As we wrap up 2025, we enter into a season of reflection and anticipation. 2025 has been a journey, that much we can all agree on. We’ve seen massive moments in the Southern culinary world from the introduction of the MICHELIN to the American South guide to dozens of new and notable restaurants cropping up. While huge headlines can dominate the culinary heatmap in the South, we’ve kept our ear to the ground for some of the underlying trends that made this year unique.
Recap our favorite culinary trends of 2025 (including a couple new ones) here and help us predict the next culinary trends for 2026 at the poll below!
1. Fancy Hot Dogs
While many commit to healthier dining for the new year, we’re just contemplating all the fancy hot dogs we still need to eat. Hot dogs are a culinary American anthem, and while a classic can really go a long way, it was great to see “glizzys” get a little more glamorous in 2025.
Read about everything from onion dip dogs to hotdogs topped with caviar in our Summer Trends list.
2. Celery Salads
Celery stepped away from the hot wings plate and into the limelight in 2025, and we support it wholeheartedly. Really, we once had a team meeting discussing celery salads for over an hour. Try these three celery salads from some of our favorite Southern chefs here:
celery salads
Recipes
Chubby Fish’s Celery Salad
Meet Charleston’s so-called “sexy salad”: the Chubby Fish celery salad with potatoes, parmesan, and […]
Recipes
The Goodyear House Celery Salad
Chef Tyler Long of The Goodyear House in Charlotte, North Carolina has created an […]
Recipes
Celery Salad
Jason Stanhope of Lowland in Charleston, South Carolina shares his now-famous celery salad with […]
3. Potato Chips On Sandwiches
Sandwiches are all about balancing taste and texture. And if you have yet to try this combo, welcome to your newest, crunchy obsession. Our go-to chip purveyor is Lowcountry Kettle Chips. From spicing up a tuna salad sandwich with a bag of Carolina Reaper chips to pairing a fried white fish sandwich with crispy Pickle-Flavored chips, the options are endless. Toss some Sea Salt chips on a peanut butter and banana sandwich, and experience a full spectrum of textures.
For an unforgettable bologna sandwich made with salt & vinegar potato chips, try Mason Hereford’s cover image from his book Turkey and the Wolf: Flavor Trippin’ in New Orleans.
4. Savory Soft Serve
Ice cream is no longer only a sweet dessert, and its popularity is skyrocketing. We’re seeing soft serve lean into their creamy profiles with savory flavors like parmesan or even pasta water. Topping our list to try next summer is cilantro lime from Lick Honest Icecreams and Creole cream cheese from The Creole Creamery.
5. Elevated Tableside Services
Hands-on, intimate dining services are beginning to be prioritized, so, naturally, we’ve noticed the return of tableside service carts.
- Have your martini served as if you’re James Bond at Crawford Brothers Steakhouse in Raleigh, North Carolina. Crawford Brothers offers an interactive tableside martini service that allows guests to select savory, Vesper, or New Alaska, to be mixed at the table with their preferred garnish.
- At The Marigold Club in Houston, your tableside sundae experience comes dressed to the nines, complete with cherry on top. Select your preferred flavors from strawberries & cream, clotted cream, or chocolate and then pile on unique toppings like vanilla chantilly, banana jam, and candied hazelnuts.
- Coffee programs are on the rise across the South, receiving as much attention to curation as bar programs. Concepts like Rob McDaniel’s Bayonet in Birmingham are leaning into having intentionally specialized programs for all beverages. Partnering with Non-Fiction Coffee, Bayonet serves tableside pourovers expertly paired with their pastry program.
Help us predict the next big culinary trend by voting below!
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