The Dining Trends We Actually Want To See Continue in 2020

Nap inducing crazy looking milkshakes aside, every year brings about intriguing dining trends that food writers and critics love to comment on come December. Sometimes, publications even round up lists from other publications to make one list to rule them all, as in the case of Eater. But we’re big believers in starting 2020 out on a positive note, which is why we’re highlighting five of our favorite restaurant trends we want to see stick around throughout the new year. And beyond.

Old look, fresh food. Welcome to a new dawn of diners. Photo: @thebaddeal

New Diners (The Casual Restaurant with 10 Page Menus) to Enjoy While Talking About Nothing

Perhaps it’s because Leisurely is headquartered in NYC, but we here have a fondness for diners. Even in a ruthless restaurant city like New York, diners are where we can still dream about writing the next great novel while enjoying endless cups of coffee and eggs at any time of day. Though some critics may gasp at the idea of a “fancy” diner, we love new openings like Soho Diner and Golden Diner. They’re keeping the ideals of a proper greasy spoon alive, as well as helping us rethink what “classic” diner dishes might be. Are they a great value? Hardly, but we love them anyway because all are welcome, the food is comforting, and it means we get to relive our best Seinfeld scenes.

Peruvian food turned over a new leaf this year. Photo: Llama San

Chefs and Restaurants Shining the Spotlight on South America

No disrespect to Europe considering a pasta tasting menu (thank you Rezdora) took a city by storm and we just can’t look at pasta dinners the same again, but 2019 should be remembered as a turning point for South American fare. Now, we’re not saying there haven’t been any memorable South American restaurants or that traditional cuisine from South America hasn’t made an impact in America’s diverse culinary make up. But in terms of moving the conversation forward, it’s taken far too long for South American cuisine to get the respect it deserves. And most of that is because mainstream media for the most part hasn’t been wowed. Thanks to Chef Erik Ramirez and Llama San which took home a rare three star New York Times review, that day has come, as Ramirez’s trifecta of Peruvian inspired eateries is just part of the conversation. Tabaré, a long standing Williamsburg, Brooklyn restaurant offering Uruguayan food, recently opened a second location in nearby Bushwick. Bolivian Llama Party, a former Smorgasburg vendor, has been holding it down in Columbus Circle with its critically acclaimed salteñas and chola sandwiches. Casa Ora opened and introduced New Yorkers to a new take on Venezuelan cuisine, while Mishiguene, one of the World’s Top 50 Restaurants based out of Buenos Aires, had a residency at Lexus’ restaurant, Intersect. We’re looking forward to seeing the surge of South American fare continue into 2020, mostly because the world is full of delicious ingredients and talented chefs waiting to unleash them.

Americans Will Finally Understand There is a Better Way To Drink Sake Than Dropping It In Beer

For all the great things Benihana has done in making Japanese cuisine popular in the United States, it created the myth that sake is best served warm and dropped into a glass of Sapporo. It’s not. But thanks to growing interest in sake and other popular Asian made spirits like shochu but not yet baijiu in 2019, 2020 might just be the year American made sake pulls of a modern day 1976 Judgement of Paris. That’s the event where California made wines told the French WHAT THE FUCK IS UP NOW! But in like a really pretentious wine snobbery sort of way. Now, American based sake makers like Brooklyn Kura along with a growing demand for Japanese made sake is helping people discover that a chilled glass of Junmai or Ginjo style is intriguing, delicious, and makes you look sophisticated. I mean what do you think sushi bros are going to pair with their $300 omakase with, Bud Light?

Regional Specialties (Especially Tacos!) Popping Up In New Regions

As great as modern cuisine is, sometimes it’s the introduction of a taco style from another city that makes people in another city think, have I been eating tacos all wrong my entire life? That’s what happened this year when California’s famed birria tacos, which come with a side of meat stew you can dunk your tacos in if you choose, knocked New Yorkers onto their ass in delight. Eating food is about discovery, whether it’s a fine dining establishment or a food truck, and we’re excited to see that even in this great big world of information overload, there are many delicious eats waiting to find a new home. That home is our stomach.

Homeroom restaurant in Oakland took matters into their own hands. Photo: Notonthemenu.org

And Finally…The Continued Push to Make Bars and Restaurants Hospitable for Everyone

We love dining out. It gives us a chance to enjoy meals that we likely can’t make at home, connect with people over a shared interest in food, and generally reward ourselves. It’s where we often celebrate special occasions, recover after a loss, and have our best conversations. But bars and restaurants don’t function the way they are supposed to one when one misguided person thinks they can turn a public space into their own private playground. Dining is a transactional experience and working in a restaurant is stressful, but that doesn’t mean it gives anyone the right to waive their perceived power around. We’re glad the industry is continuing the push to clean its act up as opposed to covering up. Whether it’s calling out an award recipient on his sexist comments or developing its own policies on how to handle inappropriate customers and staff members, the hospitality industry can look ahead to 2020 knowing more work needs to be done, but the dark ages of dining rooms (and kitchens) are slowly being transformed through this much needed renaissance.