I recently helped put on a Women’s retreat for my church. We set up a self-serve Italian soda bar, which was a really fun addition. Having a birthday party, bridal shower, or graduation party? Add an Italian Soda bar – it’s not only delicious, but really fun as well.
How to set up your own Italian Soda Bar
1. Gather your supplies
- Club Soda or Sparkling Water (estimate about 1 liter per person)
- Flavored syrups – choose from a variety of fruity flavors – it’s fun to mix and match. You find these in most grocery stores and online.
- Ice – I recommend each guest fill their cup about half-way with ice. We purchased two large bags of ice for 50 guests and it was plenty.
- Disposable cups (12-ounce or 16-ounce capacity) or clear plastic cups for guests to build their Italian sodas
- Straws (you can find cute straws to match your theme)
- Cream/Half & Half or Non-dairy cream (I used Oatly full fat oat milk because that is all I could find, and it was delicious!)
- Whipped Cream – For 50 guests, we used 2 large size cans of Whipped Cream
- Optional – Maraschino Cherries
2. Display and Serving Supplies
- Tablecloth or table runner
- Beverage dispensers for the Club Soda (optional)
- Carafes for the cream/half and half (optional)
- Labels for the Carafes and Beverage dispenser
- Pumps for the syrups (optional)
- Ice buckets or coolers to keep the ice readily available
- Napkins or cocktail napkins
3. Set up your Italian Soda Bar
- Choose a table or area where guests can easily access the supplies.
- Set out the soda water and syrup bottles, along with cream, whipped cream, maraschino cherries, cups, ice, and straws.
- Provide instructions: Make sure guests know how to make their own Italian sodas. Here is a free printable with instructions.
Free Printable Make your own Italian Soda Instructions
With these steps, your self-serve Italian soda bar is sure to be a hit at your party!
Have you ever hosted an Italian Soda bar or been to a party or event with one? What are your favorite flavor combinations? Let me know in the comments.
Shop this Post
