Fasten your seatbelts – we’re in for a bumpy ride! As 2023 dawns, we’ve been checking in with those who research these things to see what we can expect when it comes to food and drink in the year ahead, and we’ve compiled our own list of the 12 food and drink trends and flavours you can expect to see in Dublin in 2023.
Even at this early stage, the consensus is that the effects of the Pandemic are likely to continue to be felt, in conjunction with factors such as the cost of living crisis, labour shortages and ongoing supply issues as a result of the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Add in ever-growing concerns about climate change and it is easy to see how challenging the food and drink landscape looks set to be this year.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom. Food futurologists tell us that we can expect to see increasingly conscious decisions around food choices, more concerted efforts on sustainability, and zero tolerance for food waste, which can only be a good thing, right?
Glocal
According to The Food Trend Report for 2023, things will be more ‘Glocal’, reflecting the current shift in global food trade towards regional agricultural structures, shorter and more transparent supply chains and a focus on domestic markets.
In practice this means that chefs will increasingly make globally renowned dishes using locally sourced ingredients, a ‘trend’ Dublin diners have already been enjoying at restaurants throughout the city for some time now.
Booze
On the drinks front, predicting trends is an often enjoyable and occasional futile exercise. And, of course, they rarely conveniently tumble into easily packageable 12 month cycles.
What we can say for certain is that we’ve certainly seen a growing sophistication around wine and cocktails in the city at one level and the rise of low and no-alcohol preferences also.
We’re also witnessing new masters of the bar game extending their footprint in the city with Kodiak in Rathmines being the Southside barfellow of the brilliant Bonobo and Fidelity set to put the needle on a new record for the Big Romance.
The Rise of The Drinkfluencer
Of course, the inevitable rise of TikTok is also likely to shape drinking habits, for good and bad.
Expect hacks and rising Drinkfluencers to emerge in 2023, a year in which it’s rum’s time to shine, with mindful drinking and more boxed and canned wines also on the horizon.
Mood Food and Drink
Mood Food and Drink (the growing proliferation of cannabis infused food and drink), is likely to be one of the hot new food trends this year. As reported by our beady-eyed editor in last month’s magazine, Dublin is already leading the way here, with the trendsetting Virgin Mary Bar on Capel Street having recently launched the world’s first ‘mood boosting’ range of alcohol-free cocktails, designed to take visitors on a flavour journey filled with natural highs to stimulate the mind, body and palate.
It’s All Swicy!
Cuban food looks set to be a thing in 2023, while when it comes to flavours, it’s all about ‘Swicy’, or a combination of Sweet and Spicy. Those opting to cook more at home will find a growing number of plant-based alternatives available, including some that might be deemed a little surprising – green banana pasta anyone?
Let’s Pretend – Veganisation
There’s also a growing move towards Veganisation, the process whereby traditional or classic dishes are re-invented and given a new vegan interpretation. Dublin’s chipper lovers may be aware of the plant-based Fish & Chips alternative to be found at Pretend on Blessington Street, where Vegan Chef Mark Senn and partner Ingrida Baceviciute have veganized traditional fish and chips using Cassava and hand harvested Seaweed.
Pretend’s battered ‘Vish and Chips’, come in a choice of original or smokey flavour, generously topped with homemade Kimchi, Tartar Sauce and Triple Cooked Chips, served accompanied by a choice of BBQ Sauce, Garlic Chive Cheese, Kimchi Cheese, or Tandoori Masala.
Food fusion turbo-charged by the power of social media
The continuation of innovative food fusion turbo-charged by the power of social media also looks likely, (see the rise of the Drinkfluencer, above). Though maybe not via Twitter… Techno futurologists suggest that platform may already have elon self-destructed by the time you read this article.
12 Food & Drink Trends and Flavours for 2023
1. CBD based Mood Food and Drink
2. Rum
3. Veganisation
4. Cuban Dishes and flavours
5. The rise of the Drinkfluencer
6. Meat-Free Options on Takeaway Menus
7. Zero Tolerance for Food Waste
8. More TikTok Food and Drink Trends
9. Bottled Cocktails
10. Increasing availability of Plant-based Food alternatives
11. Continued growth of low/no alcohol drinks
12. Rising cost of food and drink (sigh)
Words: Martina Murray, Michael McDermott
#toktails #whiskeytok #gintok #foodtrends2023
