What should you serve at an adult birthday party?

It depends on the time of day. In the evening an apericena with finger food and one or two hot dishes in cups works well; at lunchtime, a buffet with a first course, a main and seasonal vegetables. The cake comes last, and it is worth asking the caterer who cuts and serves it.

Which menu should you choose for an 18th birthday?

The most suitable format is a standing buffet or an apericena, with street food (supplì, mini burgers, piadine), pizza and a first course in cups. Many guests are under 18: by law alcohol cannot be served to minors, so ask the caterer how they manage the bar.

How much does a private party menu cost?

Industry estimates give national averages of €15-20 per person for an aperitivo, €20-50 for a simple lunch or dinner and €35-70 for a full menu. In Rome the quote depends on guests, staff, location and drinks.

For a party at home, is a platter delivery enough?

For a few guests and a cold buffet, often yes. If there are hot dishes, fried food or more than 25-30 guests, a waiter who reheats, restocks and clears changes the evening. It is an indicative judgement: it depends on the space and the kitchen at home.

Private Party Menu Examples in Rome: Birthday, 18th, Graduation

In short

Five parties, five menus: adult birthday, 18th, christening or communion, graduation, house party.

The format depends above all on the time of day: seated lunch, evening apericena, afternoon rinfresco.

Indicative national ranges: €15-20 for the aperitivo, €20-50 for a simple lunch or dinner, €35-70 for a full menu.

At 18th birthdays and confirmations many guests are minors: no alcohol for under-18s.

A private party has no fixed rules, and that is the beauty of it. But every occasion has an audience and a time of day, and that is where the right menu comes from. Here you will find five examples designed for parties in and around Rome, in different cooking styles, with indicative price ranges and the points to weigh up. Take them as a base to change as you like.

The figures are industry estimates, indicative national averages. In Rome the bill depends on staff, venue, drinks and transport, especially in the centre. For details on costs there is the guide to how much a birthday buffet costs.

1. Adult birthday (dinner, 30-50 guests)

For a 50th in a garden in Monteverde or a private room in Prati.

Aperitivo

Salmon tartare on spoons, supplì, courgette flowers in summer
Focaccia with mortadella, pecorino with honey
Sparkling wine and a white from the Castelli

Buffet or served

First course: paccheri with tomato and basil, rigatoni all'amatriciana or fettuccine with mushrooms in autumn
Main: sliced beef tagliata or sea bream fillet, roast vegetables
Seasonal salad

Desserts

Birthday cake, cut fruit, coffee

What to consider. If the guests span several generations, provide seating for everyone even with a buffet. Decide beforehand whether the cake comes from a pastry shop or the caterer: some caterers charge for cutting and serving. Indicative price: between €20 and €50 per person for a simple dinner.

2. 18th birthday party (evening, standing)

For a party in a privately hired bar in San Lorenzo or a rented villa outside Rome.

Street food

Supplì (fried rice balls) and croquettes, pizza rossa and bianca by the slice
Mini burgers, piadine, tacos or mini rolls with porchetta
Chips in paper cones

Hot dish

Pasta with tomato or mezze maniche alla gricia in cups, or stir-fried noodles

Desserts

Cake, mini desserts, fruit in a glass

Drinks

Water, soft drinks, alcohol-free drinks and mocktails
A bar with alcohol for adults only, with checks

What to consider. Italian Law 125/2001 prohibits serving alcohol to under-18s: ask the caterer how they identify who can drink, for example with wristbands. Teenagers dance and eat in waves, so food needs to keep coming all evening. Indicative price: €15-20 for an aperitivo, more if the buffet replaces dinner. Also read the guide to the 18th birthday party.

3. Christening or communion (lunch, guests of all ages)

For a lunch after Mass in a hall in the Castelli Romani or an agriturismo (farm-stay restaurant) towards Bracciano.

Standing aperitivo

Mini pizzas, tramezzini, mozzarella bites
Small pasta frittatas, olive ascolane (stuffed fried olives)

Lunch

First course: lasagne or fettuccine with ragù
Main: roast with baked potatoes, abbacchio (milk-fed lamb) at Easter or in spring
Seasonal side

Children's menu

Pasta with tomato, breaded chicken strips, baked potatoes

Desserts

Cake, confetti (sugared almonds), coffee

What to consider. Communions are concentrated on spring Sundays: book as soon as the parish gives you the date. Guests range from grandparents to small children: table service is more comfortable for older guests. Indicative price: between €35 and €70 per person for a full menu. You will find the guides to the christening rinfresco, the communion and confirmation lunch and the children's menu.

4. Graduation party (apericena after the ceremony)

For a party on a terrace in Ostiense, near Roma Tre, or in a bar near La Sapienza.

Finger food

Mini supplì, croquettes, prawns in tempura
Crostini with seasonal vegetables, burrata and anchovies
Mini sushi or poke in cups
Fruit skewers

In cups

Cold pasta in summer, pasta e ceci in winter
Spelt salad

Desserts and toast

Mini cheesecakes or mini maritozzi, a cake with the laurel wreath, sparkling wine

What to consider. The date of the graduation ceremony (proclamazione) often comes at short notice: contact caterers before you have it and ask how they handle a late confirmation. Friends stay until late, family leave earlier: the food has to last all evening. Indicative price: €15-20 per person for an aperitivo. Read the guide to the graduation party.

5. House party (20-30 guests, buffet)

For a birthday or a dinner with friends in a flat in the Trieste or Appio neighbourhoods.

Cold buffet

Savoury tarts, grilled vegetables, rice salad
Cured meats and cheeses from Lazio, rustic bread
Pizza bianca and rossa

One hot dish

Aubergine parmigiana in a tray, or lasagne, to reheat in the home oven

Desserts

Ricotta and sour cherry tart, seasonal fruit

What to consider. At home the limits are the oven, the fridge and the space for the buffet: tell the caterer beforehand. In the centre and in the ZTL (limited traffic zones) the address changes the delivery cost. Indicative price: delivery only costs less than a service with a waiter; for an aperitivo, industry estimates indicate €15-20 per person. You will find the rest in the guide to the apericena at home.

Summary

Party	Typical format	Indicative range per person
Adult birthday	Apericena or buffet dinner	€20-50 (simple dinner)
18th birthday	Standing buffet, street food	€15-20 (aperitivo), more if it replaces dinner
Christening or communion	Aperitivo and seated lunch	€35-70 (full menu)
Graduation	Apericena	€15-20 (aperitivo)
House party	Delivered buffet	€15-20 (aperitivo), plus any staff

For quantities per person, which change a lot between an aperitivo and a meal, there is the guide on how much food to plan for a buffet.

Questions to ask the caterer

Does the price include delivery, staff, crockery and tablecloths?
Do you have a children's menu and price?
Who cuts the cake? Is there a charge if I bring it?
How do you manage the bar if there are minors?
Can I change a dish to suit the season?
Do the hot dishes arrive ready or are they reheated on site?
Can you give me the allergen matrix for the menu?
Who collects the trays and rubbish at the end of the party?

To finish

Choose the menu from the time of day and the guests, then add the dishes you like. Caterers for birthdays, graduations and family occasions are in the private party caterers section. When you have a date, guests and an address, request a quote from two or three caterers with the same menu.