies.
Fudgy Brownies
Chocolate desserts are hard to resist, and fudgy brownies make the perfect grab-and-go treat for your diners after their meal. Even better, you can easily bake them in large batches and display them at the counter to tempt your customers.
Ice Cream
Housemade ice cream is a sure-fire hit, too. Top off a slice of fruit pie with a creamy scoop, or serve it as a side to rich red velvet cake. From banana splits to smoothies and shakes, signature ice cream can be one of your most versatile cafe dessert ingredients.
How to Price and Market Your Menu to Attract Loyal Diners
Developing the best recipes is only part of the role of a cafe owner. To attract local diners, you also need to price and market your menu strategically.
Offer Combos
Bundling items together into combos gives your diners a deal while also encouraging them to explore more of your menu. For example, offer a lunchtime soup and salad combo or give a discount on a sandwich, side, and drink.
Add Seasonal Items
Your cafe probably has some tried-and-true staple items, but you can generate more interest in your restaurant by rotating through seasonal menu items as well. Offering short-term specials and seasonal meals creates a sense of urgency for your diners.
Use Social Media
Social media is an excellent marketing tool for small businesses, especially restaurants. Post pictures of your meals and update your followers about new menu items or promotions. New diners may find your cafe through searching on social media, and your loyal customers will stay in the know by seeing your posts.
Always At Your Service
It’s great to see a foodservice business take off in a big way. It’s especially satisfying when you manage it all with limited space. Friendly service, a great menu and your hard work make it happen.
We’re happy to help with small cafe ideas you can use from early breakfasts to late-night dinners. It’s our pleasure to be your source for industry tips and culinary inspiration. Here at Hitchcock Farms, we’re always at your service.
