02-26-2023 Harford Magazine - Flipbook - Page 56
Best of Harford
Jon Kohler is the owner
of Pairings Bistro,
which specializes in
catering cocktail
parties and special
events. The company
recently added a food
truck catering option
for more casual fare.
PHOTO BY KENNETH
K. LAM
56
FOOD & DRINK
Pairings Bistro
Best Caterer
2105 Laurel Bush Rd #108, Bel Air. 410-569-5006. www.pairingsbistro.com
Catering has always been an integral piece of the
Pairings Bistro business — so much so that owner Jon
Kohler delayed the restaurant’s grand opening by a
day to make space on the calendar for a catered event.
Back in 2009, when he first opened Pairings Bistro
in Bel Air, the restaurant had room for just a couple
dozen seats and was how “we could reach out to
our guests in another way,” Kohler said. “It didn’t
matter if we only had 25 seats — we were able to do
these catering events, and because of that I think the
catering over the past 14 years has really helped us be
able to grow.”
The restaurant has since expanded, tripling its
seating in 2012 and adding another 2,000 square feet
last year, to make room for a local market, cafe and
| Spring 2023 | harfordmagazine.com
larger bar area.
The catering side is still going strong, too. Kohler
and his staff specialize in cocktail parties and special
events like birthdays and anniversaries, serving hors
d’oeuvres like brioche sandwiches, cream of crab
shooters and cheese and charcuterie boards. Pairings
also recently added a food truck catering option for
more casual fare, such as tacos, sliders and fries.
Pairings is known for its on-site dining, too: the
restaurant was named Harford Magazine’s Best
Restaurant in 2022. But Kohler said he’ll always have a
soft spot for the catering business.
“In the restaurant you don’t know who’s coming in
day-to-day,” he said, “but a catering event is planned. I
like it because you know what to expect.”