For better or worse, the food you serve at your wedding is one of the things your guests will remember for years to come. Before you jump right in with planning your menu, check out these ideas from some of our favorite Bermuda restaurants and venues on putting together the perfect combination of culinary creations.
Bermuda Restaurants Catering:
Kara Simmons of Bermuda Restaurants Catering notes that wedding guests love a Bermudian-inspired menu with an Asian twist, which is this company’s specialty.
“In everything we do, our inventive, high-quality menus and ingredients coupled with seamless execution ensure you and your guests are taken care of with every detail—and bite,” says Kara.
Bermuda Restaurants Catering works hard to create delicious and memorable cuisine that inspires for a well-executed catering experience.
“We believe your wedding cuisine should speak to your guests’ hearts, minds, and souls long after the event is over,” says Kara.
Coco Reef:
Food and Beverage Manager Dany Moorhen says he’s seeing couples opting for organic meat and vegetables.
When it comes to seafood, couples fawn over Coco Reef’s lobster agnolotti with sauteed mushroom, roasted artichoke, and lobster tarragon sauce. This beach resort is also known for its pan-roasted rockfish, uniquely prepared with crab and herb risotto, wilted spinach lemongrass coconut broth, and crispy leeks. Seafood lovers can also request a feast fit for a king and queen, which may include shrimp, oysters, a chilled clam bar, Bermuda fish chowder, grilled Bermuda lobster, and rockfish with ginger and black rum glaze.
To finish off the meal, couples love Coco Reef’s sticky toffee pudding with homemade vanilla ice cream and butterscotch sauce.
Coral Beach & Tennis Club Club:
Chef Patrick Hannan advises couples to consider a less obvious factor when designing their wedding day menu—the weather.
“For summer weddings, with the heat, people often choose cold starters like the carpaccio of shrimp, a light and flavorful dish,” says Patrick.
A popular main dish at Coral Beach is the boneless lamb loin wrapped in spinach and prosciutto ham then baked “en croute.” The loin is served with pressed potatoes and sweet peas. For the main course, couples often go for the local fish that can be sourced right offshore, presented at Coral Beach in a number of ways.
“The most popular preparation is the pan-roasted rockfish, which is presented on a bulgur wheat tabbouleh and dressed with a butternut squash silk,” says Patrick.
Coral Beach has a large portfolio of cakes, all made in-house by their talented pastry chef, Sabine Belima. Chocolate is also popular, in any form.
“Many of our clients choose the mint cake, which is rich in chocolate but the sponge itself is fabulously light,” says Patrick. “Paired with coconut ice cream, this dish is sensational.”
Portofino:
Owner Simone Maranzana advises couples to consider their budget, dietary restrictions, number of guests, and theme when planning their wedding day menu. He asks each couple he works with whether the menu should be vegetarian or feature meats, seafood, or a combination, and then helps them decide whether a la carte, plated, or buffet style is right for their event.
At Portofino, known for their fine Italian cuisine, Simone says couples are drawn to fried calamari, antipasti, fresh focaccia with olive paste, and lumache in garlic butter sauce. Another favorite is Simone’s linguine luciana, with pasta, lobster, shrimp, crab, and scallops in a divine creamy pink sauce. Couples also love Portofino’s famous eggplant parmigiana and, of course, the fettuccini Portofino, a classic dish with chicken, mushrooms, and sundried tomatoes. In addition to these crowd favorites, Simone is seeing more gluten-free requests, which he happily fulfills with gluten-free pasta and pizza.
“Our dessert favorites are our homemade tiramisu and our chocolate brownies and zabaglione, which is done in the old tradition of the copper pan,” says Simone. “No one else makes it on the island and it’s to die for.”
Tom Moore’s Tavern:
Owner Bruno Fiocca suggests couples create a menu that will suit everyone’s tastes and dietary restrictions. Similarly, Bruno says Tom Moore’s Tavern is seeing couples lean towards cold hors d’oeuvres like smoked salmon, a salad, or cold soup. Bruno’s top picks are fish and sirloin or tenderloin, though he finds vegetarian and vegan dishes are growing in popularity.
“For a recent Italian wedding, I made three kinds of pasta and the main course was a combination of meat and fish with salads served at every table simultaneously,” Bruno says of the wedding’s custom menu.
Don’t forget to save room for dessert—Bruno’s banana bread pudding with ice cream is heaven and the perfect comfort food.
Bermuda offers a diverse repertoire of cuisine, and the island’s chefs welcome the opportunity to create custom menus. Trust these experts and your guests will thank you.
