It’s that time again: Forecasters are predicting culinary trends for the coming year, planting ideas in our curious foodie minds about what we should be eating.
Global eats, snacks, wine coolers, sotol and sourdough are all items to watch for in 2025, along with a certain nut that a leading hospitality market researcher calls the flavor of the year. Expect prices to remain high in restaurants as operators continue to battle increased costs of food, labor and insurance. But fighting for the customer dollar means more inventive drinks and dishes that don’t cost a fortune, and more attention paid to transportive design. As for one firm’s predicted top cuisine of the year, well, it’s been in south Louisiana for a long, long time.
Check out seven of the top trends for 2025—and where you can find them in the Capital Region.
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Pistachio
Named the flavor of the year by af&co. + Carbonate’s 2025 Hospitality Trends Report for its shapeshifting popularity, pistachio plays in both sweet and savory spaces while also boasting a good cocktail game. Here in Baton Rouge, the nut seems to be everywhere. But then again, we have a history of loving it. It’s a mainstay in baklava at 13-location Albasha Greek & Lebanese Restaurant and in the pistachio gelato made by local artisan gelateria City Gelato. And just imagine what the pistachio bounce portends in a city obsessed with St. Patrick’s Day. This March will be greener than ever.
Where to try it:
Pistachio bars from Chocolate Bijoux
A riff on the viral pistachio-filled Dubai chocolate bar, the top-selling pistachio bars by this boutique Baton Rouge chocolatier are made with pistachio paste mixed with strands of toasted kataifi pastry.
Pistachio martini from French Market Bistro
Your favorite white liquor is joined by Pistachio Golden Cream. Sweet crunchy nuts swim in a foam thicket on top.
Whipped ricotta from The Colonel’s Club
Crushed pistachios add texture to this creamy buffalo-milk ricotta starter blinged with hot honey, lemon thyme and grilled garlic.
Pistachio pizza from Rocca Pizzeria
For real, it’s nuts on a ‘za. A wood-fired white pie holds fresh mozzarella, sliced fingerlings, rosemary, lardons and strategically scattered pistachios.
Kunafa crepe from Bonjour
Fans of chocolate and pistachio will go, ahem, nuts over this crepe stuffed with kunafa pistachio cream and drizzled with milk chocolate and pistachio sauce.
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Global eats and snacking
Another trend predicted by af&co. is the continuing expansion of global eats. And that’s holding true in Baton Rouge, where we’ve seen a smattering of new concepts representing different international cuisines. Moreover, some new vendors at events like Night Market BTR have spun off independent culinary concepts, some of which signal another 2025 trend: snacks that replace meals.
Where to try it:
Tuna mayo onigiri from Oni Onigiri
Small-batch rice balls are stuffed with a variety of ingredients, including cooked bluefin tuna and homemade Japanese mayo, and sold at regular pop-ups at bars and events around town.
No- and low-alcohol alternatives
One of the biggest growth categories in the beverage space, low- and no-alcohol products like wine coolers and zero-proof spirits continue to ascend. More full-service restaurants and bars in Baton Rouge feature zero-proof cocktails as permanent additions to their drinks menus, proving that even in Louisiana, moderation is an acceptable lifestyle.
Where to try it:
Lyre’s Spirit Co. non-alcoholic spirits from Calandro’s Supermarket
Replace your favorite white and dark liquors with aromatic, hangover-free substitutes.
Sourdough
Whole Foods Market’s annual forecast predicts sourdough will continue to be hot in the coming year, as consumers seek out its complex flavor and gut-friendly probiotics. That squares with the continuing growth in Baton Rouge of local specialty bakers, including numerous small vendors selling sourdough-centric products by way of porch pick-ups and pop-ups. If waiting for these ephemeral vendors doesn’t jibe with your schedule, look for St. Bruno sourdough products in local supermarkets and specialty stores. The local bakery’s reach continues to expand to retailers as well as restaurants like Brasserie Byronz and Var’s Pizza.
Where to try it:
St. Bruno Bread Co.’s The Sammy loaf from various supermarkets and specialty stores, including Iverstine Butcher
The beauty of The Sammy is that it’s pre-sliced, meaning no misshapen mangled pieces unfit for holding sandwich innards.
Sotol
The last few years have seen tequila and mezcal sales top other spirits. So it stands to reason, forecasters say, that the tequila cousin sotol could become the next big thing.
Where to try it:
Sotol Onó from Martin Wine Cellar
More aromatic than tequila and less smokey than mezcal, the agave-adjacent spirit is great for drinking neat or in your favorite cocktails.
A new direction for concha?
A staple of Latin American supermarkets and bakeries, the dome-shaped Mexican sweet bread with a shell-shaped spiral imprint is now being co-opted by some specialty bakers across the country and incorporated on restaurant menus stuffed with savory ingredients. Be on the lookout. Like croissants and waffles, it could be the next delivery device for your favorite sandwich.
Where to try it:
Concha sweet bread from La Morenita Meat Market
Pick it up in classic form from a Baton Rouge panaderia, and experiment at home.
Simple seafood
Named the top cuisine of 2025 by af&co., this so-called trend will spark a “duh” in Louisiana, where scarfing up the simply prepared bounty of the Gulf is the norm. What does “simple seafood” mean, exactly? Think raw bar or fried seafood shack—twin concepts that frequently coexist in Louisiana seafood restaurants. This, of course, is the way we eat here, but its uncomplicated wholesomeness is set to expand nationwide, say industry watchers.
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Where to try it:
Louisiana seafood platter from Phil’s Oyster Bar & Seafood
Indulgent but straightforward, the behemoth platter includes deftly fried, locally sourced shrimp, oysters and catfish, along with fried stuffed shrimp and crab balls.