Now that 2024 is coming to a close, we decided to put this year’s trend predictions to the test – but with a seasonal twist. We challenged our Esrockers to find the trendiest, spiritest holiday hotspots in their cities and neighborhoods that are serving up the trends predicted by Flavor & The Menu. See which predictions made their way to the table.
1) It’s All About the Tortilla
2) MSG Momentum
3) Exploring West African Cuisines
4) Tallow’s Renaissance
5) Vietnamese Café Vibes
6) Modern Dressings Move In
7) Homing In on Hawaii
8) Diving Into Scandi Café Culture
9) Mexican Beverage Boom
10) Cinnamon Surprises
etch
Nashville, Tennessee Shared by Tyler Ball
Located in the heart of downtown Nashville, etch is a globally inspired restaurant by award-winning chef Deb Paquette, the first woman in Tennessee to qualify as a certified executive chef. Deb leads a team of fellow female culinary professionals to bring her creative concept to life while infusing their own talents, creativity and passion for globally influenced food to leave a lasting impression, or etch, on every diner.
What makes this restaurant trendy?
So many things! Made with pear ginger vinaigrette, goat cheese semifreddo, greens, candied peanuts and peach coulis, the Beet + Berry Salad captures the trend, “Modern Dressings Move In.” Additionally, the Chocolate Mousse Bar features buckwheat brownie, feuilletine crunch, dark chocolate mousse, passion fruit and milk chocolate whipped creams, plus mango passion fruit sauce and hits on the trend, “Homing in on Hawaii.”
1/5
Travail Kitchen's Basement Bar: Holiday Flight Club
Minneapolis, Minnesota Shared by Emilee Sirek
This holiday pop-up’s menu is influenced by a new collection of countries each year. Led by chef-owners, culinary innovators and James Beard semi-finalists Mike Brown, Bob Gerken and James Winberg, the team literally throws darts at a map to select their countries of influence, allowing guests to explore cuisines and dishes that celebrate different holiday traditions. They have cocktail, wine and mocktail pairings to match their dishes. And of course, the halls are decked.
What makes this restaurant trendy?
This year, the menu features applications based on cuisines from Algeria and Finland, playing into the trend, “Exploring West African Cuisine” and “Diving Into Scandi Café Culture.”
2/5
Cris and John
Dallas, Texas Shared by Liana Matin
If you’re looking for a unique spot to wow visiting friends and family, Cris and John is the latest Dallas restaurant to gain a following via TikTok. Established in 2017, the eatery is open from 11am until they sell out. There are too many dishes to choose from! This establishment is known its unique fusion of Vietnamese and Mexican flavors while catering to a wide variety of foodies (from vegan and gluten free to spicy and noodle lovers). If you’re looking to entertain family during the holidays, they offer a catering menu, as well!
What makes this restaurant trendy?
The Phoritto hits on the trend, “It’s All About the Tortilla.” It’s made with rice noodles, basil, bean sprouts, jalapeños, onion, hoisin and sriracha sauce wrapped in a flour tortilla and fried. Or maybe “Vietnamese Café Vibe” is more your style. The Café Churros leans into this trend. It’s a delicious dessert featuring six crispy churros filled with Mexican cajeta, drizzled with condensed milk and served with a side of Vietnamese coffee cream to dip.
3/5
Little Fox
St. Louis, MO Shared by Logan Scott
Just outside of the city of St. Louis, the Little Fox is the perfect location to dine before heading over to view Christmas lights at the Anheuser-Busch brewery, the St. Louis Zoo or any of the surrounding neighborhoods.Listed by the New York Times as one of the Top 50 restaurants in the United States in 2021, the menu is a collection of dishes they love inspired by the owner’s travels and the bistros in Brooklyn. With every dish, they bring sophisticated flavors and ingredients into play.
What makes this restaurant trendy?
Following the trend, “Tallow’s Renaissance,” the Flatiron Steak is made with Slagel Farms steak, tallow butter, crispy fingerlings and grilled broccolini with pesto rosso. Then, in line with the trend, “Cinnamon Surprises,” the Pomona is a delicious drink featuring sloe gin, London dry gin, dry curaçao, allspice dram, nutmeg, cinnamon and lemon.
4/5
N Rebozo
Forest Park, Illinois Shared by Owen O’Riordan
This place is a work of love from Chef Paco, who specializes in Mexican mole sauces. He whips the traditional Poblano or Pipián, and then goes wild with a few extras inspired by the season, what he enjoys or a cool flavor he’s tried recently. The mole is exciting, but the drink menu is something special. It’s a perfect holiday spot because it’s a warm atmosphere, and Chef Paco treats you like family. He’s always there and comes and talks to every table, telling you what he’s excited about on the menu.
What makes this restaurant trendy?
This spot leans into traditional Mexican food and captures the trend, “Mexican Beverage Boom.” It’s full of modern delights and flavors, like the Corn Charcoal Margarita.
5/5
Courtesy of Esrock Partners, a food marketing agency located near Chicago, Illinois that specializes in the food, beverage and foodservice industries and their current market trends. For a close-up of our capabilities, see our services.