2023 will be here in less than 2 months. With a new year, comes new predictions on beverage and food trends. Last year, Yelp’s 2022 predictions of the popularity of the negroni and espresso martini and the return to traditional beer flights was pretty spot on. They also accurately predicted a rise in pet-friendly dining and ghost kitchens.
This week, Yelp released their 2023 food trends forecast. So how did they come up with these trends? According to their report they “looked at millions of searches to find the words, phrases and businesses that saw significant interest between 2021 and 2022 across categories to zero in on what to keep an eye on for the year ahead.”
In a press email that was shared with Guilty Eats, we learned that Yelp is predicting the 2023 up-and-coming food & dining trends to include:
"Experiential dining (underwater restaurant searches up 263% and dinner theaters were up 109%)Michelagua (up 62%)Slushie drinks (up 77%)Pickle-flavored foods (up 55%)Oxtails (up 45%)Dirty sodas (up 40%)Hojicha (up 38%)Mocktails (up 59%)The Supreme (from Lafayette Bakery, up 13%)Fast food nostalgia (up 90%)"
Diners don’t just want a meal in 2023, they want an experience! Yelp has seen a huge increase in searches for experiential dining. There are a limited number of underwater restaurants, but people are looking for more information about them!
Yelp shares the beverage and food trends to expect in 2023
The hashtag #Michelaguas has 8.2 million views on TikTok. What exactly is a Michelagua though? It’s the non-alcoholic version of a michelada, a Mexican beer cocktail made with beer, tomato juice, spices and hot sauce. Instead of beer, the michelagua is made with agua fresca and comes in flavors like mango, cucumber and lime, and pineapple and spinach. It is usually served in a chamoy and tajin rimmed glass. Expect to see a lot more of these in the new year.
Slushie drinks aren’t just for kids! Yelp predicts that slushie drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic will continue to be popular. Long live the frosé! This is one of Yelp’s 2023 food trends that I am very eager to partake in.
I knew pickle-flavored snacks like chips and hummus were popular this year. However, I’m curious to see what other pickle-flavored foods we’ll see in 2023.
Yelp anticipates that Oxtail will be the “Meat of the moment” for 2023. Literally the tail from beef cattle, oxtail is usually braised or slow cooked. While the meat has traditionally played prominent roles in Caribbean, Asian and even African cuisine, expect to see more of it on restaurant menus in the new year.
As seen with the popularity of michelaguas, mocktails and dirty sodas, people are looking for non-alcoholic beverage alternatives. But they don’t just want soda or water, they want fun and unique drinks and flavors. I’m very excited to explore these non-alcoholic drink trends in the new year!
If, like me, you were unfamiliar with hojicha, it’s a Japanese green tea that is lightly roasted so it releases a “soothing, almost therapeutic, and earthy aroma” when brewed. According the Yelp’s trend forecast report, this won’t be the last time you’ll be hearing about it. Starbucks in Singapore sells a hojicha tea-based Frappuccino. While our local Starbucks may not be serving these Frappuccinos, expect to see hojicha tea-based drinks on restaurant and possibly even cocktail menus in the near future.
The Suprême from NYC’s Lafayette Bakery gained popularity this past summer. The circular croissant filled with pastry crème and topped with ganache and crushed up cookies have people lining up for hours and shelling out $8.50 to get their hands on one of the treats. Will the hype continue to last into 2023? Only time will tell.
Which of Yelp’s 2023 food trends are you most excited about?