Crafting a cocktail menu: How to build a better selection

A menu is your most powerful tool in a bar. Everything from the layout to the wording is key to getting your guest engaged and excited. You need to focus on four key points: language, accessibility, diversity and design.

Use the right language

Language on a menu is, for me, the most important part. Everybody has been to a venue and opened a menu that has instantly captivated them, with whimsical and playful descriptions of the drinks almost jumping off the page.

Gone are the days where cocktail ingredients are set out like a shopping list; now, ingredients need to be intriguing and prompt the guest to ask questions, as most guests prefer to engage with staff rather than read a book about what a drink is about.

Make it accessible

Accessibility, for me, is a very close second – a menu can’t just be a list of stirred-down, spirit-forward drinks. You have to have a mix of shaken, stirred and built drinks, as this ensures there is something for everyone.

We make sure we always have a diverse and considered offering for the guest so they feel seen and looked after while in our spaces.

Consider your design

Design is also another very important piece of the puzzle, and it ensures your menu is easily digestible for the guest. Not many people will be up for reading a whole page on one drink but instead may want to understand how the drink is served, which can be shown with a small illustration.

The most effective menus I have come across have been the ones that have bridged the gap of knowledge but also get to the point, so the guest can quickly and easily see and understand how the drink will taste and how it will be served.

How to build a cocktail menu

Your menu may be a piece of art, but the content needs to match it. It’s essentially a tool in your arsenal to showcase and educate a guest on what you do, but it’s also something to have fun with – don’t make it a bible that people will struggle to read.

Mix it up with fun imagery and creative descriptions that keep the excitement that the guest is looking for when they visit your bar.

Daniel Garnell is head bartender at Seed Library in Shoreditch, London

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