Predicting food trends is a lot like trying to win the lottery. There are endless possibilities that food can evolve into, and the best are often the most unexpected. We’ve been keeping a close eye on the food scene and we’ve compiled a list of food trends we think, or hope, we’ll see very soon. Do you have your own ideas? If so, comment on our Instagram post and check back later to see if your predictions came true!
Kids’ Meals for Adults
Kids’ meals can be tempting — they’re cheaper, smaller portioned, and offer childhood favorites like chicken tenders or mac and cheese. Adult takes on nostalgic favorites are exploding in popularity at both fast food spots and fancy restaurants. Whether we’re talking pasta topped with Ritz crackers or a mini gummy burger at The Habit, diners are taking a sensory trip down memory lane with the aromas and flavors of a simpler time. We’re looking forward to seeing what other childhood classics are revived and upgraded for a more mature palate.
Co-fermented Coffee
Co-fermented coffee is the process of fermenting coffee cherries with fruit, spices, and yeasts to create unique flavors like black coffee that tastes like watermelon or a sour beer. The concept has already landed in the Bay Area, but you can only find it in a handful of coffee shops like Oakland’s Ain’t Normal Cafe and San Jose’s Moonwake Coffee. We can’t wait to see what new, unique coffee flavors are produced as the trend catches on with more coffee producers and cafes.
New Fusion Creations
Fusion cuisine had a negative connotation for a while in the culinary world due to low effort creations that essentially stuck two dishes together with duct tape instead of understanding the intricacies of what makes each dish work. At Off the Grid, we’re lucky to have pioneers in the fusion cuisine world, like Señor Sisig. We think the combination of Mexican and Indian cuisine in particular is long overdue — both foods are prominent in heat, aromatic spices, and textural complexity. Creations like chilaquiles chaat, dosas served with guacamole, or burritos filled with curry are on our bingo card.
Sustainable and Seasonal Food Trucks
Restaurants that use local, seasonal produce are able to take advantage of these higher quality ingredients while also reducing their impact on the environment (since ingredients don’t need to be shipped around). This is much harder to do on a food truck due to limited space and the inability to constantly change out equipment in a mobile kitchen to suit a new menu. We hope to see food trucks start by adding specials that incorporate seasonal ingredients or put a fun spin on local produce. Check out the Street Steam Bunz food truck to see some examples of dishes made with locally grown ingredients.
Turning Up the Heat
Spicy food has long been limited to fried chicken sandwiches, but we’re hoping more restaurants take advantage of the techniques used in Latin American and Asian cuisines that use a blend of chiles for not just heat but complex flavors. We love pizzas loaded with fresh and dried chiles and noodles that aren’t afraid to add a kick of spice. The use of dark chiles in particular should be increased in kitchens around the bay to add a touch of smokiness and fruitiness to spicy dishes.
