How Will We Eat & Drink in 2025?

Welcome to the 2025 Food & Beverage Trends Report! This year, we're diving into a feast of bold flavors, groundbreaking innovations, and unexpected pairings that are shaking up the culinary world. From AI-driven recipe curation to the rise of "hyperlocal" ingredients grown in your own backyard, the future of food has never been more exciting—or more delicious. Whether you're a foodie on the hunt for the next big thing or a brand looking to stay ahead of the curve, this report serves up a tasty menu of insights, trends, and inspiration. Buckle up—it's going to be a flavorful ride.

Sustainable Winemaking

Sustainable wine production is set to be a defining trend in 2025, as both consumers and producers increasingly prioritize environmental responsibility. Wineries are increasingly adopting eco-friendly practices, from organic farming to renewable energy usage utilization, and water conservation to reduce their environmental impact. 

Alternative packaging solutions are also gaining traction. For instance, Bogle Family Wine now offers Element [AL] - a lightweight, infinitely recyclable 750ml aluminum bottle. Medly Wine Co. packages their wine in recyclable pouches equivalent to four bottles of wine each. Both companies are aiming to minimize the carbon footprint associated with traditional glass bottles.

Additionally, the concept of regenerative viticulture is gaining momentum, with more wineries adopting this concept. This approach focuses on enhancing soil health and biodiversity, offering a flexible framework adaptable to various climates and grape varieties. Major producers, including those in Champagne, are investing in regenerative practices to ensure long-term sustainability.

In summary, the wine industry in 2025 is expected to embrace sustainability through innovative farming techniques, eco-friendly packaging, and regenerative practices, aligning with the growing consumer demand for environmentally conscious products.

New Regional Cuisine Alert, West African

West African cuisine is poised to be a significant culinary trend in 2025, captivating diners with its rich flavors and diverse dishes. West African food celebrates the region's rich heritage, preserving traditional recipes while challenging stereotypes and highlighting the diversity of African cuisine. It also connects diaspora communities, fostering pride and shared identity, while also opening conversations about history, migration, and resilience.

The cuisine's rise in popularity is evident in cities like Houston, where the West African food scene has expanded notably with restaurants such as Safari and ChopnBlok. The increasing interest in West African flavors is also reflected in dining trends. Reservation platforms data revealed that West African food was the top-performing cuisine, with a 72% year-over-year increase, indicating that restaurants are embracing these bold flavors.

Key ingredients such as fonio, an ancient grain from the region, are gaining international attention for their nutritional benefits and versatility. Chefs like Pierre Thiam and Kwame Onwuachi have been instrumental in introducing West African flavors. Additionally, restaurants like Akoko and Chishuru have gained many accolades, and captured the hearts of the local food scene in London.  

Old School Dining is New

Diners are gravitating towards more personal and intimate restaurant experiences, and in 2025, this trend will gain more adepts, walking away from systems that hardly have any human interaction, or even worse, treating restaurant reservations like exchangeable assets that can be traded. Personalized reservations are at the heart of this shift, with many establishments moving away from automated booking systems to allow for direct communication with patrons. This approach allows diners to share their preferences or special requests, adding a warm, human touch to the process and fostering a sense of connection even before they step through the door.

Daily menus are also becoming a hallmark of this trend. Rather than relying on extensive, static options, restaurants are focusing on curated offerings that change daily, often based on seasonal and locally sourced ingredients. This not only supports sustainability but also adds an air of exclusivity and excitement, as guests look forward to discovering what’s on the menu that day.

A notable departure from modern dining norms is the reduced emphasis on social media. Many restaurants are prioritizing the essence of the dining experience over the need for Instagrammable aesthetics. The focus shifts to creating spaces that foster genuine connections, storytelling about the food, and building meaningful memories that linger long after the meal is over.

An engaging host, thoughtful service, and attention to detail evoke nostalgia, reminding diners of a time when eating out was about personal connections and heartfelt hospitality. This trend reflects a growing desire for authenticity and quality, offering an antidote to the fast-paced, technology-driven dining culture of recent years.

Chicken is the New Duck

Chicken (and other smaller birds) will take centerstage at restaurants, reflecting a creative reimagining of this familiar protein. Chefs are elevating chicken to the level of gourmet sophistication traditionally reserved for duck, making it the centerpiece of bold, inventive dishes. With its versatility, chicken is becoming a canvas for diverse culinary techniques such as confit, sous vide, intricate roasting methods, and even fried whole, offering diners an elevated take on a classic staple.

This trend aligns with consumer preferences for approachable yet high-quality dishes. Restaurants are responding by focusing on heritage breeds and pasture-raised chickens, which boast richer flavors and align with the growing demand for sustainable and ethically sourced ingredients. These premium offerings allow chefs to showcase chicken’s potential in ways that surprise and delight diners, transforming perceptions of this everyday protein.

Additionally, chicken’s adaptability to global flavors – from spicy Korean fried chicken to Indian-inspired tandoori- makes it a perfect fit for the adventurous palates of modern diners. From Korean-inspired crispy fried chicken to French-style coq au vin reinvented with a modern twist, chefs are exploring and interpreting all the possibilities.

Restaurants Elevating their Bars

In 2025, restaurants will keep transforming dining by spotlighting innovative cocktail programs and giving mixologists a platform to shine. This shift elevates cocktails to an essential part of the dining experience, blending culinary and mixology artistry, converting craft cocktails into an extension of the culinary experience.

Pairing cocktails with tasting menus is another hallmark of this trend. Traditionally reserved for wine, pairing menus now include expertly crafted cocktails designed to harmonize with specific courses. This approach allows diners to explore complex flavor profiles and experience how cocktails can enhance and elevate their meal. From smoky mezcal drinks to delicate floral infusions, cocktails are becoming just as dynamic and versatile as the dishes they accompany.

Furthermore, restaurants are reimagining their bar spaces as destinations for creativity and interaction. By providing mixologists with platforms to engage directly with guests, such as bar seating or open cocktail-making stations, restaurants are offering an immersive experience where guests can witness the craftsmanship behind their drinks.

The Caesar Salad: 100 Years and Counting

The Caesar salad, a dish with over 100 years of history, is set to remain a culinary trend in 2025, evolving with creative adaptations and inspired dishes that resonate with other current trends and tastes. Restaurants across the United States will continue to reimagine this classic, incorporating its signature flavors into innovative menu items like Caesar-inspired tacos, Caesar flatbreads, and global fusions. Kojin in Miami put nori and smoked trout roe on their Caesar salad, and Cassia in Santa Monica showcase a Vietnamese. Caesar salad is also the perfect table side preparation for an elevated experience, and in the case of Sunny’s in Miami, is one of the hottest items in the menu.

Beyond restaurant menus, the supermarket aisles will be a hub of Caesar-inspired products, including seasoned snacks like Caesar-flavored chips, new varieties of bottled dressings with bold flavors like chipotle-Caesar or vegan alternatives, and pre-packaged Caesar wraps and grain bowls catering to on-the-go consumers. Brands are also expanding into Caesar spice blends for home cooking, ensuring the salad's unmistakable flavor profile is accessible to everyone.

Home cooks are also experimenting with Caesar recipes such as pastas with Caesar inspired sauces, baked Caesar chicken, and Caesar deviled eggs. From high-end dining to everyday snacking, the Caesar legacy will grow as a flavor-forward culinary icon in 2025.