There was a time when side dishes knew their place
A bowl of greens. Some potatoes. Something to fill the plate while the main did the heavy lifting. That hierarchy has collapsed. In many restaurants now, the sides are as important as the main event.
Somewhere between truffle fries and fully loaded fries, we crossed a line. What began as indulgent extras has turned into a full-blown flavour arms race. Carrots arrive drenched in hot honey and chilli. Cabbage is glossed with XO. Potatoes are crushed, confit, fried twice, showered in herbs, spice blends and something crunchy for good measure. Sides aren’t padding. They’re flavour bombs, competing with starters and mains for attention.
It’s not just anecdotal. In the US, “spice” reportedly now appears on more menus than “fruit”. Heat and instant impact are what diners are scanning for, whether that’s chilli oil, gochujang, nduja or hot honey. Sides are the perfect delivery system: familiar, low commitment, maximum hit.
There’s also the question of value. A recent New York publication flagged the rise of the expensive side, where a £6 bowl of greens has crept into double figures. It sounds bold until you see what’s involved: premium produce, layered seasoning and serious technique. In some cases, more thought goes into the side than the protein beside it.
Look at Dockley Road, where cabbage with yeast or Gratin Dauphinoise “Cacio e Pepe” could hold their own as mains. At Kudu, carrots come with ras el hanout and goat’s curd; baby spinach is dressed with yuzu, truffle and parmesan; and padrón peppers arrive with red pepper and burnt leek. At Tower House, there aren’t any sides listed. Instead vegetables get their own section, including charred spuds with carbonara sauce and bacon and purple potatoes with mint, pecorino and rosemary salt.
Small plates culture trained us to eat this way. Years of menus built around epic snacks (they had to be so irresistible for customers in order to increase spend per head, and who doesn’t want a little snack with their fizz?), sharing dishes and flexible ordering have rewired how people eat in restaurants. Even in more traditional dining rooms, guests are increasingly bypassing mains altogether, building meals out of starters, sides and extras instead. The main has, in some cases, become the least interesting option on the page.
There’s a physiological angle too. With more awareness around GLP-1 drugs and appetite suppression, portion size matters but flavours still have to deliver. Smaller plates, bigger impact. If you’re eating less, you want it to count.
From a menu development perspective, this shift has been brewing for a while. When I was developing restaurant menus five years ago, my rule was that around 50% of sides needed to be “must order” (increasing SPH is key). The rest could be supportive, safe, there for balance or for your nana. That logic no longer holds. Now, if every side isn’t compelling, it feels like a missed opportunity. Diners expect excitement across the board, not just in the headline dishes. Everything needs Instagram variety.
The risk is excess. When everything is dialled up, nothing stands out. Too much heat, too many competing flavours, too many clever ideas on one table. The best sides still show restraint. They lift the meal rather than hijack it.
But the direction is clear: sides are no longer supporting actors, they’re scene-stealers. In an era where attention spans are short and palates are primed for impact, it turns out the quickest way to a diner’s heart isn’t always the main. Sometimes it’s the cabbage.
