The restaurant industry in Dallas is booming. With so many new establishments opening up each year, restaurateurs need to stay on top of the latest food and beverage trends to keep their businesses competitive. This guide will explore the top food, beverage, and restaurant supply dallas trends that are expected to be hot in Dallas in 2024.
Sustainable and Locally Sourced Ingredients
Sustainability and locally sourced ingredients will continue to be a major emphasis in 2024. Customers want to know where their food comes from and that it is sourced ethically. Some trends in this area include:
Urban farming - Restaurants will grow their produce on rooftops or in indoor vertical farming systems. This allows access to the freshest ingredients.
Reduced food miles - Chefs will seek food sourced closer to home to reduce carbon emissions from long-distance transport. Look for more restaurants touting ingredients sourced within 100 or 250 miles.
Regenerative agriculture - This farming approach focuses on rebuilding soil health through techniques like cover cropping, crop rotation, and reduced tilling. More restaurants will support farms using regenerative practices.
Plant-based menus - Plant-based dining will keep gaining popularity for both health and environmental reasons. Look for more vegetarian, vegan, and flexitarian menu options.
Sustainable Restaurant Supplies
To align with these sustainable food trends, restaurants will also need to stock up on eco-friendly supplies, including:
Reusable straws, cups, tableware, and takeout containers
Compostable or recyclable single-use service ware
Cleaning and sanitizing supplies made with plant-based ingredients
Energy-efficient kitchen equipment like induction burners and heat recovery ventilation
LED lighting and water-saving faucets for bathrooms
Craft Beverages
Unique craft beverages will be big in 2024. Customers want new flavors and drinking experiences. Trends include:
Local and Seasonal Craft Beer
Small local breweries will flourish as customers seek unique beer varieties, especially seasonals highlighting local ingredients.
Expect more unusual flavors like coffee, fruit, and botanicals, along with classics like pilsners and IPAs.
Innovative Bar Programs
Handcrafted cocktails using fresh-squeezed juices, housemade syrups, and exotic garnishes will be in demand.
Bartenders will freshen up classic cocktails with new twists and use molecular mixology techniques like foams and spheres.
Restaurants will need a wide array of glassware, mixers, bitters, vermouths, and specialty alcohols to create impressive cocktail menus.
Expanding Wine Options
Wine lists will cover an increasing array of varieties beyond just chardonnay and cabernet. Natural wines, orange wines, and biodynamic wines will attract wine lovers.
Wine on tap will grow in popularity for by-the-glass pours, requiring specialized tapping equipment.
Sommeliers will push customers to try unconventional wine and food pairings for new dining experiences.
Non-Alcoholic Drinks
Sophisticated non-alcoholic drinks will allow customers to enjoy the dining experience without drinking alcohol.
Elaborately garnished mocktails, craft sodas with unique flavors, and non-alcoholic wine and beer will be options.
Hyper-Local Specialty Foods
Diners will look for restaurants celebrating unique local ingredients in 2024. Culinary trends include:
Local Heritage Ingredients
- Heirloom produce varieties, breeds of meat native to the region, and Texas crops like pecans will highlight the Dallas terroir.
Foraged Foods
- Native Texas mushrooms, herbs, and edible flowers foraged from nearby forests will adorn plates.
Regional Cuisines
Dallas chefs will put a modern twist on traditional Lone Star State dishes like chicken fried steak, chili, and queso.
Comfort foods like chicken and dumplings, meatloaf, and banana pudding will also see updates.
Texas Seafood
- Gulf Coast seafood like snapper, shrimp, crab, and oysters will be featured, showcasing the state's coastal bounty.
Artisan Ingredients and Techniques
Carefully crafted ingredients and cooking methods will be prominent kitchen trends. Examples include:
Housemade Charcuterie
- Salami, sausages, pates, and terrines will be prepared in-house to control ingredients and quality. Proper meat curing and smoking equipment are essential.
Wood-fired ovens and Grills
- Wood-fired ovens and grills will impart smoky depth to everything from pizza to proteins. Wood choices like oak, hickory, and pecan impact the flavor.
Handmade Pasta
- Fresh pasta like tagliatelle, strozzapreti, and ravioli will be prepared daily for a richer taste and texture. Dedicated extruders and drying racks are needed.
House Fermented Foods
- Fermenting, pickling, and preserving in-house allow unique flavors. Expect kimchi, hot sauces, pickled veggies, and kombucha.
Ancient Grains
- Farm-to-table restaurants will highlight nutrient-dense ancient grains like quinoa, amaranth, millet, and sorghum.
Global Cuisine Influences
Diners will continue seeking out global cuisine influences in 2024. Some ethnic food trends include:
Southeast Asian Flavors
- Thai, Vietnamese, and Filipino food featuring ingredients like lemongrass, chilies, fish sauce, and mango will emerge.
Korean Barbecue
- Smoky, spicy Korean barbecue joints will grow beyond just Korean concepts. Tabletop grills are must-have equipment.
Middle Eastern Small Plates
- Small plates featuring dips like hummus, labneh, and muhammara with pita bread will gain popularity.
Japanese Whisky
- Japanese whiskies will join bourbon and Scotch as high-end spirits options. Whisky stones and glassware are essential bar tools.
Housemade Masas
- Hand-pressed masa for tamales, pupusas, soups, and tacos adds authenticity to Latin cuisine. Masa presses and steamers allow restaurants to make their own.
Delivery, Takeout, and Meal Kits
Off-premise dining trended during the pandemic and will still thrive in 2024. Strategies include:
Optimized Takeout and Delivery Menus
- Menus will feature dishes designed to travel well and not lose textural quality. Sturdy and spill-proof transport packaging is key.
Virtual Brands
- Restaurant virtual brands exist only for takeout and delivery, allowing expanded customer reach. They operate out of an existing restaurant kitchen.
Meal Prep Kits
- Restaurants sell pre-portioned kits for customers to cook restaurant-quality meals at home, generating both brand awareness and revenue.
Ghost Kitchens
- Also called virtual kitchens, these delivery/takeout-only operations allow restaurants to open additional "locations" with lower overhead and meet demand.
Contactless Curbside Pickup
- Customers appreciate pickup models that limit contact through prepayment and designated curbside spots. Clear signage and parking coordination are required.
High-Tech Equipment and Service
Advanced restaurant tech will provide greater convenience, sustainability, and experiences in 2024. Some innovations to watch include:
Automated Inventory Management
- Artificial intelligence and food sensors will enable real-time ingredient tracking and automatic re-ordering, reducing waste.
Smart Kitchen Appliances
- WiFi-connected ovens, grills, fryers, and other appliances can be controlled and monitored remotely via smartphone.
Robot Cooks and Servers
- While not yet widespread, robots like Flippy, the burger-flipping robot, indicate the potential for automating commercial kitchen tasks.
Augmented Reality Menus
- AR phone apps allow customers to view 3D dish models, get serving information and digitally order.
Contactless Payment
- Touchless pay options like Apple/Google Pay, cryptocurrency, and QR code ordering will be more widely embraced to enhance convenience and cleanliness.
Conclusion
Dallas diners and drinkers have plenty to get excited about in 2024 as restaurants incorporate these dining trends. By stocking up on the hottest ingredients and restaurant supplies now, Dallas establishments can entice customers with cutting-edge cuisine and libations. With innovative solutions for sustainability, takeout, technology, and globally inspired fare, restaurants will deliver mouthwatering experiences showcasing the best of what Dallas dining has to offer. Additionally, by adopting Texas Restaurant Supply, these establishments can contribute to a more sustainable future, ensuring their continued success and appeal in a rapidly evolving market.