Food Pairings

What to Drink with Each Course

When hosting a dinner party, you might want to consider branching out from beer and a bottle of sauv. From aperitifs, right through to digestifs, we explore what to drink with each course.

Haere mai

Welcome your guests with a glass of freshly popped bubbly. Dinner parties often kick off with a healthy dose of mingling and catching up, and there’s no better way to do it then with champagne in hand.

For extra points, jazz it up with a splash of Pimm’s or brandy and bitters.

Gear up

An aperitif is an alcoholic beverage served before a meal to stimulate the appetite. These drinks tend to be dry and low in alcohol such as vermouth, Pernod or Campari.

Serve these with a few nibbles or canapés. 

Main event

During the main, sticking to wine and beer is a sure-fire way to keep everyone happy. Light food likes to be paired with white wine and pale ales, while red wines and dark beers work well with heartier, meat-heavy meals.

If you’re feeling adventurous, serving cocktails will no doubt impress your guests. Check out our guide here.  

Wind down

After chowing down on your delicious food, your guests will need a little something to help with digestion.

Originating from 18th century Europe (digestif in France, digestivo in Italy), these post-dinner drinks are often in the form of a neat spirit or dessert cocktail. Examples include brandy, whisky, sherry, port and liqueurs.

An espresso martini would go down a treat. 

Image credit: Shutterstock

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