Looking to prepare a truly special dinner? Then we’ve got you covered.
Nothing screams ‘special occasion’ quite like a delicious meal, that pairs together amazing food with outstanding drinks, to create a culinary experience that delights all your senses.
Designed to enhance your gastronomic pleasure, drinks not only augment dishes but also serve to enhance the flavours and overall taste sensation.
Whether it be for date night, a milestone celebration or just because you like to eat good food, here are 10 amazing food and drink pairings for the perfect dinner.
Serve up any of these, and you are sure to enjoy a fabulous meal experience.
Caviar and champagne
A great, and classic way, to kick off any special dinner, caviar and champagne will allow you to channel your inner celebrity.
Adding a classy touch to any menu you create; the real appeal of this iconic combination lies within the delicious contrast between the salty caviar and fruity bubbles.
Goat’s cheese and Sauvignon Blanc
Another excellent way to kick start your meal is with the delightful match of goat’s cheese and Sauvignon Blanc.
Not only does this stunning offering add a stylish French flair to proceedings, but your taste buds will also be in for a treat as well.
The tang of the goat’s cheese balances the acidity of the wine. Whilst concurrently providing a fabulous contrast to its sweet fruitiness and overall creaminess.
Pickled vegetables and vodka
It may not be the first thing you think of when considering food and drink pairings. But the meld between vodka, and pickled onions and gherkins, is utterly sensational.
Take a bite into one and then follow it with a swift sip of vodka and experience a whole new level of ‘wow’ factor!
Calamari and margarita
If you are the kind of person who generously squeezes lemon on your seafood whenever you go out for fish and chips, then you should definitely try the combination of calamari and margarita.
The gorgeous lemony tang of the cocktail is a marriage made in heaven, with the crispy calamari rings. And after just one bite, you will be hooked.
Beer and burgers (or hot dogs)
Arguably the ultimate culinary union, beer and burgers, or hot dogs is good old comfort food at its finest. Yet you don’t have to be at a bar or the sports stadium to enjoy it.
Even at a special occasion dinner you can rustle up some gourmet burgers and ally them with a premium craft beer.
Pretty much any beer will do, as it serves to cut out the heaviness of the bun and balance out the meat – especially the saltiness of the hot dog.
Lobster and chardonnay
Want to create a truly mind-blowing dish? Then you are on to a sure-fire winner with lobster and chardonnay.
The queen of white wines, this delectable amalgam provides rich and buttery flavours. You will also find the wine will help cleanse your palate and therefore enable you to really appreciate this exquisite treat.
Pesto pasta and Pinot Grigio
Italian is always a good choice for an upscale meal, especially pesto pasta.
However, as it is rich, nutty and slightly herby, it requires a simple flavour to cut through it.
Pinot Grigio is perfect for the job and will take the flavour sensation up a couple of notches.
Beef and Cabernet Sauvignon
When it comes to great food and wine pairings, beef and red wine are up there with the best of them.
A perfect match for any upscale meal, cook up braised beef short ribs and some seasonal grilled vegetables and then match it with a delicious cabernet. (You can even use some of the cabernets in the rue).
Cabernet sauvignon is a very bold wine that has notes of cherry, plum, black currant and spice. Its boldness pairs perfectly with dark, rich and robust meats. Allowing you to enjoy a wonderful taste sensation.
For those who aren’t really fans of cabernet sauvignon, you can swap for a pinot noir or merlot instead.
Coffee and cake
There is perhaps no better food and drink combination than coffee and cake. At least for those who have a sweet tooth.
Perfect at any time of the day, from morning tea to dessert, no special occasion meal is complete without it.
There are many options you can choose from, including a cappuccino and coffee cake, flat white and a brownie and even a latte and millionaire’s shortbread.
But for the ultimate after-dinner treat, look no further than Americano and lemon drizzle cake. Quite simply that combination is sensational.
Dark chocolate and cognac
Dark chocolate and cognac are a great way to finish off any meal.
This pairing goes very well together as the tartness of the dark chocolate balances out the velvety, nutty flavour of the cognac.
You can also keep nibbling and sipping until you can’t nibble and sip anymore!
Final Thought
So, there you have it, our recommendations of 10 amazing food and drink pairings for the perfect dinner.
At the end of the day there are plenty of amazing taste sensations out there waiting for you to discover. All it takes is a bit of creativity, planning and good execution.
If that seems like too much of an effort, you could always get someone else to make it for you – to get the ball rolling, click here for an LA based example.
