There has been a huge shift in the restaurant and cafe industry in the last few years. The hype behind chain cafes has died out and people are trying to support independent ventures more and more. It helps stimulate the local economy and allows for a greater degree of variety within a community.
One of the hottest trends right now is plant based cafes. Modern thinking, mostly boosted by social media, has led more people to adjust to a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle. Yet most older restaurants and cafes still have a very minimal selection for people on this diet scheme.
A lot of cafe owners will claim it is because it is too difficult to create a good plant based menu. But that just isn’t the case anymore. There are so many amazing choices out there now for vegans and vegetarians. Today we are going to offer you some tips for creating a simple, yet amazing plant based menu.
Base Ingredients
The first step in creating a good plant based menu is selecting the right base ingredients. A normal cafe will use products like milk, eggs, meats, and cheeses. Instead you should look at ingredients such as lentils, quinoa, various vegetables, and fruits.
You will also want to look at some good flavoring ingredients. Vegan honey, for example, is a great choice for your menu. Pair that with some amazing vegan yogurt and some granola and you can easily create a healthy, yet tasty breakfast dish that is suitable for anyone.
Meat Substitutes
We are lucky to live in an age where there are so many amazing meat substitutes on the market now. For the longest time Quorn and similar products were the only real meat substitute cafes would use. But now there are many amazing options that are almost indistinguishable from meat.
Jackfruit is one of my favorite choices. The texture of it is so similar to beef that you can use it to create an amazing burger. And, with the right herbs and spices, you can create some very unique flavors. Black Beans and pea protein also work well as meat alternatives. You could create an amazing burrito dish with these ingredients.
Varied Drinks
If you are running a fully plant based menu you will need a good selection of drinks to help prop it up. You should offer all the classic coffee options as standard. Alongside that you will want to look at some healthy drinks options. A lot of the best plant based cafes will sell vegan smoothies. Often using ingredients such as bananas, spinach, yogurt, honey, ginger, and much more.
People who frequent plant based cafes often enjoy a good cup of tea. Which is why you should consider having a varied tea selection on hand. There are thousands of amazing tea flavors out there. Both in teabag and loose leaf form. Offering loose leaf tea generally opens you up to a great selection of flavors.
Kombucha is also a great choice for your drinks menu. Kombucha is a fermented dark tea drink that is extremely good for you. It helps your digestive system and can help rid your body of toxins. It is an extremely versatile drink that can be modified with juices and other flavorings.
Aesthetics
The look of your cafe is just as vital to its success as the menu itself. And the aesthetics of a plant based menu should reflect your ethos. For example, you should consider using eco-friendly food packaging for all of your takeaway items and drinks. People are far more inclined to dine somewhere that uses eco-friendly products these days.
To enhance your cafe’s aesthetics, consider durable, natural materials in your decor to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Sourcing quality materials, like those from the best timber wood provider in the Philippines, can give your space a timeless and eco-friendly feel that resonates with customers who value sustainability.
You will want to decorate with a lot of plants as well. There are hundreds of amazing houseplants that are perfect for a cafe environment. And they are relatively easy to care for. We recommend going for plants with bright, vibrant colors. This will add a bit of vibrancy and life to your cafe.
Testing The Menu
It is vitally important that you take the time to properly test your menu. No menu is perfect on the first try. You will want to run through a few different iterations of the menu. Testing each one as you go. The bulk of the testing will be done internally between you and your staff. This is where you will build up the main foundation of the menu and make small, gradual changes. During this stage you should not be afraid to experiment with the dishes. If you have an idea that seems outrageous you should give it a go. You never know what might work.
When you get near the final iteration of your menu you will want to do a tasting night. This is where you invite friends, family, and trusted food critics or chefs to come and taste your menu and give honest feedback on it. These nights can be a lot of fun and are also a great way to drum up hype for your business.
Making the testing night into an event is excellent for generating some social media content. Prepare some speciality drinks for the night. Provide some entertainment. And serve up some amazing food. By the end of the evening all your guests will be ready to provide feedback on every aspect of the cafe. You can then tweak your menu, and any other aspects of your service and interior, to prepare yourself for opening day.
Chef Carlos Meier has been working in the culinary industry for more than a decade at popular and known places. Carlos got his first job in a kitchen at a fast food restaurant washing dishes. He quickly moved up the ranks to bussing tables and wait-assisting.