Getting your party off to a stylish start with a set of exquisite canapés is a fantastic way to welcome your guests!
Alastair Currie Events takes great care, alongside our wonderful chefs, to ensure the very best variety, flavours and styling for our culinary offerings. Each menu we deliver is bespoke – always taking into consideration the event style, season, guest preferences and, of course, any theme! We also look at provenance, always opting for local suppliers with local ingredients and sustainable resources wherever possible.
We’ve put together a list of some of our favourite and most popular canapés that are always sure to be crowd pleasers.
Canapé Ideas to Impress Your Guests
Vegan & Vegetarian Canapés
With the ever-increasing percentage of the population following a flexitarian, vegetarian or vegan diet, it is important to present an inclusive offering for all your guests.
1. Butternut squash and sage arancini
2. Caprese skewers of mozzarella, tomato and basil
3. Pea and mint bruschetta
4. Mushroom and stilton tartlets
5. Goats’ cheese and fig relish crostini
6. Filo baskets with pear, feta and fresh mint
7. Asparagus frittata
8. Pecorino and caramelised pepper crostini
9. Chilled tomato gazpacho shooter
10. Pea and mint velouté with toasted hazelnuts
11. Slow-roasted cherry tomatoes, parmesan shortbread and basil pesto
12. Cheese and rosemary sable biscuits with mascarpone and roasted cherry tomatoes.
Check out our Vegan and Vegetarian meal ideas blog for more mouth-watering inspiration!
Meat & Fish Canapés
Exquisite canapés using only the finest, sustainably sourced ingredients are sure to be a great success with partygoers.
13. Apricot glazed mini sausages
14. Smoked mackerel pâté melba toast with cucumber relish
15. Prunes wrapped in streaky bacon
16. Skewered ginger and chilli prawns
17. Cornish crab and chive tartlets
18. Harissa chicken skewer with a yogurt dip
19. Quails’ scotch egg
20. Duck rillettes, plum chutney crostini
21. Seared beef, tarragon mustard ciabatta bite
22. Lamb and Tuscan mint oil pâté croute
23. Chorizo and goats’ cheese tartlet
24. Thai fishcakes with sweet & sour cucumber dipping sauce
Dessert Canapés
Undeniably a universally loved indulgence, an after-dinner sweet is the perfect way to put a smile on your guests’ faces, as well as showcase the brilliance of your bespoke menu.
25. Treacle tartlet square with clotted cream
26. Gooey mini chocolate brownie
27. Espresso martini mini eclair
28. Mini lemon tartlet with a raspberry compote
29. Eton mess pots
30. Dark chocolate mousse
31. Brandy snaps with ginger cream
32. Salted caramel pots
Depending on the venue kitchen, we recommend offering both hot and ambient selections for your guests to nibble on. We’d always suggest having four or five different canapés at your event for an hour-long reception. Taking not only taste, but also colour and texture into consideration, as this keeps it varied for your guests as they sample each one. If you’re not serving any other food after the canapés, add a few more savoury options and finish with some dessert canapés for a sweet treat!
What’s the Best Way to Present Canapés?
Elevating canapés by serving and displaying them artfully and elegantly makes for an especially impressive experience for your guests. Our chefs take great care in creating beautiful looking canapés featuring micro-herbs, edible flowers and plenty of colour. Presenting these delightful nibbles to your guests on an equally extravagant platter makes all the difference.
Dependent on the style and theme of the event, consider displaying your canapes on LED light trays for a luxe modern look. Consider a clear acrylic box filled with gorgeous blooms or an abundance of foliage for a decadent, yet natural feel. For themed events, using detailed aspects that tie into the overall style works really well, such as banana leaves for a Caribbean celebration, or a bed of sand with scallop shells for a beach party. It’s always fun to surprise guests by getting creative with interesting and unique styling.
How Many Canapés are Needed for 100 Guests?
Of course, canapé requirements depend on a number of variables; the time of the event, if there will be any further food served later on, whether canapés are being passed around or if they will be positioned on poseur tables around the venue.
As a rule of thumb, for a private party where there will be no other food served, we would recommend around 8-10 canapés per person. While at a drinks reception of a wedding, around 3 or 4 pieces per person would be perfect for a 40-minute reception (but allow more if it’s any longer than this).
Take a look at our case studies for even more inspiration >
We work with a number of fantastic chefs that always impress our guests with their culinary delights. So if you’re planning an event don’t hesitate to contact Alastair Currie Events to discuss your catering options. Whatever the menu you desire or dietary requirements you need to cater for – we’d be delighted to hear from you.
