A lot of seafood restaurants have seasonal menus. Their goal is to offer seasonal seafood dishes or seafood pairings that go well with the weather and the customer’s mood.
In this article, we share nine examples of seasonal seafood dishes any restaurant owner might consider including in their menu. These dishes are broken up based on the four seasons, spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
Why Have Seasonal Seafood Dishes on a Restaurant Menu?
The main reason why chefs and restaurant managers create seasonal menus is because their ingredients are usually cheaper during that time of the year. This helps increase restaurant profit margin and guarantees that the products are fresh.
Another benefit of having seasonal menus is that they help create a better dining experience for clients. People get excited about major holidays, and they also might want to try dishes and flavors reflecting that season.
It is said that the only constant in life is change. This is true for the food and beverage industry too. In order to answer market expectations, restaurants need to adapt. An easy way to change your menu is to test what seasonal seafood dishes your customers order most often. Then, you can add them as permanent options in the menu.
Last but not least, having a seasonal menu helps seafood restaurants reduce food waste. By using ingredients that are fresh, easily available, and in season, you reduce the reliance on other products. This is one additional way to increase the profit of a restaurant.
Key takeaway: Having a seasonal seafood menu increases the revenue of a restaurant. It also helps improve customer moods during different seasons. Seasonal menus usually include dishes made of fresh regularly restocked ingredients.
Popular Seasonal Seafood Dishes
When people hear of seafood, most associate it with either summer or winter. However, we’ll include a couple of ideas you might want to add to your restaurant’s spring and autumn menus.
Spring Seafood Dishes
A great idea for a spring seafood dish is seared scallops with a green salad and seasonal vegetables on the side. The juicy scallops are complemented nicely with fresh vegetables. Dressed with lemon-butter sauce and paired with different types of wine like Chardonnay, this dish can become a star in your restaurant menu.
Another idea for a spring seafood meal is crab risotto. The combination of crab meat and rice is well-known. In order to make this dish a seasonal one, you can add spring products like spring peas or spinach. They go really well with the creamy texture of the risotto. A pinch of herbs, some white wine, and a little lemon juice will make it fresh and rich in flavor.
Summer Seafood Dishes
Hot summer weather usually means restaurant customers focus more on light dishes. Salads are the obvious choice in that regard.
Seasonal salad ingredients include tomatoes, cucumbers, olive oil, and crispy greens. To complete the meal, you may even add some summer cocktails to your menu.
An excellent idea for a seasonal seafood dish during the summer is a grilled octopus salad. It combines fresh vegetables with the tender structure of a grilled octopus. For additional flavor, you can add garlic and Greek herbs. The salad seasoning can be just vinaigrette and olive oil. A true Mediterranean experience that will increase your restaurant’s profits!
Ceviche is a member of Latin American cuisine. This dish can include various products. One of the well-known varieties is shrimp ceviche. It is an excellent light lunch option.
The freshness of this dish is achieved by mixing lime juice, chili peppers, diced tomatoes, onions, garlic, avocado, and cucumbers. Another customer-preferred summer seafood dish can be octopus ceviche.
Fish with mango salsa is an excellent option for a seasonal seafood dish. Not only will the excellent seafood plating attract more customers, but it will also help you boost your branding and marketing channels.
When you’re preparing your restaurant ads for the summer season, make sure to include dishes like this colorful one. Seeing them will urge your clients to make a reservation and try them right away.
Autumn Seafood Dishes
During the fall, people prefer to dine at cozy places. The scent of pumpkin and apples is also something associated with autumn. Therefore, consider adding these ingredients to your seasonal dishes.
One idea for a special seafood meal is glazed salmon. The glaze can be made by combining apple cider and honey. This will add a caramel flavor to the salmon. A suitable side will be wilted baby spinach and a slice of lemon. Make sure not to overseason the salmon as the glaze will be rich enough.
The fall time brings cold weather. That’s when stew and soup recipes become increasingly popular. An example of such is an oyster stew. It’s a classic dish, usually associated with Thanksgiving.
The main ingredients include butter, oysters, and milk. In addition to those, you can add fresh chives, mushrooms, or hot sauce.
Winter Seafood Dishes
During the long winter days, warm meals are the preferred option both at home and in restaurants. Allow us to share some seasonal seafood options which will bring more business to your venue.
Salmon Wellington is a classic puff pastry dish with salmon. Among the popular recipes are the ones with spinach or garlic butter. The meal itself doesn’t have many ingredients. The tricky part is to plate it properly. It’s a good choice for a fancy dinner experience or during special occasions.
If you want to include a pinch of Mediterranean cuisine in your winter seasonal menu, cioppino is a great option. This Italian-American stew can be made with a mix of seafood like fish, crab, clams, mussels, or shrimp. Other main ingredients are tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and wine.
The creamy texture of a well-prepared seafood chowder also has the potential to become a star dish on your restaurant’s menu. Just like cioppino, it can be made with different fish and shellfish products. Therefore, you can change the recipe in order to include the freshest seafood items in your restaurant inventory.
If your venue aims to offer luxurious dishes, you might consider offering baked stuffed lobster. As its name suggests, this dish is made of a whole lobster and stuffed. The usual ingredients are herbs, butter, minced onion and celery, garlic powder, Parmesan cheese, and lemon.
Frequently Asked Questions about Seasonal Seafood Dishes
If you are a restaurant manager preparing a seasonal menu, or you’re just wondering how to cook seafood at home, the following answers will help you with your task.
Where Can I Find Quality Seasonal Seafood Products?
Restaurant owners usually shop from seafood wholesalers. This way they get both a variety and quality of products. Other places to find fresh fish products are local markets.
Keep in mind that reputable venues buy their stock from companies that are certified according to well-known seafood sustainability standards. Also, you can use marketplace apps. Technology in restaurants has helped managers contact fish farms with just a few clicks.
Why Should I Order a Seasonal Seafood Dish?
There are many health benefits of eating seafood. But, if you order seasonal options, chances are the seafood will be freshly caught. The seasonal menu aligns with the overall mood and weather during that specific time of the year.
How Do I Create a Seasonal Seafood Menu?
The seasonal seafood menu should correspond to the style and interior of your venue, the location’s climate, the preferences of your customers, and your restaurant business goals. For example, a fast-casual dining restaurant might want to include more main courses in its seasonal menu.
On the other hand, a beach resort seasonal restaurant could benefit more from offering light summer salads and seafood appetizers. When creating a seasonal menu, consider factors like your storage space and the drinks your clients usually order.