Shareable Chef’s Boards are a popular way to start a meal at North Italia. | Photo courtesy of North Italia
Restaurants are re-energizing the appetizer section on menus. Even the name has gone through a transformation, with “starters,” “small plates,” “shareables,” and “bites” often taking the place of the traditional “appetizers” heading.
Whatever they’re called, appetizers have a lot going for them. The prevalence of GLP-1 weight loss drugs means a growing number of diners are looking for smaller portions when they dine out. And even those who aren’t trying to lose weight are looking for more affordable restaurant options. Appetizers fit both demands—they’re generally lower in price and smaller in size.
Additionally, many chefs get more creative with starters and small plates, exploring flavors and ingredients that may be too risky to try with a more expensive entree. Younger diners, in particular, will order a bunch of shareable appetizers that can take them on a culinary adventure.
“We’ve really expanded our small plates section of the menu quite a bit,” said Chris Simms, CEO of the Lazy Dog Restaurants casual-dining chain based in Costa Mesa, California. “It’s really kind of just the right portion and we’ve spent a lot of time developing unique flavor profiles for these items.”
Lazy Dog’s Korean Fried Chicken Bao Buns bring global flavors to the small plates roster. | Photo courtesy of Lazy Dog Restaurant
Simms cited recent additions, including Chili Garlic Cucumbers marinated in spicy chili garlic crunch and rice wine vinegar with bell peppers and sesame seeds; Korean Fried Chicken Bao Buns with gochugaru pepper glaze and kimchi aioli; and Tikka Masala Meatballs, chicken meatballs napped with tomato curry sauce and cucumber drizzle.
“Consumer behavior is changing and people are looking for affordability, smaller portions and more variety,” said Simms. “It’s like a trifecta for our guests and we’re seeing a ton of sales in that [appetizer] category. I know I prefer to eat tinier portions with great flavors so I can try a lot of different things.”
Stats on starters
“Appetizer” shows up on 94% of menus in Technomic Ignite’s Menu database of 8,000 operators.
Cheese (22.7%) and sauces (17.7%) are the top two ingredients paired with appetizer items.
Wings are the most popular appetizer order, coming in at 16.8%, with Cheese Sticks/fried cheese appetizers next at 15.3%.
Source: Technomic
Small is big
Small plates are also the terminology used for appetizers at North Italia, where guests are encouraged to share and interact by ordering several for the table, said Chris Curtiss, senior director of culinary and R&D for the 51-location casual-dining chain. “We are constantly looking at our offerings to make sure they appeal to a broad demographic but at the same time, staying true to our inspiration, which is regional Italian cuisine,” he said. “So house-made meatballs are always on the menu, and we have a next-level garlic bread—our white truffle garlic bread topped with house-made ricotta—as well as a burrata dish with heirloom tomatoes.” Cacio e Pepe Arancini, Calamari Friti, and Grilled Artichokes are also appetizer staples.
Truffle Garlic Bread is topped with house-made ricotta. | Photo courtesy of North Italia
But Curtiss is especially excited about the house-baked focaccia he recently introduced in this menu section. “It’s about 7 inches in diameter and 3 inches thick, and comes out incredibly moist and fluffy,” he said. “It’s flavored with wild fennel pollen and wild oregano from Southern Italy and is served with whipped ricotta and a Sicilian pistachio pesto for dipping. It takes about two days to make and it’s been very well received.”
Also well received is the rotating Seasonal Chef’s Board, designed specifically for sharing. The current version includes stracciatella cheese, truffle honey, red wine glazed figs, marinated olives, giardiniera, Campari nuts, pecorino Toscano, prosciutto di Parma, speck, and hearth bread, the latter grilled and drizzled with olive oil.
North Italia’s meatballs are always on the menu as a small plate option. | Photo courtesy of North Italia
North Italia’s menu really leans into the way people want to eat today as plenty of other items qualify as appetizers even if they’re not listed in the Small Plates section. Take pizza, for example. “Our pizzas are about 12 inches in diameter so they make the perfect starter for two to four people before they dive into the next course,” said Curtiss. The artisan-style pies range in price from $22 to $24 and come in varieties like Fig & Prosciutto, Cacio e Pepe, and Margherita.
Pastas and salads are also easy to split, and paired with a couple of small plates, can add up to a very affordable dinner with lots of variety. “Our servers are very well versed and are able to guide a table of four so everyone can have a selection of bites by ordering small plates, focaccia, and a pasta before they go on to the entrees,” said Curtiss. Staff also suggests beverage pairings from the restaurants’ extensive cocktail list and wines by the glass selection.
North Italia’s parent company, The Cheesecake Factory, goes even further by actually calling one section of the appetizer menu “Bites.” The lineup includes Avocado Toast with arugula, red onion, and tomatoes; Ricotta Cheese Toast with orange honey; New Orleans Cajun Shrimp; and Crispy Rice Cakes with Crab. All sell for under $10.
At North Italia, guests can get appetizers that have been downsized to bites during Happy Hour. The schedule varies from location to location but tends to fall between 4 and 7 p.m. or 3 to 6 p.m. at the bar only.
Bar food grows up
Brazilian steakhouse chain Fogo de Chão offers a couple of appetizers at the dinner table, but the kitchen gets really creative with its Bar Fogo menu. The Plano, Texas-based casual-dining chain offers an all-day Happy Hour at many locations, where beer, South American wines and Brazilian-inspired cocktails range from $6-$10 to pair with an array of $6 bar bites that fit the restaurant’s culinary theme.
Saucy Legs are a Bar Fogo appetizer. | Photo courtesy of Fogo de Chão
These include Brazilian Empanadas with chimichurri aioli; Spiced Chicken Sliders with arugula, tomato, pickled onion, and tropical aioli on a brioche bun; Saucy Legs made with fire-roasted chicken, hot Brazilian barbecue sauce, panko, and dedo de moça peppers; and Queijo Assado, blistered cheese with malagueta honey.
For those with heartier appetites, the Bar Fogo menu offers a roster of shareable plates ranging from $8 for Crispy Yuca Fries to $29 for the Shrimp Cocktail. In between, there are choices such as Warm Hearts of Palm and Spinach Dip ($11), Burrata and Roasted Tomatoes ($11), Lobster & Shrimp Tacos in napa cabbage leaves ($13.50), Braised Beef Rib Sliders ($14.50), and Lamb Lollipops with Mintchurri Sauce ($17).
This is all served in the lounge area of the restaurant where guests can dine at the bar itself or in comfy seating around low tables. None of the food items except the Shrimp Cocktail is available in the dining room, but Fogo de Chão’s dinner menu offers a shareable Seafood Tower listed in the concise “Starters” section. The dramatic presentation of lobster tails and claws, jumbo shrimp, snow crab legs, and mussels with Malagueta cocktail sauce serves four and goes for $112.
The Starter Sampler at Legal Sea Foods is served in a clever “tower” presentation. | Photo courtesy of Legal Sea Foods
The popularity of seafood towers inspired Legal Sea Foods to create one of its own, but on a less lofty scale. “The new sampler tower comes with fried scallops and shrimp, a little [Rhode Island-style] calamari, house-made shrimp pot stickers, and Bang Bang cauliflower,” said Matt King, president and COO of the Boston-based casual-dining chain. “If you’re out with four to six people, it’s a great way to start the meal and be able to share. It’s been one of our bigger launches this spring.”
The Starter Sampler is priced at $42 — or a little over $10 per person for four to share and even more of a deal for six.
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