Make Your Own Bar

Make Your Own Bar Catering

There’s something timeless about serving food that invites interaction. When people get to build their own plate, they’re more present. The meal becomes something personal. At NY Susan Kitchen, we’ve reimagined the make your own bar catering format into something more grounded—more thoughtful—than the usual deli tray and buffet line. It’s an experience of fresh ingredients, seasonal inspiration, and simple tools for creative, nourishing meals.

Our food stations don’t overwhelm with endless bins or gimmicks. They offer structure and choice. Whether it’s a grain bowl bar, a soup and toast setup, or a salad station with roasted vegetables and house-made dressings, every item is designed to work with the others. That means you can build freely without sacrificing balance or flavor.

This format works especially well in team environments, offsite gatherings, or client lunches where flexibility is key but flavor still matters. We bring all the elements: the base ingredients, the finishings, the warmth, the tools to serve and build. The only thing left is the moment your guests create a plate that feels like their own.

Burger Bar $18.50 

(15 Guest Minimum)

• Hamburgers, turkey burgers and veggie burgers, buns on the side
• Assorted toppings - avocado, sautéed mushrooms, bacon, caramelized onions and cheddar platter with lettuce, tomato and sliced pickles
• Ketchup, mayo, pesto, chipotle aioli and BBQ sauce
• Sweet potato wedges
• Shredded iceberg salad with chopped tomatoes and blue cheese

Mexican Taco Fiesta $38.95

(15 Guest Minimum)

Flexible Formats, Built for Real Life

One of the reasons people love our bars is because they fit. Not just the theme of the event, but the actual structure of the day. Need an energizing lunch after a long strategy session? We’ll build a bar with roasted vegetables, grains, citrus, and fresh herbs. Hosting a winter evening of collaboration? Try a pasta bar with warm sauces and seasonal greens. Want something light and mobile? We’ll deliver a pre-packed taco bar with all the fixings, chilled or hot, depending on what you need.

We’ve built themed menus for a wide range of bars: Mediterranean grain bowls, Mexican-style street food stations, Asian-inspired salad wraps, even DIY crostini spreads with whipped feta and roasted beets. And because we rotate with the season, the ingredients always feel alive. No reheated platters. No bottled dressings. Just food that fits the moment it’s being served.

For curated ideas, our themed lunch menus offer examples of formats that adapt well to bar service—each one created with texture, pace, and simplicity in mind. You can choose from existing layouts or let us build something new based on your needs.

Seasonal, Clean, and Composed

We don’t believe in a mix-and-match bar that forces guests to guess what works. Everything in our bars is built to complement, not compete. Roasted carrots go with miso tahini. Pickled onions pair with lentils and cumin oil. Toasted seeds add crunch to grains without overpowering them. And when we include a protein—plant-based or otherwise—it always comes fully prepared and ready to serve without fuss.

This clarity starts with sourcing. We build menus around what’s growing, what’s tasting good, and what’s available in its best form. That means each bar feels rooted in the season. Summer bars lean light and crisp. Winter bars are warm and earthy. Spring and fall often live somewhere in between.

Our approach to salad-based bars, for example, includes thoughtfully arranged greens and grains, along with roasted vegetables, dressings, toppings, and garnishes that let people build bowls with ease. To explore that format, our create your own salad page offers more insight into how we curate options that serve well and still feel satisfying. For more options to peak your interest, please visit our Corporate Catering Menu

Individual or Shared, Always Balanced

We design each bar to work in your space, with your people, and on your schedule. That means we offer both individual and shared formats. If your team needs grab-and-go efficiency, we’ll build composed bar kits—customized bowls or wraps with a balance of textures and flavors already inside, with optional sauces and toppings on the side.

Prefer the interactivity of a full bar? We’ll bring it as a curated station, with each component labeled, spaced for flow, and built for minimal disruption to the rhythm of your day. Every bar setup includes serving tools, compostable materials, and guidance on order of assembly—so guests feel welcomed, not confused.

We often combine make-your-own bars with other menu elements, especially for mid-sized teams. It might be a salad bar alongside a soup or a warm pasta setup paired with roasted seasonal vegetables. Our lunch buffet options can flex to include a bar-style section, giving you the best of both formats with none of the stress.

A Bar That Moves Like Your Team

Catering isn’t just about the food. It’s about how that food fits into the life of the people you’re feeding. A bar format gives you flexibility—because every guest can make their own plate, but every plate comes from the same thoughtful system. That means no one gets left out, and everyone walks away with something satisfying.

This format works especially well for hybrid offices, rotating meeting schedules, or wellness-minded teams who need fresh meals without decision fatigue. Because everything we include is pre-tested to pair well, the experience feels guided even when each person builds something unique.

If you’re planning recurring lunches or want to weave in a bar-style format alongside other styles, our corporate lunch menu is a great place to start. We’ll help you design a series of meals that evolve across the week without repeating or overwhelming.

Nourishment with Options, Not Chaos

What makes our bar catering feel different is the quiet sense of care it brings. Yes, people get to make their own plates—but they’re not guessing, not overwhelmed, and never faced with a disjointed collection of options. Each bar is curated, from base to topping, with a clear throughline of flavor, texture, and intention.

We do this because food should be comforting without being boring. Simple without being sterile. And interactive without becoming an extra task. When we build your bar, we do it with clarity—because even when people are choosing their own path, they deserve a map.

For planners, admins, and leads looking to explore this format in a low-pressure way, our menu tasting service gives you the chance to experience how a bar setup could flow in your space. It’s one of the best ways to see how this format feels—not just in theory, but in practice.

Our make your own bar catering isn’t a gimmick. It’s a thoughtful, flavor-forward way to bring people together, give them space to choose, and still make sure every plate is rooted in care. We bring the tools. You bring the appetite. And together, we build meals that speak for themselves. Start with our Corporate Lunch Menu to build your catering plan.