After a long weekend in New York (it even snowed!) I felt inspired to add a couple more additions to my trend forecast for 2025. I had friends in New Jersey that we would visit for the summer and they would be the first to get movies, songs, dances etc… that had yet to hit Miami. They even had cable TV, which hadn’t yet come to Miami.

New York is usually ahead of the curve, forecast-wise. Then again, it’s its own entity so maybe the trends will trickle down to the 305, maybe not, but it’s still interesting to note.

1. Prix fixe meals. We went during New York Restaurant Week (like Miami Spice but for just a week) so there was that, but also other restaurants had Prix fixe meals that had nothing to do with restaurant week. It was either Prix fixe or nothing at Gramercy Tavern and an upscale Indian restaurant we ate at, named Junoon.
2. Gourmet Vegetarian Options. At the two restaurants mentioned above, both had gourmet vegetarian options that sounded equally as thrilling as the meaty versions. I got the Fried Eggplant appetizer at Junoon and was seriously considering the Lotus Root Dumplings for my entree (although the Duck Telicherry was delicious)!
3. Unusual Ingredients. Diners are becoming more sophisticated in their tastes. Quince– a wintertime fruit- was in the apple tart at Gramercy Tavern and I ate a most refreshing and different Celeriac salad at Le Rivage. I usually buy and eat the usual suspects when cooking at home, so I’m grateful to experience new and unusual foods when eating out.
4. Cider. We were in the land of Cider in Normandy, France, but I’ve noticed it’s become more of a thing in the United States as well. It has a lower alcohol content (another trend), similar to beers, but is made with a variety of fruits, making it a refreshing alternative to wine.
5. Old Fashioned Cocktails. This has been a trend for a while, but cocktails like Manhattans, Sidecars and Gimlets are getting new love in this difficult new year. Negronis also seem to be a thing lately.
6. Old School Restaurants. New York honors and respects their Old School restaurants. We ate at Keens Steakhouse before our play in Times Square. It opened in 1885 and is the last surviving restaurant in the Herald Square district. Pipes, from patrons who dined there, are all over the restaurant and they serve sliced carrots, celery, olives and pickles on ice with a dip, just like the old days. In Miami, I fear, they would’ve leveled this restaurant and turned it into a parking lot.
7. Pickles. Speaking of pickles, they’re not just for cucumbers anymore! Restaurants are pickling everything to be used in all different ways on the menu. As a bonus, pickles are good for digestion.
8. Sourdough. Yes, it was big in the pandemic but it’s making a major comeback. With more awareness of added ingredients in food, sourdough (which relies on natural fermentation) is on the rise (ha ha!) these days. It’s richer in nutrients than most breads, less likely to spike blood sugars and is easier to digest.
9. Seasonal Menus and Local Everything. Gramercy Tavern and Junoon also featured Seasonal Menus. I love this trend of respecting and honoring foods in season, when they’re at their peak flavor.
10. Spice Blends. The New York Times says this is the year of sauces- an easy way to dip one’s toe into global flavors without a huge commitment, but my experience has been that it is the year of spice blends. It’s an easy and inexpensive way to amp up the flavor of almost any dish, from meats to vegetables and pizzas. One son-in-law gifted us a huge array of spice blends for Christmas, the other fiancé of daughter gave us spices for pizza, these are trending for sure (at least at my house).

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