French Onion for All

French onion soup may be a starter, but it’s hardly a shareable. At Foreign & Domestic in Austin, Texas, the flavor system is applied to a trending and equally craveable category: popovers. Cubes of Gruyère seasoned with black pepper are tucked into an egg batter and baked on high temperature for a rich, melty interior and crispy exterior. The appetizer is finished with more Gruyère, coarse black pepper and Maldon sea salt.

But the linchpin ingredient that harkens back to French onion soup is the charred onion butter that’s served on the side. It wasn’t part of the original recipe when the Gruyère Popovers first launched in 2010, but it’s become a must-have addition. “The combination of ingredients lends itself to the feeling of French onion soup without the broth,” says co-chef/partner Sarah Heard. “The popovers are the perfect beginning to a meal.”

This roundup features entries and insights from the 2025 edition of Best of Flavor. Check out all 100 reader-submitted menu inspirations here.