As I've said multiple times before, predictions for the New Year are basically useless. At the end of the year, nearly all of those predictions will have failed to come to fruition and even those that did are probably due more to luck than any actual ability to predict the future. You would have just as much success by reading tea leaves or the entrails of goats. I know that if I devised my own list of predictions, they too would probably fail.
We all hope that 2026 will usher in positive changes to the local food & drink industry, which has faced many challenges this year. Instead of offering any predictions, I'm going to provide a list of ten of my desires, those trends, issues and items which I would love to see step forward and take precedence in 2026, though I'm not predicting they will actually come to fruition. Some of these items I've been wanting for many years to happen and they still haven't become a trend. I think we would all benefit if any of these desires were fulfilled.
We possess the ability to make these desires come true. They pose valuable opportunities for entrepreneurs and others to step up and make their mark. They are matters we can request and promote, matters we can suggest to restaurant owners, sommeliers and others to pursue. We can hope to make these tends become a reality.
A breakfast pizza, such as a white pizza with thin slices of potato, bacon (and/or sausage), cheese and a fried egg (or scrambled), can be absolutely delicious. It isn't a difficult dish to create yet you won't find it available on many menus. Think of all the pizza joints you know and then consider which ones make a breakfast pizza. You might know one or two, at best, but then you might not know any place that serves them. So why isn't breakfast pizza more popular and widely available? It's puzzling to me and it seems such a no-brainer. People love pizza so why wouldn't they also love a breakfast pizza? Breakfast pizza would work fine for lunch and dinner too. This seems to be a missed opportunity for many, so I hope more restaurants decide to add these to their menu.
2) More Savory Pancakes
I'm not a fan of overly sweet pancakes, such as those covered in powdered sugar, chocolate sauce and whipped cream. Unfortunately, many breakfast spots offer such sweet pancake treats. I'd much rather enjoy savory pancakes, such as one filled with ham and cheese. They are much harder to find and I don't understand why more restaurants don't offer savory pancake options. Such savory pancakes could come in many different forms and its unique nature might interest many restaurant patrons. Crepes, kind of a skinny pancake, often come in savory variations, so why can't regular pancakes do the same?
3) More French Toast Sandwiches
The Monte Cristo sandwich, ham, turkey and cheese on French Toast, is popular but why aren't there more sandwiches on French Toast? Iron Town Diner, in Saugus, used to have an excellent Monte Cristo, but were also willing to make special orders, including several other sandwiches on French Toast, such as a cheeseburger, chicken cutlet and pastrami & cheese. They were all delicious, and enhanced by the eggy French Toast. So many different sandwiches could benefit from French Toast as their bread. More restaurants should add such French Toast sandwiches to their menu, and I suspect they would be very popular.
4) More Duck Wings & Legs
Chicken wings get all the attention and you can find them in many different restaurants, often as an appetizer. There are even restaurants that specialize in chicken wings. Part of the reason for their ubiquity is likely that they are usually inexpensive. However, duck wings or legs can be so much tastier than chicken wings, yet it's very difficult to find restaurants which offer them. A Tavola, in Winchester, sometimes has duck legs on their menu, as a special, and they are quite scrumptious. A few other restaurants have offered them too, and I always order some. Let's see more restaurant start offering duck wings and legs on their menu, showcasing their taste and versatility.
5) More Bread Pudding
Bread pudding is relatively easy to make and can be inexpensive as it can be made with day old bread. Plus, it's a diverse dish that can be made in a wide variety of flavors, with different sauces, and accompaniments. I've had some superb bread puddings at local restaurants, and would like to see more restaurants offering it on their dessert menus. However, I also think there is a great opportunity for an enterprising baker to open a Bread Pudding Bakery. They exist in other parts of the country so why not in the Boston area? Skip opening another damn cupcake bakery, think outside the box, and opt for a bread pudding bakery instead. I've been pushing for this for numerous years and it still hasn't caught on. Why not?
6) Less Powdered Sugar
Stop using so much powdered sugar, covering pancakes and French toast, adding even more sweetness to sweet desserts. It doesn't make those dishes look more appealing to have a plain white powder on them. In fact, it acts to hide the natural look of the desserts, concealing their true nature. And adding it to sweet desserts is unnecessary as they are already sweet enough. It's overkill. Yet chef after chef still uses it and that needs to stop, especially its use on pancakes and French toast. Find other ways to make your food look better. Find a better way to make your desserts sweeter if that's what you really want to do.
Stop using so much powdered sugar, covering pancakes and French toast, adding even more sweetness to sweet desserts. It doesn't make those dishes look more appealing to have a plain white powder on them. In fact, it acts to hide the natural look of the desserts, concealing their true nature. And adding it to sweet desserts is unnecessary as they are already sweet enough. It's overkill. Yet chef after chef still uses it and that needs to stop, especially its use on pancakes and French toast. Find other ways to make your food look better. Find a better way to make your desserts sweeter if that's what you really want to do.
7) More Adventurous Diners
Unfortunately, there are too many boring diners, people who eat only a limited variety of foods, unwilling to try different cuisines, or different dishes, that are outside their normal intake or comfort level. A hundred years ago or so, Americans were more adventurous with their palates but that has been changing over time. We need to return to that prior time, to be more adventurous in our palates, being open to experience new foods and drinks. If we do, then maybe more creative restaurants can flourish in the Boston+ area rather than struggle.
8) More Sake At Non-Asian Restaurants
In the Boston area, Sake is largely confined to Asian restaurants and there is no reason why that should be the case. Sake pairs well with all sorts of cuisines, from Italian to French, Barbecue to Burgers. I've previously written about The Science of Sake & Food Pairings, explaining reasons why it pairs so well with varied cuisines. For Sake to become more popular and mainstream, we need more non-Asian restaurants to carry and promote Sake. And they need to promote Sake for more than just Sushi. Seafood restaurants could promote Sake for everything from oysters to fried clams. Let's see a pizza or burger joint offering Sake. And hopefully customers will expand their palate and try Sake with their meals.
9) More Love For Niche Wines
So many excellent wines get largely ignored by the general public, and even by a significant number of wine lovers. I want to see more people willing to expand their palates and explore these niche wines, from Sherry to Georgian wines, from Crémant d'Alsace to Croatian wines, from White Port to Greek wines. Why do you restrict your drinking when you could be sampling all of the world's wine bounty? We need more restaurants adding these niche wines to their lists, and then promoting them to their customers. We need more wine writers to cover these wines, persuading their readers to check out these niche wines. You'll find so many interesting and delicious wines if you break out of your usual drinking patterns and try something new.
9) More Love For Niche Wines
So many excellent wines get largely ignored by the general public, and even by a significant number of wine lovers. I want to see more people willing to expand their palates and explore these niche wines, from Sherry to Georgian wines, from Crémant d'Alsace to Croatian wines, from White Port to Greek wines. Why do you restrict your drinking when you could be sampling all of the world's wine bounty? We need more restaurants adding these niche wines to their lists, and then promoting them to their customers. We need more wine writers to cover these wines, persuading their readers to check out these niche wines. You'll find so many interesting and delicious wines if you break out of your usual drinking patterns and try something new.
10) More Food Pairings With Bubbly
Sparkling wine actually pairs well with numerous food dishes yet most people drink it only as a celebratory wine or as an aperitif. More people should try pairing sparkling wine with a variety of dishes, to learn how well it can pair with their dinner. We also need restaurants and wine sommeliers to start making recommendations for sparkling wine for various menu items. Whenever I've sought a wine pairing recommendation from a sommelier, only rarely have they suggested a Sparkling wine. Sparkling wine even pairs well with simple foods, like potato chips! Why not set up a Sparkling Wine tasting with various flavored potato chips?
What food & drink trends would you like to see in 2026?
What food & drink trends would you like to see in 2026?
