Hot off the press, if we had presses anymore and if a month is considered hot, would be the National Restaurant Association’s 2025 What’s Hot Culinary Forecast. Of all the predictions found in the restaurant industry, this one tends to be viewed through the clearest lens. In other words, they polished their crystal ball well before gazing into its depths.
Almost 300 industry professionals ranked 71 items in 7 categories, including dishes, ingredients, flavors, condiments, beverages, alcoholic beverages, and macro trends. Here are their top 10 suggestions, the menu items and influences that will take the world by storm in 2025.
Sustainability
Topping the charts and coming as no surprise is sustainability. Growing numbers of diners are looking for restaurants that source locally, reduce waste, and embrace environmental stewardship. These practices will bear increasing weight on which restaurants customers choose.
Southeast Asian Foods
Cuisine from Vietnam, Korea, and the Philippines ranked high in demand. In fact, all things Korean appear to be experiencing a surge of interest, from entertainment to cooking competitions and documentaries. Southeast Asian foods also ranked in terms of flavors, ingredients, and condiments.
Popular dishes include Dak-galbi, a spicy South Korean blend of stir-fried chicken, vegetables, and gochujang sauce. Bibimbap incorporates rice topped with meat or tofu, egg, vegetables, and gochujang. Hot Vietnamese dishes include pho, bahn mi, and mi Quang. Tocino-style pork, chicken adobo, pancit, and lumpia topped the Filipino cuisine list.
The reasons behind this trend include food as medicine, spicy flavors, and the common practices of pickling and fermentation and its associated health benefits. As has been the case for some years, hyper-regional focus continues to gain ground, particularly on social media platforms.
The Top Ingredients
You might consider adding one or two of these ingredients to your menu in 2025 to help make a social media splash. Some of the top contenders include honey and seeds, functional mushrooms, pineapple, tamarind, and ube. Many of these ingredients support customers’ increasing desire to make healthier food choices that support well-being.
Honey is rich in antioxidants and provides anti-inflammatory properties. Popular functional mushrooms among chefs include shitake, maitake, lion’s mane, and chanterelle. Pineapple is rich in nutrients that may help boost immunity and improve digestion. Popular dishes and drinks with this tropical fruit include spicy pineapple margarita and pineapple kimchi.
The Top Beverages
Along the lines of increasing sustainable practices comes the number one alcoholic beverages: hyper-local beer and wine. By purchasing locally, you not only pique customers’ interest but also support your local community.
At the same time, the in-demand beverages of the last few years seem to be retaining their grasp. Creative spritzes, innovative old fashioneds, and nostalgic martinis remain front and center. As with small plates that let customers share and try more of your delectable items, flights with tasting-size glasses let guests sample various beverages, from beer and wine to martinis and mimosas. No and low-alcohol options should also be a strong consideration.
The Macro Trends
Macro trends suggest the bigger picture, the priorities taking shape as the next year arrives. A few of the standouts include:
-
- Food Flights: Like beverage flights, these offer samplings of a particular item made with different ingredients and processes. Some examples include mini-desserts, deviled eggs, and pasta dishes. Almost 10 years ago, food flights took hold. As with many things in life, it appears they’re coming around once again. Back in the day, waffles, mini-pizzas, and ceviche came as flights.
- Pop-Up Restaurants: It’s hard to imagine that pop-up restaurants could get any more popular than they are today, yet they continue to make the “hot” list for restaurant trends.
- Healthy Kids’ Menus: Just as your guests search for healthy alternatives, they also look for healthy menu options that support their children’s well-being.
A New Year, a New Beginning
There’s a reason why gym memberships surged by about 12% in January. A new year offers the gift of a new beginning, a fresh slate to uphold the promises we make to ourselves, others, and our business. According to an OpenTable survey, there may well be cause for optimism in 2025, with 54% of Americans planning to eat out more than the previous year. The younger generations lead the pack, with 68% of Millennials and over 70% of Gen Z planning to increase their restaurant dining experience.
Here’s to a fruitful and innovative 2025.