2024 hospitality trends:
17 Eats, Drinks & Dining Predictions
Move over Burrata and QR code menus; we're predicting a year of classic thirst traps, late-night beats and eats, and the return of walk-in reservations. Here are our top dining trends for 2024.
Snack & Slurp!
1. Snacking culture is here to stay, Snacking culture is here to stay, offering a low-stakes way to explore menus and share dishes, giving rise to a lot of new wine bar openings in 2023. Last year, the Gilda reigned supreme, we predict it will continue to be strong as it becomes more mainstream in 2024. Sadly, the burrata bubble has burst and is on the way out (…but we still love it)
2. Slurrrpppp! We’re hearing whispers that the next big thing in 2024 is soup, but not in the traditional sense, with a cross-cultural twist - experimenting with new flavours and ingredients.
3. Hybrid cuisines: Last year we had an affair with French restaurants like Amorica, Hubert, Felix, and Bistro 916. This year we’re trading authenticity for ‘Third Culture Cuisine’ - that is chefs blending the food they were raised with outside or alongside those of their parents’ cultures.
Think Italian-Japanese restaurant Ito, Surry Hills (image) or soon-to-open Merivale’s Good Luck Restaurant Lounge, Italian-Japanese (mainly Tokyo) described as “Totti’s but then add soy, dashi, vinegar with fresh herbs, citrus and chilli” – Chef Mike Eggert.
Luxury Dining Without Breaking the Bank
4. Everyday indulgent eats are on the rise; Caviar is becoming more accessible to everyone and all-you-can-eat buffets are not slowing down - why would they, when you can load up on lobster tail and crab legs usually reserved for high-end a la carte menus? Epicurean and Hubert (image), we’re looking at you.
5. Sheet cakes, heard of them? Cakes the size of the pan from your favourite restaurants will have moment such as Gilda’s Basque Cheesecake or Ormeggio’s signature Lemon-gelato as a cake - YUMMMM!
6. Here to stay is Happy Hour (of course! inflation etc…), so many great options from 4-6pm; Jane, Alfie’s, Sake, and CIRQ.
7. Casual fine dining will become a bigger thing, leading the way are restaurants like a’Mare at the Crown, where you can walk-in for an antipasto, aperitivo or a quick pasta, without breaking the bank.
Spontaneity & Late Eats
8. Spontaneity is back! The return of walk-in reservations. Walk-ins for a glass of vino, cocktails, and nibbles are becoming more common. — More and more restaurants are reserving a portion of their space for impromptu diners.
9. Beats & eats: We are so excited by this one, Sydney’s late-night scenes are making a comeback. Following the surge of vinyl listening bars in 2023, inspired by Japan’s post-war jazz kissatens, expect to see more venues offering a blend of great music and late late-night eats. Melbourne led the way, but Sydney's not far behind with Ante and Caterpillar Club. Then we have the hospitality OGs like Big Poppa’s and Employees Only serving proper, proper meals past midnight.
10. We predict more fun pops and cross-pollinating collabs like what we saw with Pizza Oltre x Fabbrica and Ice bergs x Maybe Sammy /Shady Pines/Double Douce/Re.
11. QR code menus - Be gone! 👋🏽 Wave goodbye to a brief but impactful era.
Classic Thirst TrapS
We went straight to the source for this one, Evan Stroeve, multi-award bartender, co-founder of RHUBI Mistlelle, and owner of the newly opened The Waratah, Darlinghurst. Here’s what he had to say:
12. “I think people are getting a bit tired of the super esoteric stuff, and there’s a bit more of a shift towards classics, or at least cocktails that are familiar.”
On that note, we expect to see classics like Espresso Martinis, the Cosmo, and the Dirty Shirley resurface. Don’t be surprised if you see spirits like Malibu and Midori making a comeback!
13. “Sustainability isn’t going anywhere” Evan adds, “But it’s not just reusing orange peels, it’s looking at how we interact with suppliers, nature, and the land around us. Where things come from and why that matters. It’s been a part of the brand story for liquor companies forever, but bars are becoming more conscientious, which means the consumer becomes more educated and expects a degree of sustainable thought to go into what they’re drinking.”
14. More fun stuff! Something you can expect to see at The Waratah “People overintellectualize drinks, but ultimately it’s about getting a bit pissed and having heaps of fun. Nitrogen, Italians dancing, bubbles, edible garnishes, pouring martinis out of porrons. Fun stuff. Unique identifiers/gimmicks.”
Our recommendations: Maybe Sammy, Tucanos Tiki Bar, and El Primo Sanchez.
15. One word: Umami, which is savoury (bitter, spice, and salinity) or meaty flavours. New York’s Double Chicken Please is leading the way with their 'Cold Pizza' and Danico's 'Nasi Goreng' cocktail and we predict it will pick up here.
16. One trend we would like to see come to an end is bad-mouthing ice! It’s an essential part of your drink, people, accept it
Influencers as New Restaurant Critics
17. For better or worse - They wield significant influence and are reshaping the landscape of restaurant criticism. Their quick, impactful reviews on social platforms can make or break a restaurant's popularity overnight. The question arises: will the hospitality industry embrace their influence or push back? We shall see.