The National Restaurant Association unveiled its 2018 edition of “What’s Hot,” a list that surveys 700 professional chefs to predict the top food and beverage trends for restaurants in the coming year.
“Local, vegetable-forward, and ethnic-inspired menu items will reign supreme in the upcoming year. Guests are implementing these trends in their own lifestyles and want to see them reflected on restaurant menus. In response, chefs are creating more items in-house and turning to global flavors,” says Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of research at the National Restaurant Association, in a statement.
Here are the Top 20 Food Trends:
- New cuts of meat
- House-made condiments
- Street food-inspired dishes
- Ethnic-inspired breakfast items
- Sustainable seafood
- Healthful kids’ meals
- Vegetable carb substitutes
- Uncommon herbs
- Authentic ethnic cuisine
- Ethnic spices
- Peruvian cuisine
- House-made/artisan pickles
- Heritage-breed meats
- Thai-rolled ice cream
- African flavors
- Ethnic-inspired kids’ dishes
- Doughnuts with non-traditional filling
- Gourmet items in kids’ meals
- Ethnic condiment
- Ancient grains
These are the Top 10 Concept Trends
- Hyper local
- Chef-driven fast casual concepts
- Natural ingredients/clean menus
- Food waste reduction
- Veggie-centric/vegetable-forward cuisine
- Environmental sustainability
- Locally sourced meat and seafood
- Locally sourced produce
- Simplicity/back to basics
- Farm/estate-branded items
Here are the top trends by category.
- Alcoholic beverages
- Culinary cocktails
- Locally produced spirits/wine/beer
- Craft/artisan spirits
- Onsite barrel-aged drinks
- Regional signature cocktails
- Breakfast/Brunch
- Ethnic-inspired breakfast items
- Avocado toast
- Traditional ethnic breakfast items
- Overnight oats
- Breakfast hash
- Condiments and Accoutrements
- House-made condiments
- Ethnic spices
- House-made/artisan pickles
- Ethnic condiments
- Protein-rich grains/seeds
- Culinary Concepts
- Hyper-local
- Natural ingredients/clean menus
- Veggie-centric/vegetable-forward cuisine
- Environmental sustainability
- Locally sourced meat and seafood
- Dishes
- Street food-inspired
- Vegetable carb substitutes
- House-made charcuterie
- Seafood charcuterie
- Amuse-bouche/bite-size appetizers
- Global Flavors
- Authentic ethnic cuisine
- Peruvian cuisine
- African flavors
- Filipino cuisine
- Ethnic fusion cuisine
- Kids’ Meals
- Healthful kids’ meals
- Ethnic-inspired kids’ dishes
- Gourmet items in kids’ meals
- Whole grain items in kids’ meals
- Grilled items in kids’ meals
- Non-Alcoholic Beverages
- House-made/artisan soft drinks
- Cold-brew coffee
- Gourmet lemonade
- Locally/house roasted coffee
- Specialty iced tea
- Pasta and grains
- Ancient grains
- Non-wheat noodles/pasta
- Farro
- Black/forbidden rice
- Hand-made pasta
- Produce
- Uncommon herbs
- Hybrid fruit/vegetables
- Heirloom fruit and vegetables
- Exotic fruit
- Superfruit
- Protein
- New cuts of meat
- Sustainable seafood
- Heritage-breed meats
- Plant-based burgers
- House-made sausage
- Restaurant Concepts
- Chef-driven fast-casual concepts
- Food waste reduction
- Meal kits
- Small-plate menus/ restaurant concepts
- Commissaries
- Sweets
- Thai-rolled ice cream
- Doughnuts with non-traditional filling
- Artisan/housemade ice cream
- Savory desserts
- Smoked dessert ingredients
According to the NRA, these are the trends heating up:
- Doughnuts with nontraditional filling
- Ethnic-inspired kids’ dishes
- Farm/estate-branded items
- Heritage-breed meats
- Peruvian cuisine
- Thai-rolled ice cream
- Uncommon herbs
- Vegetable carb substitutes
- Veggie-centric/vegetable forward cuisine
Here are the ones cooling down:
- Artisan cheese
- Heirloom fruit and vegetables
- House-made charcuterie
- House-made/artisan ice cream
- House-made sausage
- Meal kits
- Nutrition
- Protein-rich grains/seeds
- Savory desserts
- Whole grain items in kids’ meals
These are the trends the NRA considers “yesterday’s news.”
- Meals in Mason jars
- Offal
- Bitter melon
- Algae
- Spiralized vegetables
- Pumpkin spice
- Flavored popcorn
- Egg-white omelets/ sandwiches
- Fried chickpeas
- Black/forbidden rice
And these are the perennial favorites:
- Shellfish
- Barbecue
- Bacon
- Comfort food
- Gelato
- Hand-made pasta
- Breakfast burritos/tacos
- Mediterranean flavors
- Juice/milk in kids’ meals
- Breakfast hash