DINE IN OVER DELIVERY
It ’ s time people . It ’ s time ! This is the year we return to dining out ! Food tastes better when it is fresh and in the right environment , and breaking bread and socializing with friends is good for the soul .
BIG LOVE FOR LOCAL
There is no way around it : Today ’ s diners care where their food comes from and knowing if it is sustainable and natural . They are eager to support small businesses that give back to their community and source from nearby farms . It ’ s part of the bigger shift toward wanting to connect more meaningfully with places they visit and the people behind them . Notably , sustainability even ranks above value on some 2025 trends lists . This suggests people are generally willing to pay more at a restaurant that has instituted ethical , sustainable business practices over a cheaper option that ignores this critical component of the restaurant business today . The farm to table movement continues to grow and in turn , consumers are demanding greater transparency about food origins . We happily applaud more diners that are rewarding restaurants that share their ethos .
Blue Lagoon Organics
HOT HONEY
A simple yet supremely satisfying combination of honey and chili peppers , hot honey is the game changing ingredient to watch moving into 2025 , adding an unmistakable mix of sweet and spicy to any dish . Hot honey is already drizzling onto a variety of dishes ranging from ice cream to fried chicken and pizza , and there is no telling what other snacks it may land on . The spicy sweet combination , also dubbed “ swicy ”, is re-imagining bar snacks , appetizers , or desserts as in cardamom spiced mixed nuts , chili mango sorbet , or sriracha popcorn . Spit balling here , but if turnip is really going to be the year ’ s it vegetable , the shunned root is surely a candidate for an indulgent hot honey treatment .
CONDENSED MENUS
Smaller , focused well-curated menus enable restaurants to concentrate on what they want to showcase . With profit margins getting slimmer and slimmer , precision is paramount and eliminating what is unnecessary on menus helps manage operational costs while enhancing the guest experience at the same time . It also reduces decision paralysis , making it easier for diners to choose without “ fomo ” and in turn , enjoy selections better .
NEWSTALGIA
Nostalgia for fond memories of meals and moments enjoyed can provide solace during a trying time . It explains why we yearn for a meal from our childhood at the end of a long hard day . “ Newstalgia ” is making everything old new again . Diners are craving deeper connections to their food , eager to know the stories behind dishes . Modern twists on classic recipes propel chefs to reimagine comfort food from past decades with contemporary ingredients and presentations breaking new culinary ground . Naturally , in keeping with true rustic , heartfelt cooking , it is served up with exuberant hospitality , just like grandma ’ s house .
One Great City Brewing Co .
Photo by Rosie Berger ciao ! / feb / mar / two thousand twenty-five 11