Home / Party / 21 Elegant Dinner Party Menu Ideas (Recipes to Impress)
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These elegant dinner party menu ideas are perfect for any special occasion! These delicious dishes, sides, and desserts will impress even your picky friend or family member!
When planning a fancy dinner party it’s important to think of your guest’s overall experience.
So the first thing to think about is the guest list.
This should be the first thing you do. We love the idea of inviting close friends over, but it can also be a fun twist to have dinner party guests that have never met before.
Identify any food allergies and preferences.
It’s also good idea to find out if any of your potential dinner guests have food allergies or prefer not to drink alcohol if you’re planning on serving a bottle of wine or co*cktails.
Choose a Great Bottle of Wine
A good rule is that red meats and savory dishes usually pair well with red wine, and fish and chicken dishes go best with white wine.
Create Special Touches Through the Night
Fresh flowers on the dinner table and having co*cktail ready for guests when they come in the door really elevate formal dinner party. We also like to serve a small appetizer like crab cakes, bruschetta topped with olive oil, or a nice cheese board before the gourmet dinner.
Once you have your guest list, you’re ready to plan out your dinner party-worthy main dishes.
The best part is these fancy entrees can be easier than you think to make!
21 Elegant Dinner Party Menu Ideas
One of the best ways to make a night special is with a delicious recipe! These impressive recipes are perfect for an elegant dinner party menu!
What's better than a steak dinner? A fancy restaurant style dinner with steak and lobster is a classic! We love to serve it with mashed potatoes or asparagus.
Make sure you have a delicious side to serve with your main course for your elegant dinner with this roasted maple brussels sprouts recipe from Simply Scrumptious Eats.
Serving a sweet treat is the best way to top off your fancy dinner party. That's why these raspberry swirl mini cheesecakes from The Savory Cipolla are the perfect after dinner dessert.
Your guests will love snacking on these layered strawberry desserts from Chocolates and Chai after a delicious dinner!
Key Lime Pie
This award-winning dessert has the best flavor and is perfect the next time you have a Summer dinner party!
We hope these elegant dinner party recipes inspire you to create your own fancy dinner! After all, dinner parties are a great way to introduce people or spend time with those you love!
Love these elegant dinner party menu ideas? You may also like these ideas:
Think about four things when deciding the food you want to serve at the party – time, temp, type, and theme. Serve the food that matches the time of the day, the temperature outside (no ice cream in December), and your party theme.
Perhaps you and your three best friends haven't seen each other in ages, and you want to really take the time to catch up. Keep it at four, and you'll be able to keep everyone well within earshot for some intimate discussions. A six person dinner party will upgrade your evening from cozy to chatty.
The foundation of making guests feel special lies in personalised communication. Addressing guests by their names without overdoing it, remembering their preferences, and acknowledging special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries can leave a lasting impression.
What Does a Typical Catering Tray Feed? Generally, a catering tray can feed 15-20 people. For example, a full tray of chicken breasts should have enough protein for 15-20 people. However, remember that people may choose sides like salads and desserts, which may not factor into this.
Four 8-foot tables combine to make seating for 20-22 people (depending on if you add a seat where the tables join along the sides). This arrangement of tables may also be conducive for a large family meal, a conference or meeting, or to maximize space for seating up to 22.
Finger foods, canapes, and grazing tables are great options that can feed a crowd and are easy to shape around any style. From gourmet cured meats and cheeses to catering classics like mini pies and pastries, there is bound to be something for any theme.
Introduction: My name is Twana Towne Ret, I am a famous, talented, joyous, perfect, powerful, inquisitive, lovely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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