The Biggest Dining and Beverage Trends of 2024, According to Food & Wine Editors

Photo Credit: Photo: Food & Wine / Photo Illustration by Doan Nguyen / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen / St. Agrestis / Photo by Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Grey Goose / Getty Images / Stockholms Bränneri

Dear Pros,

You've got Kat this week with a major assist from my colleagues who spend countless hours in the food and beverage trenches sussing out the biggest trends across the country. For a gazillion reasons, it's a pleasure to get to work with them, and their year-end reports are just a small taste of why that's so.

From Dylan Garret, F&W's digital editorial director and a longtime bartender, himself:

"This past year saw countless trends in pop culture, from a return to '90s fashion to a few distinctly lime green-hued summer months. When it comes to drink trends, it's hard to pin down a single theme that permeated everything we sipped. Moderation and low- or no-alcohol drinks continued to gain popularity, while the broader alcohol industry battled downturns. At the same time, categories like tequila, mezcal, and ready-to-drink canned cocktails experienced surges in popularity. In bars and restaurants, the cocktail minimalism of past years gave way to vibrant drinks that gave equal focus to visual appeal." Read his full 2024 beverage trends report here.

From F&W's restaurant editor and former line cook Raphael Brion:

"This year, reservations were still devilishly hard to get and often came with a time limit. The difference between a restaurant and a wine bar continued to blur, and late night dining made a big comeback. While there are fads that fizzle, these are the big trends that feel like they're here to stay. And if 2024 is any indication, soon we will be swimming in caviar, eating everything on vintage grandma plates, and ordering it all at a counter." Catch up on his 2024 restaurant trends roundup here.

We've got more looks back at the year in food, including senior editor Audrey Morgan's top 10 cooking trends and ingredients and associate editorial director Chandra Ram's countdown of F&W's 25 most popular recipes, and if you'd care to hold my feet to the fire, see how they matched up with my own 2024 predictions.

Let us know what you're seeing in your neck of the woods. As much as I'm grateful for my colleagues, none of this could happen without our Pros, and we all appreciate you.

Be well,

Kat