3 food and drink trends emerging on American menus

Eggs are sharing the spotlight with next-level condiments and weird edible foods as emerging menu trends this fall.

That’s according to Technomic’s latest “Emerging Eats” report, released this month.

“What we’re seeing coming down the pike from a micro level within the independent restaurant space are part of larger macro trends in the industry right now, such as new adaptations of comfort food favorites, innovative flavors and flavor pairings and social media-driven innovations,” said Lizzy Freier, director of menu research & insights for Technomic. “We should expect to continue to see new micro trends within these macro developments in the year and years to come.”

While eggs have long been menu mainstays, the Technomic Ignite menu team has been tracking unique global preparations to watch. These include Japanese boiled eggs ajitama (a jammy egg often served in ramen), Korean marinated eggs and a Ukrainian baked noodle dish called lokshyna, that’s typically topped with cracked eggs. 

Nontraditional cooking and serving techniques are also on the upswing. Cured and smoked eggs are showing momentum, as are sieved hard-cooked eggs.

Although the sweet-heat flavor trend continues, the “hot” in hot honey is getting more descriptive, with habaneros and harissa providing the heat. And spicy Asian condiments like gochujang, sambal and yuzu kosho are differentiating with seasonal twists and niche flavors. Strawberries and other seasonal produce are adding a sweet, fruity balance to these fiery sauces. 

For example, strawberry gochujang is served on a cheese plate at Tail Up Goat in Washington, D.C., while strawberry sambal and mint granita accompany oysters at Waxlight Bar a Vin in Buffalo, N.Y.

On the dessert side of the menu, miso caramel takes salted caramel up a flavor notch, adding umami notes.

Although it’s doubtful that sea spaghetti will take over as a bed for saucy meatballs, Technomic cites the brown pasta-shaped seaweed as one of the inedible-sounding foods catching attention on menus. But sea vegetables including seaweed, dulse, sea lettuce, kombu and spirulina are gaining traction in restaurant kitchens. They’re a very sustainable source of nutrients and chefs like Sammy Monsour of Joyce Soul & Sea in L.A. are creating exciting and tasty dishes with these ingredients.

Crab apples may be tart and bitter, but they are adding interesting flavor notes to beverages. | Photo: Shutterstock

Technomic’s menu detectives have also unearthed grass as a flavor in ice cream and intensely sour crab apples—formerly reserved for baked goods, jams and even animal feed—in drinks. Operators are featuring the flavor as a bitter, tart addition in both nonalcoholic beverages and cocktails.

At Anyelya in Chicago, crab apple is combined with mint and vodka in a cocktail called Wild Infusions, and a zero-proof drink based on a cantaloupe-crab apple shrub is served at The Wolf’s Tailor in Denver.