Elliot’s in east London boasts plenty of hip credentials: a blond-wood color scheme, natural wine bottles for sale, and LCD Soundsystem and David Byrne playing at just the right volume. The menu is also full of trendy terms like “small plates” and “wood grill.”
But first, there are “snacks.” You’ll find classics like focaccia, olives, and anchovies on toast. More inventive choices include potato flatbreads with crème fraîche and trout roe, mangalitsa saltimbocca with quince, and the restaurant’s signature dish since around 2012—Isle of Mull cheese puffs. These are plump, gooey croquettes filled with Scottish cheddar and Comté, deep-fried until crisp and topped with more grated cheddar. Only two other dishes have remained on the menu: fried potatoes with aioli and cheesecake.
The cheese puffs were a “happy accident,” says co-owner Samantha Lim. The head chef at the time was experimenting and decided to toss the cheesy balls into the deep fryer. “They bring so much joy,” Lim says. “They’re gooey, like a warm hug as soon as you take that first bite oozing with cheese.”
Elliot’s isn’t alone. Today, no self-respecting restaurant opens without a snack menu. Once limited to pubs (to keep drinkers drinking) and Michelin-starred restaurants (to show off with delicate canapés), chefs now put as much effort and creativity into the opening bites of a meal as the main course—going far beyond bread and olives. After all, a dinner can be love at first bite.
Carbone, a glitzy new arrival in Mayfair from New York, serves bowls of bread, charcuterie, and crudités. Nearby, the equally glamorous Lilibet’s offers a snack menu with tuna loin gildas and anchovy eclairs. Other in Bristol makes chicken and sesame toast with brown crab and hot sour mayo. Somerset’s Da Costa has gnoccho fritto with mortadella and fresh cheese. Pip in Manchester features a dedicated snacks menu including cheese gougères, toasted yeast puffs, and split-pea chips with mushroom ketchup. Also in Manchester, Forbici serves a variety of fried Neapolitan snacks alongside its specialty pizza. At Maré in Hove, you can find toasted brioche with liver parfait, preserved cherries, and winter truffle.
According to experimental psychologist Charles Spence, there are several reasons restaurants might emphasize snacks. It could be that the Ozempic generation prefers lighter meals but still wants to dine out. It might reflect a broader shift toward informality. Or it could simply be that fried snacks help spread delicious aromas around the dining room. Salty items like anchovies make us thirsty, and snacks can grab attention and encourage socializing.
“Snacks have a more informal vibe compared with starters and small plates,” says Zak Hitchman, chef and co-owner of Other. “Although the term has fallen out of fashion, they are perhaps more in line with a canapé.”
Informal, small-plates restaurants and wine bars have taken over Britain’s dining scene. At these places, snacks are essential. And they’re not just smaller versions of small plates, Lim explains: “In my mind, a snack is a one- or two-bite situation; you can easily pop it in and get the whole essence of it in that one bite. A small plate is a bit more of a discovery, with different components.” Another clue is that snacks are often handheld.
Almost every table at Elliot’s orders a snack, and Lim has noticed the trend growing since Covid. “People are eating more in group settings, and snacks are perfect for sharing and socializing.”Snacks are a fun ice-breaker, especially for groups who don’t know each other well. Hitchman, who previously worked at the now-closed Michelin-starred Casamia in Bristol, noticed a similar trend toward more casual dining. As budgets tighten but appetites remain, snacks offer a way to sample a variety of interesting flavors and textures at a lower cost.
They also give chefs another opportunity to showcase their skills. Hitchman’s current restaurant, Other, is more relaxed than his previous one, but he finds his experience with elaborate tasting menus translates well to creating one-bite dishes. A current favorite is tempura grey mullet with miso-cured scallop, harissa, fresh blood plum, and blood-plum syrup—a sophisticated combination that balances crunch, smoothness, savory miso, spicy harissa, and sweet-and-sour plum. At Other, snacks have replaced starters, with the menu moving straight to “bigger plates,” and Hitchman notes that many guests consider the snacks the highlight of their meal.
Restaurants used to stick to the traditional starter-main-dessert format, but snacks offer flexibility. While many prefer full meals during busy times, they welcome guests for just snacks during quieter periods, preferring some business over none. Though the ideal customer orders multiple courses, the reality is that many don’t, so offering a range of options makes sense and can lead to upselling—some who start with snacks may still opt for a full meal.
Snacks can also be high-margin, providing crucial income in uncertain times by using cheaper ingredients or offcuts. For example, Elliot’s uses leftover pork cuts for snacks like pork crackling, and Hitchman uses whole crabs for crab cakes, repurposing the brown meat into a hot-and-sour mayonnaise for chicken and sesame toast.
Other is planning to add a bar area focused on snacks, while at Maré in Hove, guests are encouraged to enjoy just snacks. Owner Rafael Cagali says it’s a great way for locals to get to know their new neighborhood spot. Snacks can also serve as effective advertising; after trying Elliot’s cheese puffs and potato flatbread, I’m eager to return. Ultimately, Hitchman emphasizes that snacks are meant to be enjoyable, offering a fun and accessible way to experience a restaurant’s cuisine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the rise of small plates dining in Britain with clear and concise answers
Beginner Definition Questions
1 What exactly are small plates
Small plates are simply smallersized portions of food designed for sharing Instead of one person ordering a single large main course a group orders several different small dishes to create a varied tapasstyle meal
2 Is this just another name for tapas
While the concept is very similar to Spanish tapas small plates is a broader term It describes a style of eating that can feature cuisine from all over the world not just Spanish food
3 Why did small plates become so popular in Britain
They became popular because they fit modern dining habits People love the social aspect of sharing food the ability to try more dishes and the flexibility to control how much they spend and eat
4 Whats the main difference between a small plates restaurant and a traditional one
In a traditional restaurant you typically order a starter a main and a dessert just for yourself In a small plates restaurant you order many dishes for the whole table to share and food comes out from the kitchen as its ready not in set courses
Benefits Experience Questions
5 What are the benefits of eating this way
The main benefits are variety a more social and interactive meal and flexibilityyou can order more if youre still hungry or stop when youre full
6 Is it more expensive than a traditional meal
It can be if you order a lot of dishes The cost adds up However it can also be a way to have a more budgetfriendly experience by choosing fewer plates The perception of value comes from the variety and quality not the size of a single portion
7 How many small plates should I order per person
A good rule of thumb is to order 34 dishes per person Its always best to start with a few and then order more if youre still hungry Your server can also give great guidance based on what you like
8 Does the food all come at once
Usually not One of the hallmarks of this style is that dishes are brought to the table as soon as theyre ready from the kitchen This
