Bengalis love their food – the world knows it!
And when it comes to a Bengali wedding, you will not only be surprised with the customs and the rituals but also the delectable cuisine served to guests. Bengali wedding menu includes items prepared from various ingredients using unique and intricate cooking styles. Check out any item from a Bengali marriage menu and you will be amazed by its great taste and flavour.
It is interesting to note that Bengali wedding menu ideas have evolved over the years, attracting many fusion elements. The old Bengali wedding menu is served with new twists. In this blog, let us look at some amazing Bengali wedding food menu ideas that have been loved by people across ages.
Best menu for Bengali weddings – right from starters to desserts
The Bengali biye bari menu is extensive. Let us explore some of the favorites from each section.
| Category | Subcategory | Dishes |
| Pre-Meal Refreshments | Welcome Drinks | mocktails, soft drinks,fruit juices, Aam Panna, Lassi |
| Hot Beverages | tea, coffee, masala chai, Turkish Sand Coffee, Soup | |
| Starters | Street Food | fuchka, papri chaat |
| Tandoor Grills | Lahori Chicken Tikka Kabab, kebabs, tikka, Gandhoraaj Fish Tikka | |
| Fried and Crispy | pakoras, lollipops | |
| Vegetarian | mochar chop,paneer tikka, Veg Kerala Cutlet Stick, Paneer Tikka, Cheese Ball Nuggets | |
| Main Course | Rice & Bread | Baby Naan, Butter Naan, Coriander Garlic Naan, Green Peas Kachuri, Radhaballavi, Rumali Roti, Tandoori Roti, Basmati Steamed Rice, Vegetable Fried Rice, Pulao varieties, Moharani Polao, Sahi Zafrani Polao |
| Dal & Vegetables | Chana Masala, Cholardaal, Daal Makhani, Aloor Dum, Stuffed Aloor Dum, Achari Alur Dum, Keema Chana, Paneer Chop, Veg Cutlet, Kasundi, Vegetable Fried Rice, Pulao varieties | |
| Fish & Seafood | Baked Bhetki Fish, Tandoori Pomfret, Golden Prawn Fry, Prawn Cutlet, Kolkata Bhetki Fish Fry, Batter Fry, Kabiraji, Cutlet, Fish Finger, Shorshe Pabda, Shorshe Ilish, Ilish Bhapa, Ilish Paturi, Golda Chingri Malaikari, Bagda Chingri Malaikari, Chingri Macher Paturi, Daab Chingri, Bhetki Macher Paturi, Bhetki Bhapa, Bhetki Fish Garlic, Chital Macher Muitha, Koi Macher Jhal | |
| Chicken | Maharani Chicken, Chicken Afghani, Chicken Lababdar, Chicken Korma, Chicken Kosha, Chicken Duck Bungalow, Chicken Rezala, Chicken Chaap, Chilli Chicken | |
| Mutton | Mutton Kosha, Mutton Rogan Josh, Mutton Korma, Mutton Duck Bungalow, Mutton Champaran, Mutton Laal Mash | |
| Vegetarian | Malai Kofta, Chanar Dalna, Paneer Masala, Dhokar Dalna, Veg Navratan, Potoler Dorma, Dahi Patal, Fulkopir Roast, Aloo Posto | |
| Desserts | Sweets | Rosogolla, Gulab Jamun, Komola Bhog, Rajbhog,Baked Rosogolla, Rosomalai, Chumchum, Sandesh varieties, Misti Dahi, Jhuri Dahi |
| Baked Goods | Jilebi Live, Kheer Rabri, Malpua, Baked Mihidana, Rabri, Souffle, Chocolate Brownie | |
| Other Sweets | Gajar Ka Halwa, Moong Dal Halwa, Cake, Assorted Pastries, Ice Cream (Assorted and Matka), Faluda Kulfi |
Pre-Meal Refreshments
Your wedding guests might be traveling from distant places, making them tired. Having some refreshing drinks after their arrival will surely please them. The pre-meal refreshments can be divided into two sections:
Welcome drinks
Guests can sip on various mocktails, fresh fruit juices and soft drinks depending on their preferences. A favorite welcome drink at Bengali weddings is ‘Aam Panna’ – a drink made with raw mangoes. Interestingly, ‘Lassi’ has made a special place in the Bengali wedding menu list.
Hot beverages
Many guests at Bengali weddings prefer hot beverages in the form of tea, coffee or even masala chai. Some wedding caterers in Kolkata are trying to serve the unique Turkish sand coffee and has become a huge hit.
The hot beverages section also includes a wide variety of soups served to guests. There might be arrangements for a separate Soup Station by the wedding caterer.
Starters
Starters in the Bengali wedding food menu can be divided into different sections. Let us take a look at the sections and the items included in them:
Street food delights
Street food in Bengal is one of a kind. In any standard Bengali biyer menu, you will find some of these delicacies for sure.
You might find a fuchka stall offering this mouth-watering Bengali street food – swallow-size crispy puris, which are stuffed with spicy mashed potato and served with tangy tamarind water.
Papri chaat is also a popular snack item served at Bengali weddings. The saltiness of the papris, the tanginess of the tamarind chutney, the sweetness of other chutneys and the crunch of the sev tempt the guests for sure.
In many weddings, you might find a separate Indian chaat counter, where you can enjoy such delectable savouries to your heart’s delight.
Tandoor grills
There is probably no one who doesn’t love kebabs and tandoors. When it comes to starters in the Bengali marriage menu, you will be spoilt for choices. Wedding caterers serve a wide variety of kebabs and tikkas in different tastes and flavors.
Kebabs and tikkas are made from paneer, chicken, mutton or fish. Some of the most popular tandoor grill items served at weddings include chicken reshmi kebab, Lahori chicken tikka kebab, gandhoraaj fish tikka, sheekh kebab, paneer tikka kebab, etc.
Fried and crispy bites
If you don’t want to snack heavily and keep yourself ready for the grand Bengali marriage dinner menu, you can munch on some fried and crispy bites while sipping some beverages or welcome drinks.
Pakoras – fish, chicken and even veg are quite popular.
Chicken lollipops and drumsticks are also a favorite starter option in many Bengali weddings.
Vegetarian options
If you are a vegetarian, don’t worry. You will have umpteen options of veg menu for Bengali wedding. And if you think any of these items are boring and tasteless, you are surely missing out on something unique.
Some of the must-try vegetarian starter options available in a Bengali wedding dinner menu include cheese ball nuggets, paneer tikka, veg Kerala cutlet stick, mochar chop, veg pakora, veg cutlet, potato nuggets, paneer chop etc.
Main Course
Once you have tried the various mouth-watering starters in the Bengali wedding food menu list, it is time to plunge into the main course. Choose from a wide variety of lip-smacking delicacies and satiate your taste buds.
A standard Bengali wedding catering service provider maintains a balance in the items. Mentioned below are some of the most popular items in the best Bengali marriage menu.
Rice and Bread Options
If you check the wedding menu in Bengali, you will have abundant rice and bread options. While some guests prefer bread options others love their rice in different flavors and tastes. Here are the most popular variants that most caterers offer to their clients. Most caterers keep one bread variant and one rice variant on the menu.
- Baby Naan
- Butter Naan
- Coriander Garlic Naan
- Green Peas Kochuri
- Radhaballavi
- Rumali Roti
- Tandoori Roti
- Plain Basmati Steamed Rice
- Vegetable Fried Rice
- Shahi Zafrani Pulao
- Peas Pulao
- Maharani Pulao
- Raj Shahi Pulao
- Chicken Biryani
- Mutton Biryani
Dal and Vegetables
Bengali wedding food menu remains incomplete without dal and vegetables which are mainly served with the breads and rice variants. There are vegetarian and non-vegetarian options available in this section. Popular choices in this segment include:
- Daal Makhani
- Chana Masala
- Keema Chana Masala
- Cholar Daal
- Aloor Dum
- Achari Aloor Dum
- Stuffed Aloor Dum
Fish and Seafood
Bengalis love their fish in all ways – whatever be the preparation, the taste, the flavour or the texture. When you are looking for Bengali wedding dinner menu ideas, you cannot miss the fish and seafood items for sure. Otherwise, the menu remains incomplete.
The number of fish items you want to keep on the menu depends on your wish and your budget. Check out some such delightful and exquisite fish and seafood items that be a part of your wedding menu:
- Fish Cutlet
- Fish Finger
- Fish Kabiraji
- Baked Bhetki Fish
- Kolkata Bhetki Fish Fry
- Fish Batter Fry
- Bhetki Maacher Paturi
- Bhatki Bhapa
- Bhetki Fish Garlic
- Tandoori Pomfret
- Golden Prawn Fry
- Prawn Cutlet
- Golda Chingri Malaikari
- Bagda Chingri Malaikari
- Chingri Paturi
- Daab Chingri
- Shorshe Pabda
- Shorshe Ilish
- Ilish Bhapa
- Ilish Paturi
- Chital Maacher Muitha
- Koi Maacher Jhaal
Chicken Delicacies
Chicken delicacies are an indispensable part of a Bengali wedding menu. Prepared in different kinds of gravies, the chicken items have their unique tastes and flavors. These delicacies accompany the rice and bread options on the menu.
Apart from traditional chicken items, you will also find many fusion elements in chicken preparations. Here are some finger-licking chicken items that will surely make the wedding meal more sumptuous for your guests:
- Maharani Chicken
- Chicken Afghani
- Chicken Lababdar
- Chicken Korma
- Chicken Kosha
- Chicken Duck Bungalow
- Chicken Rezala
- Chicken Chaap
- Chilli Chicken
Mutton Specialities
In a general Bengali household, Sundays are incomplete without ‘maangsho-bhaat’ (meat and rice). And this ‘maangsho’ (meat) is mutton! In such a situation, how can Bengalis not include mutton in their wedding menu!
This red meat variant is a favorite with all Bengalis, irrespective of their sex and age. The combination of plain white rice and mutton curry is just heaven! Here are some mutton specialities that are often served at Bengali weddings:
- Mutton Kosha
- Mutton Rogan Josh
- Mutton Korma
- Mutton Duck Bungalow
- Mutton Champaran
- Mutton Laal Maans
Vegetarian Varieties
If you follow the old Bengali wedding menu, you will see the prevalence of vegetarian dishes. There were vegetarian items in the starters and main course. Along with general guests, these vegetarian items were for the elderly women in the family who often preferred vegetarian food over other items.
Some of the most popular items which are still a part of wedding menu ideas for Bengali include the following:
- Aloo Posto
- Dhokar Dalna
- Doi Potol
- Potoler Dorma
- Chaanar Dalna
- Fulkopir Roast
- Veg Navratan Korma
- Malai Kofta
- Paneer Masala
Desserts
‘Ki mishti dekhte’ (how sweet she looks), is one of the most common phrases you can hear in Bengal when someone looks pretty or sweet. And of course, Bengal is world famous for its exotic and exquisite sweets including the sweet yoghurt (mishti doi), which is a delicacy.
Mishtis in Bengal are made from various ingredients, ‘chenna’ (cottage cheese) being the prominent one. Now various kinds of fusion sweets have become very popular with people. Wedding caterers try including varieties of sweets in the wedding menu. Western confectionary items are also included in many menus nowadays.
Sweets and Baked Sweet Items
The list of Bengali sweets is unending to be true. You cannot just stop having one sweet at a Bengali wedding. Caterers are often confused as to which items to keep and which to keep away.
Let us check out some of the hottest items in the sweets and baked sweets section in the dessert category:
- Rosogolla
- Rajbhog
- Komola Bhog
- Sandesh varieties
- Rosomalai
- Chumchum
- Baked Rosogolla
- Gulab Jamun
- Mishti Doi
- Jhuri Doi
- Kheer Rabri
- Freshly made Jalebi in live counter
- Rabri
- Malpua
- Baked Mihidana
- Chocolate Brownie with Ice Cream
- Souffle
There are some other varieties of sweets too, which are often served at Bengali weddings. These sweets are not from Bengal, but from other parts of India. However, they have become a favorite with many people here.
Here are the items in this exclusive list:
- Moong Dal Halwa
- Gajar ka Halwa
- Faluda Kulfi
- Assorted Ice Cream
- Matka Ice Cream
- Cake
- Assorted Pastries
Choosing the best Bengali wedding caterer for the best Bengali wedding food menu ideas
Now that you have detailed Bengali wedding menu ideas at your fingertips, you can choose items that can make it to your final menu. And for that, you need to choose the right Bengali wedding caterer, who can give you the menu of your choice. The caterer should be able to make the best Bengali marriage menu including items of your choice and within your budget.
Check out New Bhojon’s Bengali wedding food menu list and you will not need to go to any other wedding caterer after that. Tell them your preferences and wishes and they will create an exclusive, customized menu for your grand occasion. Your guests will be surely mesmerized by the presentations, tastes and flavors of each item served by New Bhojon. Contact us and get a quote!
