"Listen, we understand that restaurants have to make a profit and the margins in the industry are notoriously tight. But there is one appetizer whose prices are entering egregious territory lately. We're sorry (not sorry), but charging upwards of $20 for a bowl of blackened Brussels sprouts is unacceptable. Blackened Brussels sprouts have been having an extended moment in the sun."
"First, when you order blackened Brussels sprouts, you can bet that a few of them are going to be almost too blackened. We like a nice char, but unless you're eating some very upscale Brussels sprouts, you'll often get what amounts to crispy burnt leaves scattered around the dish. It's like eating an autumnal sidewalk, which may sound nice, but it doesn't taste very good."
"The second reason is that Brussels sprouts are not very expensive. Comparing the price at popular grocery chains like Shop Rite, Stop and Shop, and Trader Joe's, we found that as of this writing, a pound of Brussels sprouts will run you around $3.50. Even with a sprinkle of seasoning and an extended dunk in the deep fryer, that's a far cry from the $20 price tag the appetizer often goes for."
Restaurants sometimes charge $20 or more for blackened Brussels sprouts despite low raw cost. Brussels sprouts are often fried or roasted until heavily charred, then finished with balsamic reduction, hot honey, or bacon, and some pieces can be overly burned. A pound of Brussels sprouts costs around $3.50 at major grocery chains, so basic seasoning and deep-frying do not justify steep appetizer prices. High prices can be justified when dishes include luxury additions such as caviar, fresh truffles, or high-quality Parmigiano Reggiano, but those ingredients, not the sprouts, account for the premium. There is some evidence that prices rose in early 2025.
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