10 Food Trends Shaping the Restaurant Industry

Finally, the years of closed restaurants and eating every meal on the couch in solitude are behind us. In 2024, the restaurant and food industry is roaring to go and brimming with new ideas and creative solutions to modern consumer demands and trends.

Social media trends, inflation, a renewed lust and urge to travel, growing concerns about climate change and a strong focus on sustainable practices and locally sourced products are the main driving forces behind food trends in 2024. Consumers are making strong choices towards food and drinks that not only improve their own health, but also that of the planet. And it’s not just consumers, but big-name companies too, that want to be seen as making a positive difference this year.

Here is a look at what is predicted to be the top 10 food and restaurant menu trends to watch in 2024.

Avocados Are Meant For More Than Just Toast

Avocados popularity has remained consistent and undeniable for years, and in 2024 avocados are finally moving off the toast and finding its way into a whole host of everyday essentials.

Avocado oil has slowly been making its way onto our shelves for years now, in the form of mayonnaise, aioli’s, potato chips and ready-to-eat meals, but it looks like 2024 will finally be the year when avocado oil goes mainstream.

Avocado oil’s rise to fame is thanks to its numerous positive health attributes over other oils, like canola and safflower. Avocado oil is jam packed with high oleic fatty acid, has a very mild flavor, making it ideal for various uses, and it has a high smoke point, making it perfect for almost all of your cooking needs.

Furry Feasts

The health and happiness of man’s best friend has always been a top priority, and with more than 23 million American households adopting a pet during the pandemic, according to the ASPCA, the pet food industry has exploded in recent years.

Pet food isles are lined with all sorts of new specialty treats, from bone both to ice creams, doggie beers, cat wines and even meal subscriptions designed specifically for your fur babies. The restaurant industry has taken note, which is evident in the rise of restaurants with special doggie menus serving everything from simple sweet potato fries and steak and eggs, to downright decadent imaginative creations of grilled bacon soy ice cream, organic BBQ chicken and wild rice, homemade biscuits and gravy and even a quarter hounder and fries.

Expect more and more restaurants to welcome your furry friends to the table, so to speak, in 2024. And look out for even more elaborate doggie menu items and eccentric and creative treats to line grocery store shelves this year as consumers are prepared to spend big in order to keep their new best friends happy.

Super Seas

Nutrient dense superfoods remain a super food trend this year, but consumers are seeking even more sustainable earth friendly options than before. And the hottest superfood trend of 2024 is set to come from the seas. We are not talking fish and shrimp – 2024 is the year of superfood microgreens and seafood plants.

Ocean-based superfood plants, like kelp, nori and algae, are a long-standing staple in Asian cultures, and are growing in popularity among Millennials and Gen X all over the globe.

In the age of climate consciousness utilizing the amazing benefits of ocean plants just make sense. Kelp in its original form can absorb carbon in the atmosphere, making kelp farming more important than ever, it’s also a very fast grower, doesn’t require freshwater or added nutrients and it is highly nutritious and versatile.

We are seeing kelp pop up in noodles, chips, fish-free “fish” sauce and beyond. As consumers seek out alternative ingredients and experiment with new flavors, kelp-inspired foods are gaining popularity and are set to lead the wave of new earth and body friendly superfoods.

The Next Big Tuber

Thanks to social media trends, modern foodies are obsessed with finding the latest far-flung ingredients to show off and increase their followers, and thanks to its popularity on social media platforms like TikTok, ube is set to be the new “it” flavor restaurant menu trend of 2024.

Never heard of ube? Well, that’s exactly why this bright purple yam is the next big thing. Ube is a humble yam with origins in the Philippines. It has a warm, nutty, vanilla-adjacent flavor and works well in both sweet and savory dishes.

Thanks to its versatility, ube, has been showing up in all kinds of foods and drinks, from pies and waffles to lattes and ube-coladas, and ube has even made the list of colors and flavors that capture the mood of 2024.

Experiential Eating

Can you believe we have endured nearly three years of restricted social interaction? With life finally back to normal, people are set to seek out restaurants that offer interaction, excitement and a bit of a show to make up for three years of eating on the couch.

Food with extra flair and a bit of a show -think baked Alaska desserts and cocktails finished tableside with a puff of smoke or a change of color – is set to be one of the hottest food trends in 2024. Food and music are also set to mix in new ways, like updated versions of the old-school piano bar, and cozy casual communal table dining is set to come back in full swing as everybody is ready to socialize again.

This fun-filled informal dining revolution will also lead to the rise in popularity of smaller plates and lots of little bites will be the definitive go to by summer. So, get ready for a wide array of fun and engaging dining experiences in 2024.

Mood Food

The concept of mood food is well past the outdated phrase of just meaning healthy organic nuts and berries that are good for you. No, in 2023 mood food, is the term used to describe cannabis infused food that will definitely elevate your mood.

After all, who does not want to feel good after eating, and with 21 states having legalized cannabis so far, the movement is set to go sky high, pun intended, in 2024.

What started with brownies and gummies has now evolved into a whole new realm of cannabis gastronomy. Chefs are infusing marijuana into stocks, roasting it with vegetables, and churning it with butter. Entire cooking shows on popular streaming networks are dedicated to cooking with cannabis and almost everything from ice cream to CBD infused beer alternatives are hitting the shelves and set to hit new highs in 2024.

Tinned Is In

This trend might come as a bit of a surprise to most, but with inflation skyrocketing and consumers watching their spending more than ever, whilst still yearning for new flavor experiences, it does make sense to find tinned fish having its moment in the spotlight.

The tinned fish fad started last year with a viral TikTok video, for a tinned fish date night and has rapidly gained followers, even earning the nickname “hot girl food” and now there are even tinned fish of the month clubs, tinned fish cookbooks and “seacuterie boards”.

If you are looking to dip into the tinned fish trend, simply browse the canned fish isle of your local grocery store and once you look past the numerous cans of tuna, you will come across a wide variety of tinned mackerel, oysters, mussels’ sardines and anchovies to add to anything from frittatas, pizzas, fish tacos or even create an Instagram worthy tinned oyster stew.

Swicy Food

Just like umami was the latest foodie buzz word circa 2018, swicy is the new foodie buzz word dripping out of everyone’s mouths in 2024. And, no, swicy is not the indigenous food of some far flung country or lost tribe you have never heard of. This is the gastronomical term for the collision between sweet and spicy elements in a single entrée, dessert, or side.

The rise in popularity of South Korean dishes has helped put the term swicy well and truly on restaurant menu trends to watch in 2024, as Korean dishes feature plenty of swicy options, like strawberry jam infused hot sauce slathered over fried chicken.

Look out for Swicy foods that are set to take over the condiment and snack isles in your local grocery stores this year, like fan-favorite hot honey, chili dark chocolate candy bars, sriracha honey cashews and hot honey Dijon.

Fantastic Fungi

It’s no surprise that mushrooms have made it on the list of the top 10 food trends to watch in 2024, as they are not only an excellent nutritionally dense superfood that promotes a healthy immune system and boosts bone health, but they are also an ecofriendly sustainable crop that has a much smaller carbon footprint than other sources of proteins and vegetables.

This means that buying mushrooms is a double whammy feel good experience for today’s climate conscious consumer. Shiitakes, portabellas, and cremini are old favorites, but in 2024 specialty mushrooms, like oyster and trumpet are set to steal the spotlight.

Trumpet mushrooms are already being used nearly 75% more often on restaurant menus, as compared to creminis, which were up only 12% in the same time.

Thanks to their meaty texture, umami-rich flavor and wide range of use, from mushroom coffee, shiitake based crispy snacks and decadent mushroom pasta, mushrooms will remain a popular food trend well past 2024. And, yes, there’s even mushroom-based cocktails!

Frugal Foodies

Sky high inflation and record high fuel and food prices are driving a new interest in foodie frugality. No longer are consumers hiding their coupons and bargain hunting in secret!

Social media is filled with money-saving strategies, such as buying in bulk, choosing cheaper private label brands, cooking from scratch and even cost saving menu hacks to get cheaper items at Starbucks and other restaurants.

According to The National Restaurant Association shoppers will also be exploring less-expensive meat cuts, such as chicken thighs, beef chuck, pork shoulder, and oxtail. So, look out for a big trend in recipes featuring these cuts of meat in 2024.

And if you thought air fryers where popular before, 2024 is set to make them even more popular as rising energy costs and climate awareness is going to drive consumers to increase their use of small appliances even more rather than turn on the oven.

How To Incorporate The Latest Food Trends Into Your Menu

The overall outlook for food trends in 2024 is all about sustainable, highly nutritious foods that are both good for the earth and good for you, without breaking the bank, yet still offering an exploration of different, unique and interesting flavors and textures.

Seems like a tall order for any chef and restaurant to live up to, but luckily Riviera Produce has your back in the restaurant game- from NYC’S five boroughs to Connecticut and New Jersey Riviera Produce has all your produce and specialty food needs covered.

If you are looking for a family-owned and operated wholesale food distributer that has been purveying the freshest high-quality ingredients to chefs from responsibly sourced local, national, and international farms for over 30 years, you have found your partner in Riviera Produce.

Visit Riviera Produce to place your fresh wholesale produce and specialty food order today!