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If you want to throw a fun brunch party, one way to make it simple would be to set up a waffle bar. Letting your guests make their own waffles with different toppings will make sure that everyone is happy with their food, and if you add side dishes and drinks, it will make a full meal.
These are some ideas for a waffle buffet that you can put together for an office party, a wedding brunch, or a family get-together at Christmas.
Set up the basic supplies.
Make sure that you have enough room to set up, places to sit, and plates and flatware for the crowd. With a waffle bar, people will need to sit down to eat, so you’ll need enough space for people to do that.
You’ll also need a large enough buffet area so that people can serve themselves, possibly with people on both sides of the buffet at the same time. If you have enough space, it will speed up the process if people can be on both sides of the buffet so that you don’t have a logjam of people trying to serve themselves.
It will also help to put the drinks, side dishes, and silverware at different spots in the room so that people can get those separately. That way people can go back and forth from the table where they’re eating and they won’t all be crowded into one spot when they’re getting food or supplies.
We have an article about setting up a taco bar that has lists of servingware, tables, and other things you’ll need, so you might want to take a look at that. It will give you an idea about things you mgiht not think about needing until it’s too late!
Start with the waffle toppings.
The most important part of a waffle bar is the waffles, of course, but toppings might actually be what people are more interested in! Click here to read about how to make waffles for a crowd, then go over this list of options for things that you can use for the toppings at your waffle bar:
- Whipped cream
- Fresh strawberries
- Fresh blueberries
- Fresh raspberries
- Bananas (sliced)
- Chocolate chips
- Peanut butter
- Almond butter
- Nutella
- Maple syrup
- Honey
- Caramel sauce
- Chocolate sauce
- Whipped butter
- Cinnamon butter
- Strawberry compote
- Blueberry compote
- Apple compote
- Warm cinnamon apples
- Lemon curd
- Cream cheese frosting
- Powdered sugar
- Chopped pecans
- Chopped walnuts
- Sliced almonds
- Granola
- Crushed graham crackers
- Coconut flakes
- Mini marshmallows
- Rainbow sprinkles
- Cocoa nibs
- Bacon crumbles
- Crispy fried chicken bites
- Scrambled eggs
- Sausage gravy
- Sliced avocado
- Smoked salmon
- Chives
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Feta cheese
- Goat cheese
Side dish ideas.
- Scrambled eggs
- Bacon strips
- Sausage links
- Breakfast potatoes
- Fresh fruit salad
- Yogurt parfaits
- Hash browns
- Deviled eggs
- Quiche
- Mini muffins
- Croissants
- Bagels with cream cheese
- Sliced cucumbers
- Roasted vegetables
- Crispy chicken tenders
- Grilled ham slices
- Sautéed spinach
- Avocado toast
- Cheese platter
- Charcuterie board
Drinks for the group.
If you want to stick to the basics of coffee, tea, and orange juice that would be fine for a brunch, but if you want to offer some other things, that works too. There are plenty of nonalcoholic and/or boozy options that would be good for different occasions.
- Freshly squeezed orange juice
- Iced coffee
- Hot coffee
- Latte station
- Mimosas
- Bellinis
- Chilled sparkling water
- Iced tea
- Hot tea
- Hot chocolate
- Fruit-infused water
- Lemonade
- Bloody Mary
- Apple cider (hot or cold)
- Smoothie station
- Milk (whole, almond, or oat)
- Chai latte
- Mango juice
- Peach iced tea
- Cranberry juice
- Cold brew coffee
Waffles are a crowd-pleaser, so have fun setting up your buffet!