KC a ‘hotbed’ of culinary activity and other 2017 food and beverage trends

Trade publication Nation’s Restaurant News has listed “25 food and beverage trends to expect in 2017.”

No. 6 is a shout-out to Kansas City: “Although Kansas City often flies under the radar of national food media … the city is a hotbed of culinary activity. Although trends used to go invariably from the coasts inward, now what we are seeing is an interesting concept of some of the trends starting in the middle of the country and going out.”

Other food and beverage trends to expect in 2017:

▪ California-based hospitality consulting firm Andrew Freeman & Co. called the breakfast sandwich the “dish of the year for 2017,” with the firm seeing them pop up as all-day sandwiches. Jack in the Box recently added the “Brunchfast” including a bacon-and-egg sandwich on a toasted English muffin.

▪ Modern twists on ethnic cuisine.

▪ Butcher-to-table: More butcher shops attached to restaurants.

▪ Plant-based protein and center-of-the-plate vegetables — shoving animal protein to the edges or off the plate altogether, according to Baum + Whiteman, a New York-based food and restaurant consulting firm.

▪ Cannabis will be the “ingredient of the year” in 2017, according to Freeman. The firm expects it to show up on menus or infused in cocktails in states that have legalized marijuana.

▪ More grain bowls.

▪ New tartares including bison and beet.

▪ Dairy-free alternatives, including nut milks in coffee and desserts.

▪ Caviar: Expect to see grand caviar creations and creative applications, including garnish for deviled eggs and caviar-and-drink pairings.

▪ Natural wines for people looking for funkier flavors and those health-conscious people looking to avoid additives, Freeman said. Rosé wines will be offered year-round and restaurants also will offer more wine flights.

▪ Cocktail consultants on restaurant staffs and modern approaches to classic cocktails.

▪ Creative takes on coffee, including lattes served on draft, coffee cocktails, almond milk lattes and even coffee lemonades.

▪ More Sour beer, more Sake selections on menus, and Switchel, a sweetened, vinegar-based beverage that Freeman predicts as the “next kombucha.”

This story was originally published November 19, 2016 at 4:12 PM with the headline "KC a ‘hotbed’ of culinary activity and other 2017 food and beverage trends."