Flavor Trends, Strategies and Solutions for Menu Development

Best of Flavor 2026

Our Best of Flavor issue brings together 101 standout menu concepts, reflecting the creativity shaping today’s menus. This collection showcases the ideas, ingredients and flavor strategies driving innovation across foodservice today—from simple but impactful builds to bold flavor-forward creations.

Contributors

Ala | Based in Washington, D.C.

Amada | Based in Philadelphia

Anaqua Garden Bar | San Antonio

Another Broken Egg Cafe | Based in Orlando, Fla.

Applebee's | Based in Glendale, Calif.

Bar Mara | Minneapolis

Bezel | Denver

Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer | Based in New York

Bomb Biscuit | Based in Atlanta

Bon Me | Based in Boston

Bonrue Bakery | Based in St. George, Utah

Brasa Peruvian Kitchen | Based in Toronto, Canada

Brasserie Lundi | Atlanta

Bread Zeppelin | Based in Dallas

Burgerville | Based in Vancouver, Wash.

California Pizza Kitchen | Based in Costa Mesa, Calif.

Carrot Express | Based in Miami

Casa Don Alfonso | St. Louis

Casa Sensei | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Chicken Salad Chick | Based in Atlanta

Chotto Matte | San Francisco

City Barbeque In Partnership with National Honey Board | Based in Dublin, Ohio

Clementina | San Francisco

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store | Based in Lebanon, Tenn.

Eating House | Coral Gables, Fla.

Eggs Up Grill | Based in Spartanburg, S.C.

Einstein Bros. Bagels | Based in Denver

First Watch | Based in Bradenton, Fla.

Fonville Press | Alys Beach, Fla.

Geraldine’s | Austin, Texas

Golden Rule | San Francisco

Great Wolf Lodge Resorts | Based in Chicago

Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken & Wings | Based in McLean, Va.

Hawkers | Based in Orlando, Fla.

Houston TX Hot Chicken | Based in Las Vegas

Juan Pollo | Based in San Bernardino, Calif.

KPot Korean BBQ & Hot Pot | Based in New York

Katsumi | Washington, D.C.

Kung Fu Chicken | Based in Miami

Lazy Dog Restaurants | Based in Costa Mesa, Calif.

Lifeworks Restaurant Group / Capital One | Tysons, Va.

Lighthouse Grill | Bellingham, Wash.

Litchfield's | Litchfield Park, Ariz.

Little Saint | Healdsburg, Calif.

Logan’s Roadhouse | Based in Houston

Luna Grill Mediterranean Kitchen in Partnership with Lentils.org | Based in San Diego

Lungi | New York

MAKfam | Denver

Macarena | Palo Alto, Calif.

Mama Mezze | New York

Mellow Mushroom | Based in Atlanta

Mendocino Farms | Based in El Segundo, Calif.

Mike & Patty's | Based in Boston

Mileta | Lexington, Ky.

My Girl | Boston

None of the Above | St. Louis

Nothing Bundt Cakes | Based in Dallas

Old Chicago Pizza + Taproom | Based in Houston

Oliver’s Italian | Greenwood Village, Colo.

Ono Hawaiian BBQ | Based in Diamond Bar, Calif.

Ox Bar & Hearth | Chicago

PJW Restaurant Group | Based in Haddon Township, N.J. In Collaboration with the American Pecan Promotion Board

Pane & Mozz | Wallingford, Conn.

Papa d'Amour | New York

Parakeet Café | Based in La Jolla, Calif.

Pascual | Washington, D.C.

Pastaria | Clayton, Mo.

Perso | Louisville, Ky.

Pincho | Based in Miami

Poka Lola Social Club | Denver

Pokeworks | Based in Irvine, Calif.

Pomelia | Brunswick, Maine

Powder Room | Austin, Texas

R&R Barbeque | Based in Salt Lake City

Radhaus | San Francisco

Restaurant Associates at Bloomberg | New York

Ruby Slipper & Ruby Sunshine | Based in New Orleans

Sapori Trattoria | Chicago

Shokudô | Charleston, S.C.

Sixty Vines | Based in Plano, Texas

South Block | Based in Arlington, Va.

Standard Italian | Boston

Starbird Chicken | Based in San Francisco

Sushi-san | Based in Chicago

Teriyaki Madness | Based in Denver

The Graceful Ordinary | St. Charles, Ill.

The Kitchen American Bistro | Based in Boulder, Colo.

The Lookout In Partnership with the Idaho Potato Commission | University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho

The Newstand | San Antonio

Tigress Restaurant & Rooftop Bar | Naples, Fla.

Tocaya Modern Mexican | Based in Los Angeles

Tropical Smoothie Cafe | Based in Atlanta

Truluck’s Ocean’s Finest Seafood & Crab | Based in Houston

Turkey and the Wolf In Collaboration with Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute | New Orleans

Ugly Dumpling | Based in Edison, N.J.

Velvet Taco | Based in Dallas

Via 313 Pizzeria | Based in Austin, Texas

Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux | Based in Atlanta

Wingstop | Based in Dallas

Zaxbys | Based in Athens, Ga.

Ziggi’s Coffee | Based in Mead, Colo.

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