We're throwing a Great Gatsby-style party with plenty of 1920s finger foods, cocktails, and a dance floor! You're invited, too, so check out our menu with cocktails, canapés, and hors d'oeuvres you would have seen at dinner parties and speakeasies during the Jazz Age. You might be surprised to learn that many hors d'oeuvres, cocktails, and desserts that were popular then still grace many modern menus. So grab a glass of red wine, some cheese and settle in to read all about 1920s finger foods!
Table of Contents
1920s Dinner Party Menu
The roaring 20s in the United States was a time of cocktail parties, dancing, and jazz. Food was also a big part of that time, and finger foods were all the rage. The finger foods of the 1920s blend seamlessly with the charcuterie boards of today, so try incorporating some of these delicious treats into your next roaring 20s party, or anytime you want to enjoy a slice of delicious history.
Most Popular 1920s Finger Foods - Hors D'oeuvres
These are some of the most popular finger foods from the 20s, all of which are still recognizable and even popular today. Finger foods became popular in speakeasies as a way to serve small bites while patrons enjoyed their cocktails.
Deviled Eggs - Although deviled eggs have been around since ancient Rome, they became wildly popular in the 1920s. Often served topped with caviar, they would be served on a platter with other popular 1920s finger foods. Serve them on their own tray or add some to a cheese platter.
Oysters Rockefeller - Another popular appetizer was Oysters Rockefeller, wherein fresh oysters are baked in their half-shell with garlic, spinach, Parmesan, bacon, shallots, and a little vermouth. They're still popular today, especially around the holidays.
Finger sandwiches (tea sandwiches) - Little finger sandwiches were incredibly popular at 1920s parties, and they're a perfect addition to any speakeasy party today. They're perfect on their own tiered tray or tucked individually onto a charcuterie board. Softened butter and cream cheese are great choices for the spread, then add things like thinly sliced cucumber, smoked salmon, crab salad, egg salad, or even shrimp. We're partial to a thin slice of brie and ham. Use Wonder Bread as it was a popular choice back then.
Shrimp Cocktail - What do you do with empty martini glasses not used during Prohibition? Use them to display finger foods in new ways, of course! The shrimp cocktail was an easy appetizer to pass around and party guests loved it. We recommend using Royal Red shrimp and homemade cocktail sauce if you plan on making your own.
Cheese Platters - If you're throwing a 1920s party and want to stay true to history, choose cheeses that were a popular food at the time. Cheddar, Roquefort, Swiss, Edam, and parmesan cheese were often seen on cheese platters.
Relish Trays - Here's where we start to see a common theme from the 1920s that translates well to today's charcuterie boards (and taste buds). Olives, cornichons, and pickled onions are all fantastic additions to any 1920s theme.
Cheese Balls - No cocktail party would have been complete without a beloved cheese ball. This can be served on its own or as the centerpiece of a cheese platter. There's a recipe published in "Good Housekeeping's Book of Menus, Recipes, and Household Discoveries" from 1920 that has a cheese ball recipe (the actual title of the recipe is "Dainty Cheese"). It's made from cream cheese, melted butter, chopped olives, chopped hard-boiled egg, and grated onion. Other versions added sour cream, too. We'll opt for a more modern cheese ball recipe for our 1920s-themed party, but stick to the original if you want authenticity.
Most Popular Drinks
These are cocktails that were popular during the period of prohibition and the great depression in many American homes and speakeasies. You can enjoy them without the threat of a prohibition police raid.
Old Fashioned - The classic Old Fashioned has bourbon whiskey, angostura bitters, a little simple syrup or a sugar cube, a slice of orange or orange peel, and a maraschino cherry. Add a splash of club soda if you like, too.
Gin Fizz - Made with gin, egg white, simple syrup, lime juice, and soda water, the Gin Fizz was created in the 1880s and was a popular choice for alcohol consumption in the 1920s. Throw on your three-piece suit, serve up a Gin Fizz, and hit the dance floor!
Whiskey Smash - The Whiskey Smash arrived on the scene in 1887, the same year as the Gin Fizz. It has muddled lemon wedges, bourbon, simple syrup, and mint leaves. Garnish with a fresh mint spring.
Martini - Lavish parties from the prohibition period wouldn't have been the same without these classic cocktails. Often made with "bathtub gin", where amateur booze enthusiasts topped off tall bottles of their homemade gin in the bathtub - martinis were two parts gin to one part vermouth. Luckily, you can head to the grocery store and pick up your favorite gin, no bathtub required.
Gin Rickey - The classic 1920s Gin Rickey is made with gin, simple syrup, fresh lime juice, and soda water. Garnish with a wedge of lime.
Classic Mint Julep - The original Mint Julep was a combination of Bordeaux wine, strawberry juice, sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, water, and sprigs of fresh mint.
Red Wine - The Volstead Act was a way to enforce the 18th amendment and took effect in 1920. It prohibited the manufacturing and sale of alcoholic beverages, however, limited amounts of wine were allowed for use in religious ceremonies, making red wine more easily available than other types of alcohol at the time.
Main Course
Baked ham, pork chops, roast duck, meatballs, Derby Hot Browns, and chicken noodle soup were all common main courses of the Jazz Age. Surprisingly, although not authentic Chinese food, Chop Suey was also popular around this time.
Side Dishes
Waldorf Salad - The Waldorf Salad arrived in 1893 at a charity ball at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, and was a popular salad in the 1920s. To make it, combine a chopped red apple, a chopped celery stalk, a quarter cup of mayonnaise, and a little salt and pepper. Arrange the salad over bite-sized pieces of torn lettuce. It can be served in mini, individual cups for ease of serving.
Clam Chowder - This was served in restaurants all around the country. It's easy to make your own to go with your 1920s party theme.
Desserts
Icebox cake - Sweetened whipped cream is layered with thin cookies, such as chocolate wafers, then left in the "icebox" until the cookies soften and become cake-like. This is another dish that can be made in individual dessert glasses if you like.
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake - This cake was a contest winner in 1926 and was an immediate hit. It's still popular today and for good reason! Its sweet, buttery brown sugar glaze combined with slices of pineapple and maraschino cherries is as delicious today as it was the first time around. For individual servings, make this in a cupcake pan.
Divinity - This one is personal to me, as I often enjoyed it in my youth from my mother's kitchen. It's a candy made from egg whites, sugar, corn syrup, pecans, and a little vanilla extract. And it's gorgeous on a charcuterie board!
Ice Cream - Chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla were all popular ice cream flavors. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to a slice of pineapple upside-down cake!
Dress Code and Activities
To really go all-out, ask your guests to dress in 1920s style. The flapper look is the most memorable from that time period, but blouses and skirts, headbands, hats, and accessories would all be a great way to dress up in women's garb. For men, suit jackets and hats would fit the look of the time.
Themed parties should also have music and activities that were popular at the time. Card games such as Bridge would be a perfect choice for the roaring 20s. You'll want to have some tunes by Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and King Oliver at the ready, and maybe some silent movies playing in the background. Jazz and dance played an important role during this time period, so you could teach everyone the Lindy Hop and have a dance contest!
For a finishing touch, set out a few Art Deco-style signs on the food table, in black and gold, of course. They're perfect for labeling dishes, or for a few charcuterie puns beside the hors d'oeuvres.
Arrange some of these 1920s finger foods by learning how to make a charcuterie board.
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