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Essentially, a separate drinks menu serves to connect the dishes within the established menu structure, while also allowing diners to explore the flavors of each dish in greater depth. Furthermore, the chef's creative culinary ideas are sometimes showcased brilliantly with the addition of a specially designed drinks menu.
From wine and cocktails to non-alcoholic pairings like juice pairing, high-end restaurants today strive to offer diverse and consistent experiences to their diners. They don't want to serve a perfect food menu but be limited by stereotypical drinks like bottled water, soft drinks, and beer.
High-end restaurants today strive to offer diverse and consistent experiences to their diners.
A successful "tasting menu"—a fixed/custom-designed menu—is not just a meticulously arranged series of dishes; it is precisely a story, a discourse of taste. The drinks menu plays the role of a "dialogue" with each chapter of that story.
When a glass of wine, a cocktail, or a glass of homemade juice is served with a dish, it not only complements the flavor but also highlights, balances, or intentionally contrasts with the main ingredient, sauce, texture, and temperature of the food. Fundamental principles such as flavor balance, spice interaction, texture correspondence, and lingering aftertaste are all considered and harmoniously arranged.
In fine dining restaurants, the drink menu (wine/juice pairing) is not just a random accessory for guests to "drink for the sake of it."
From traditional pairings to diverse drink menus: the expansion of the pairing concept.
In the past, "pairing" in upscale restaurants was synonymous with wine. Red wine paired with red meat, white wine with white meat and seafood. But in recent years, the concept of "pairing" has expanded more than ever, encompassing cocktails, homemade juices, kombucha, non-alcoholic fermented drinks... and even pairing with "drinks of origin" (drinks made from local ingredients and fermented in their own way) at top restaurants.
Many renowned chefs and restaurants have proactively experimented to create beverage menus that both enhance the food and cater to the diverse needs of their customers. This expansion increases the creativity of the beverage industry and broadens the customer base of these establishments.
In Vietnam, several fine dining restaurants such as Gia Hanoi, Lamai, TUNG Dining, Mien, Nen Light, and The Monkey Gallery DINING… all offer specially crafted drinks to complement their seasonal menus. At Gia, Chef Nhung Tran has created many interesting beverages such as "soy milk," Vietnamese filter cocktails, and unique kombucha varieties. Meanwhile, Chef Trung Tran of Lamai demonstrates his creativity by making his own juice of the day…
A beverage menu needs to be not only "delicious" but also aesthetically pleasing, from the names of the items, the storytelling approach, the individual serving glasses (serveware), the order of service, and the language used by the sommelier or staff when describing the drinks. A well-written wine or beverage menu can tell the story of the region, the harvest season, or the restaurant's culinary philosophy, and this is what makes a difference in the customer's mind. At a higher level, this beverage menu can be a brand signature expressed in many ways, such as proactively offering exclusive selections of rare bottles or creating unique signature drinks.
A beverage menu should not only be "delicious" but also aesthetically pleasing, from the names and storytelling to the use of individual serving dishes.
Practical factors: finance, logistics, and operations
The economic aspect cannot be ignored when discussing the F&B market. A well-designed beverage menu can significantly increase average revenue per customer. Typically, this menu is priced using a small-pour tasting system with many items, optimizing revenue. Furthermore, selling drinks using a "pairing menu" allows restaurants to control bottle usage, reduce plastic and glass waste from industrial beverages, and optimize inventory.
However, to operate successfully, each restaurant requires complex management because running and maintaining this unique menu demands more manpower and time than usual. The restaurant can choose to produce its own beverages, such as making its own fruit juices, wines, and fermented drinks, as well as craft teas and beers, or source them from reputable suppliers. For wine, high-end restaurants typically work with a dedicated wine expert (sommelier). If implemented properly, a bespoke beverage menu can generate significant revenue for the entire operation.
A reputable restaurant understands that designing a beverage menu is rarely a linear process. Effectiveness comes from continuous communication between the sommelier and the chef. They taste, adjust the order of dishes, fine-tune portion sizes, and even subtly alter ingredients on the plate to complement the chosen beverage. In many high-end restaurants, there are intense meetings to prepare for a new menu. This refers to the entire food and drink menu, not just the "food" menu. The result is a cohesive whole, not two separate menus. This process itself is a valuable creative endeavor, often recognized by discerning diners.
The beverage menu and the restaurant's social responsibility sustainability.
As customers demand transparency regarding origin and environmental impact in today's emerging sustainable dining trend, each beverage menu is also a matter of concern. From selecting clean wines, sustainably produced wines from farm to table, local cocktail ingredients, using seasonal fruits for juice pairings, and reducing unnecessary imported bottles, all demonstrate responsibility. This not only aligns with conscious consumer trends but also represents a commitment to connecting restaurants with local producing communities. Trendy restaurants are building their beverage lists as a sustainable value chain, from farm to glass.
Challenges to consider during implementation
The most important factor comes from cost and risk. When a restaurant diversifies its beverage menu, it incurs higher inventory costs and carries a greater risk of excess stock if demand is mispredicted. Furthermore, staff training is also a challenge, as not all service staff are capable of presenting ideas from such unique menus; a sommelier with specific expertise is needed.
Another interesting but sensitive aspect is the pricing of the beverage menu. The prices shouldn't be excessively high, ideally only 35%-40% of the food menu price, but they must still ensure a high-end experience, using premium ingredients and creating unique culinary experiences.
In fine dining, the beverage menu has evolved from a supporting role to a "co-menu creation" role. It enhances the dining experience for customers, expands the customer base, increases business efficiency, and reflects the restaurant's values (aesthetics, ethics, and professionalism).
In an increasingly polarized culinary world, where customers seek both emotional value and transparency and sustainability, a beverage menu curated by sommeliers who understand the kitchen and can grasp customer psychology will be one of the key factors determining the true reputation of a fine dining restaurant.
