10 emerging restaurant trends

Peasant food? Control-freak chefs? Technology addicts so isolated they will turn off their smartphones and engage in face-to-face conversations with strangers at communal tables? Those are just a few of the trends the market research analysts at Los Angeles-based Datassential have unearthed after sifting through a database of 7,000 restaurant menus, 4,500 of them from independent full-service restaurants.
Here’s what Datassential says is trending right now.

1. House-branded spirits. “With cocktails at center stage and mixologists offering specialized bitters, simple syrups, and the like, specialized spirits, such as a flavored gin or a particular blend of whiskeys, are sure to follow in 2013.” Datassential notes that upscale independents source them by partnering with local or regional microdistilleries, whose numbers have increased from 50 in 2005 to more than 250 today.

2. The chef makes the rules. Say goodbye to “have it your way” and mass customization and hello to “my way or the highway.” “Many chefs have a vision for their creations and want their food enjoyed in a specific manner. That's why chefs are taking menu power back with chef-driven tasting menus,” the researchers say.  Not only are tasting menus offered in addition to regular menus at some restaurants, at an increasing number of restaurants, tasting menus are the only option.

3. Upscale diners. The Datassential crew states that “We predict more high-end chefs will explore the upscale diner trend, paving the way for a new kind of American bistro—one that combines the comfort and familiarity of old-school diners and their classic dishes with the quality and innovation we've come to expect from upscale establishments.” Brand-extending fine-dining chefs already on board include Stephanie Izard, chef/owner of Little Goat Diner in Chicago, and Kevin and Terresa Davis, proprietors of Seattle’s Steelhead Diner.

“These chefs and the ones who will follow their lead this year present a version of upscale diner food that brings fresh ingredients, premium proteins, unusual food pairings, and other tenets of fine dining to dishes formally known at midscale eateries,” the analysts predict.

4. Elevated peasant foods. Have gourmet food trucks gotten a little too fancy? Some chefs think so, and they’re going back to the basics. In some cases, way back. “Unlike street food, peasant food—casseroles, stews, and so forth—is hearty, rich, and meant to be savored rather than eaten on the go. But like street food as of late, modern takes on peasant food are elevated with high-quality ingredients and presentations,” the Datassential crew points out.

Rustic Italian, Cajun and Creole, and old school French bistro classics are just some of the culinary styles embraced by this trend. However, purveyors of these kinds of dishes must walk a fine line.

“Over the next 12 months, restaurants will continue exploring the rustic sides of these popular cuisine types as a way to attract customers and present something new and unfamiliar, yet comforting in its heartiness and down-home feel.” Pulling off a dish customers find to be both unfamiliar and comforting might be a tall order for many restaurant kitchens.

5. Communal dining. Who eats at those communal tables that are the centerpieces of so many restaurant dining rooms? “This trend is a backlash against our increasingly tech-savvy-—and therefore more isolated—society. When people spend all day on computers or glued to their smartphones, they're less likely to meet new people or engage in face-to-face conversations. By sharing tables, it creates an intimacy between diners that's meant to promote social interaction and increase community feel,” these trend researchers say. They see more communal tables as a strong trend going forward.