How To Build The Ultimate St. Patrick's Day Menu, According To A Chef

St. Patrick's Day is the perfect time to celebrate your Irish heritage — or to pretend that you're Irish for the day. If you're planning a St. Patrick's Day party, you want to make sure that your menu really captures the essence of the day. No details should be overlooked, and that includes making sure that your meal starts with the right appetizers, ends with a traditional dessert, and, of course, is accompanied by the right beverages for your guests.

We reached out to Britt Beeland, the executive chef of Nine Fine Irishmen at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, to learn more about what to think about when building your menu. After all, who will offer better advice about building a St. Patrick's Day menu than an experienced chef from a famous Irish restaurant? Read on to find out what Chef Beeland shared when speaking exclusively with Tasting Table. And, if you'll be in Las Vegas, don't forget to check out the largest St. Patrick's Day party in the city, which will take over the Brooklyn Bridge in front of the New York-New York. Chef Beeland and the Nine Fine Irishmen team will be helming the kitchen for Celtic Feis on March 15, 2025.

To give your guests a memorable experience, you want to wow them from the beginning. So, you shouldn't overlook the importance of starting things off with a bang with some impressive St. Patrick's Day appetizers. Britt Beeland highlights beer and cheese dip as a classic recipe that is certain to impress. "We use Guinness Beer, of course, prepared with rich white Irish cheddar, mozzarella, and Gruyère cheeses," he explains. Be sure to have some salted pretzel sticks and ciabatta or French bread on hand to serve with the dip, as Beeland suggests.

If you're looking for another appetizer to get your guests into the St. Patrick's Day spirit, Beeland recommends making sausage rolls, which are prepared by wrapping an Irish banger in puff pastry. "Simply wrap the cooked banger with puff pastry sheets, brush with a light egg wash, and cook till golden brown." Pair this app with some mustard, such as the Guinness mustard that Beeland serves it with for his restaurant guests.

If there's one thing you'll find on the menu at practically any Irish pub, it's fish and chips. Crispy beer-battered fish, served with fries (or chips, as they're called in Ireland). If you've ever ordered fish and chips from an Irish restaurant, then you know how incredible the pairing of the different flavors and textures is. The hot and flaky fish (typically cod or haddock), the crunch and flavorful coating, and the crispy fries just make your taste buds sing.

For all of these reasons and many more, Britt Beeland highlights fish and chips as a top menu item to consider when you're hosting a St. Patrick's Day party. "The best seller at Nine Fine Irishmen that is a must for any St. Patrick's Day feast is beer battered dish and chips. We prepare two large haddock filets dipped in our house-made Guinness beer batter and fried till golden brown," he says. When you're thinking about what else you'll need for this meal, Beeland says, "Make sure to serve the fish with a generous amount of crispy fries, lemons, and tartar sauce."

Fish and chips is only one traditional Irish main dish you might want to serve at your St. Patrick's Day party. "I would highly suggest shepherd's pie for a St. Patrick's Day entree," says Britt Beeland. If you haven't heard of shepherd's pie — or just need a quick refresher — it's an Irish dish that is made using ground meat and vegetables, topped with mashed potatoes. Traditionally, lamb was used for this dish, but modern recipes may call for ground beef or other meats.

"At Nine Fine Irishmen, we saute ground beef, diced onion, celery, and carrots with tomato paste. We add wine and deglaze," Beeland shares. He also offers some tips for home chefs looking to prepare shepherd's pie for their parties and events. He recommends using your favorite mashed potatoes recipe to top the casserole and then baking it in the oven until the potatoes start to brown. "When plating, it would be great to serve in rustic dishes to personalize or a large baking dish," he recommends.

While the right main course will set the tone for the rest of the meal, we all know that your guests are going to be expecting a few sides to accompany that dish. And, for the ultimate and authentic Irish experience, you don't want to just throw anything out without giving it a second thought. "A hit for St. Patrick's Day that you might not suspect is roasted Irish cauliflower," shares Britt Beeland. To liven up the dish and make it more enticing to guests, Beeland explains that he adds curry seasoning and oil to the cauliflower before roasting it in the oven. "It is served with our traditional Irish curry sauce and red bell peppers. Irish curry is a little sweet with just a hint of spice," he adds.

Roasted Irish cauliflower is just one of many Irish-inspired sides that could help you create the ultimate St. Patrick's Day menu. A few other traditional sides to consider include Irish soda bread, roasted parsnips, pan-fried potatoes, beer-braised cabbage, and boxties.

If you want to send your guests home raving about the food you served, then you want to ensure the meal ends with a bang. What better way to accomplish this goal than by serving up a rich and flavorful traditional Irish dessert? Chef Britt Beeland calls out Irish bread-and-butter pudding as the ideal finishing touch to your St. Patrick's Day menu. He describes this tasty dish as "a mixture of egg custard, dried two-day-old bread, golden raisins, cinnamon, and brown sugar." Just make sure to follow Beeland's advice to use stale bread. He explains that it "will help absorb all the flavors when it comes time to make it."

Beeland also recommends paying close attention to the finishing touches before serving this dessert. He recommends whipping up a simple caramel sauce — with some added Jameson Irish Whiskey. Then, just top it "with some vanilla bean ice cream and whipped cream for a happy and satisfied St. Patrick's celebration," says Beeland.

Of course, you don't want to forget about the alcoholic beverages that your guests will be looking for as they celebrate St. Patrick's Day with you. There are several Irish-inspired cocktails that you can enjoy on St. Patrick's Day, including Britt Beeland's recommendation of a black and tan. "It is easy for anyone to make. All you do is pour Bass in the glass, then slowly add Guinness over the top. The light density of Guinness allows it to float on top, creating a nice layered visual in the glass. In Ireland, the cocktail is known as a half and half, and has long been part of the holiday's tradition," he says. As you pour the black and tan cocktails like a connoisseur, you'll be certain to impress all of your guests.

But, don't limit your guests to only one drink option. Consider offering some other cocktails, such as Irish mules, Irish coffees, or Irish juleps. You could even pick up some of the best beers to dye green for St. Patrick's Day to add a festive touch to your home bar.

Some of your guests may not choose to drink alcohol for various reasons — whether they're the designated driver, abstaining for personal reasons, or simply don't like the taste of beer, wine, or liquor. You want to make sure that you don't forget about these guests and leave them without any exciting options to enjoy. There are several awesome non-alcoholic beers that your guests could enjoy. Britt Beeland offers one suggestion that would be a great fit for the holiday. He says, "Guinness Zero is a great non-alcoholic option for St. Patrick's Day. It truly has the same silky taste of Guinness without the alcohol."

You can also consider whipping up a few green St. Patrick's Day mocktails for your guests. For example, you could serve green matcha shakes, non-alcoholic lime margaritas, or even green lemonade.

Before you can finalize your menu, you'll need to decide how you will be serving your guests. There are two main options: plated service, where you give each guest a prepared plate with the items you cook, or a buffet, where each guest fills their own plate with the items they want.

This decision is ultimately up to you since it is your party. However, Britt Beeland shares some important advice. "The decision of buffet or plated service for St. Patrick's Day depends on the number of guests. If you have over 10 guests, I would recommend a buffet. It will greatly help the flow of the party and you can still add nice personalized touches to the table to make it feel more intimate and fun." If you're having a more intimate party with fewer than 10 guests, Beeland says that a plated meal might be best. He says that it will allow you and your guests to enjoy "a more family-oriented dining experience discussing the dishes and having great conversation."

While you don't want to be left with an excessive amount of leftovers, you certainly don't want to run out of food and have your guests leave hungry. "At Nine Fine Irishmen, we would look at the total count of a party. Then, we would tailor the menu for the occasion. St. Patrick's Day would be a traditional fare of four to five courses. The added courses allow you to prepare smaller portions per person so everyone can enjoy more variety and save room for cocktails," shares Britt Beeland.

There are a few general rules that can help you plan the right amount of food for a party. Plan for each guest to eat about five appetizers, at least an 8-ounce serving of your main dish(es), ¾ cup to 1 cup total of side dishes, and one piece/serving of dessert. Drinks can be a bit trickier to plan — especially for St. Patrick's Day, when people may drink more than they typically do. If you plan to have enough alcoholic and non-alcoholic options for each guest to have four to six drinks, you should be more than set. Of course, these are just general recommendations, and the specific guests at your party may eat and drink less or more. It is better to err on the side of having too much than underestimating. You can always pick up a few plastic storage containers and send your guests home with extra food instead of sending them home hungry.

When you're hosting a St. Patrick's Day party, you want to be able to spend time hanging out and having fun with your guests. You don't want to be stuck in the kitchen cooking for the entire time. When planning your menu, consider choosing a few dishes that you can prepare (or at least start) ahead of time. This will keep things from becoming overly complex on the day of the party and can help you ensure your party goes off without a hitch. Britt Beeland offers a few suggestions for Irish dishes that could be prepared ahead of time. "Shepherd's pie would be an effortless way to get ahead for a great party. You can cook ground beef or lamb with the veggies, place it in a casserole dish, and top with your mashed potatoes, and just heat in the oven the day of the party," he shares.

If you want to serve soup with your meal, Beeland recommends cooking those in the slow cooker. Two suitable options he highlights are seafood chowder and lamb and Guinness stew. In addition to simplifying things right before the meal, cooking these soups in the slow cooker can also help you make sure that you have enough room on the stovetop for the other dishes you're preparing.

Chef Beeland offers a few more suggestions for make-ahead options. He says, "More ways cooks can save time would be to braise short ribs or lamb shank. You can prepare both items the day before, then just pop in the oven about three hours before your party. Then, when your guests arrive, voilà, dinner is ready. Not to mention, the house will smell spectacular!"

As you're beginning to plan the menu for your St. Patrick's Day party, Britt Beeland highlights the importance of ensuring that all of your guests will be able to enjoy the food that you serve. To do this, you'll need to check to see if anyone coming to your party has any allergies or other dietary restrictions. Once you've checked with each guest, Beeland says, "Do your research; any great party starts with planning."

One starter that he highlights that could be safe for many with dietary restrictions is a salad. "I would start with a fresh salad. I would suggest a roasted beet salad with arugula, orange sections, and a light citrus vinaigrette." Of course, each guest's needs will vary. If any of your guests have a severe allergy or a condition such as celiac disease, where cross-contamination with unsafe foods would be problematic, you may want to have a conversation with them. They could share more information and special considerations that will help you plan an enjoyable meal for everyone.