Listen, crystal balls can’t always be 100% accurate. In our 2025 food prediction roundup, we surmised that espresso martinis were on the way out. Looks like they’re here to stay—and we love them, clearly.

We also love that the hospitality world is ever-changing. What’s hot one day is cool the next, but that doesn’t slow down the entrepreneurs, chefs, servers, bartenders and other industry folks from clocking in.

Here, we’ve highlighted some of what we (hope) will be gracing menus for 2026. Plus a few items that we think could get 86ed sans too much bloodshed.

Out: Foams, spheres and clouds

In: Comfort and classic

Step aside scented air, poppable spheres and molecular gastronomy. We are seeing a return to hearty, homey classics, leading with The Brooklyn’s glazed meatloaf served with potatoes and mustard greens. We’re even getting homey delicacies from out counties à la Morty’s mamaliga, a comfy plate of polenta topped with Sunday sauce, cevapi Balkan sausage and snezhanka yogurt dip. Not to mention one of 2026’s most anticipated openings, Lafayette Tavern, that’s bringing big classic steak and chophouse vibes.

Out: Lavender

In: Alpine mint

Floral flavor foes, your day of vengeance has arrived. With the return to more approachable eats, we also see a return to retro bevvies, and this includes stingers and grasshoppers. Try the ultimate (off menu for now) grasshopper at Beaucoup where traditionally sweet flavors are balanced by house-made Alpine liqueur.

Out: Cosmopolitans

In: Apple martinis and lemon drops

Speaking of retro, those funky 80/90s redos aren’t going away, but the flavors are swinging apple and lemon — luckily we’re getting fresh flourishes instead of syrupy sweet. Cirrus Vodka hit it last year with the Appletini 2.0 that added lemon, cardamom, coconut and absinthe foam to balance and add interest to the traditional flavors (bring her back this spring, please). And the newly opened Granite Grill serves up a clarified lemon drop that mellows the traditionally tart, saccharine flavors.

Out: All-you-can-eat

In: Flights, small bites, shareables

You’ve heard it everywhere and you’re hearing it here too … GLP-1s are changing the dining game. Forget food challenges and giant steaks for one diner: restaurants are moving to more share plates, small plates and (we hope more) flights of foods. The staff at Helen’s told us they recently revamped the entire menu for sharing and we love the options of ordering whole or half portions of pasta. But you’re going to want a full order of the sweet potato ravioli with sage brown butter and pecorino.

Out: Big reds (i.e. Caymus)

In: Large format wine

Take a gander at Celladora and Barrel Thief. Both wine spots have magnums and methusalehs ready for your sipping pleasure. They both know big format means better aging, and you should, too. Even Gersi offers a great-value magnum of chianti, our new go-to with more than two people in our party. Drinking pricey reds with a bunch of additives is no longer the status symbol it used to be.

Out: Instant grits

In: Jacket potatoes

We all love a diner (where grits belong). We all do not love bad diner sides. Let’s be real. Breakfast potatoes, potatoes and onions or side potatoes are often cold, limp and unappealing. The jacket potato is the heat, literally. A piping hot baker is the ultimate comfort side — even a whole dinner.

Out: Overpriced dinners

In: Lunch

Lunch is the new dinner. See above (GLPs are kicking the dining scene’s booty). Lunch is entering the chat as your one meal of the day (we do not condone eating one meal of the day). Charlotte’s Southern Deli has been on this game for years and Polpetti along with Morty’s and Susie’s are raising the bar, both in sips and sandwiches.

Out: Fake Wagyu and Kobe beef

In: Stone crab

Burger King just announced a $15 Wagyu burger in the United Kingdom. And most American Wagyu is actually 50/50 (50% Wagyu and 50% American Angus). Other quick refreshers: true Champagne comes from Champagne, France. Actual Wagyu beef hails from Japan, and Kobe beef can only be from Hyogo, Japan. If it’s being ground up into burgers, dollars to donuts, that isn’t real Kobe or Wagyu anything. One of this year’s quiet luxury trends is the stone crab claw. Florida’s sweet crab is showing up by the claw at Bar Buoy and at Shoreline.

Out: Global fusion

In: Mediterranean and other dialed-in concepts

We are moving from fusion to refinement. More Mediterranean choices are popping up. Eyes should be on the Egyptian cuisine at Memi’s in the Fan or the new (but also old) Mila’s Shawarma on MacArthur in the Northside.

Also in

Session beer

Sumac. Get rid of your Trader Joe’s generic seasoning and hit Nineveh in the West End of Richmond for some lemony burgundy-hued sumac.

French butter. Buy better butter. Find the good stuff and stick with it. Belmont Butchery sells a huge round Beurre de Baratte from Normandy (it has the cutest cow stamped on it). Or sign up for Truckle Cheesemongers’ butter club. Recently, it featured butter with huge salt crystals from Brittany alongside several buttery croissants from the B-Side Bakehouse next door.

Branded ice

Jello shots: This isn’t your sophomore-year-of-college-type jello shooter. Think lychee, passionfruit or even espresso martinis.

House-made breadsticks 

Private karaoke rooms: Coming to a Scott’s Addition near you.