Another year has almost passed and it’s time to look ahead to 2025. Overall, it’s been a productive and positive 12 months for the sector, despite the cost-of-living pressures most are facing. Restaurants have come to the table with innovative offerings — aka Comedor’s $35 three-course tasting menu — as well as premium, unforgettable experiences that don’t skimp on the details — we’re talking about Prefecture 48, Superfreak, and Tombo Den. It’s a high/low world out there right now, with venues prioritising choice and fluidity.
We have seen the proliferation of many dining trends this year: tableside preparation is commonplace, matcha is found on the menu at almost every café, and you’d be hard pressed to visit a suburb without a Euro bistro of some form. But what goes up must come down, so read on for Hospitality’s list of what’s hot — and what’s not — in 2025.
Trolley service
Trolleys have long been wheeled around dinning rooms, but we’ve seen them popping up at a host of new restaurants that have made the trolley a core part of the dining experience. It ultimately fosters engagement between customers and front of house, who have an opportunity to speak to guests about what they’re about to eat or drink.
A martini or a Negroni cart is a great example of an application that just works in trolley format. Guests can choose their spirit and garnish before enjoying the theatrics of their drink being made. We’ve recently seen trolley service expand to include more elaborate dishes such as salt-baked seafood cracked open with a mallet and a Caesar salad tossed with a dressing made on the trolley.
The bread course at the newly opened Tilda in Sofitel Wentworth Sydney is priced at $39 and a great example of the selling power of service. Saltbush focaccia is served with softened butter mashed with mountain pepper as well as a square of seared Jersey milk cheese topped with honey. It’s been a hit so far with guests, who appreciate a little pizzazz with their bread and butter.
London dry gin
The juniper-heavy gin has experienced a resurgence of late, with Australian distillers trying their hand at the classic style, which is arguably the backbone of the entire category. London dry gin must be made according to strict specifications created by the British government when it regulated the production of the spirit. London dry gin is distilled with a neutral base spirit that has a minimum ABV of 96 per cent according to European Union law, with distillers also required to use natural botanicals during the distillation process.
Once the spirit has been distilled, only water can be added. Many distilleries have a London dry gin in their portfolio as the spirit is an essential component of classic cocktails including martinis and Negronis, which continue to remain popular with consumers. Sydney producer Hickson House distills their own version of a London dry gin which is made with an Australian twist — native Old Man Saltbush. Of course, there are always the staples — Bombay, Beefeater, and Gordon’s — for the purists.
Restaurants with accommodation
Dining out doesn’t have to end once your meal does — just ask the restaurateurs who are getting in on the accommodation game. Independent operators are now integrating stays into their hospitality portfolios, a move which has seen some unique openings. When Julie and Josh Niland secured The Grand National Hotel in Sydney’s Paddington, launching a boutique hotel was always part of the plan. The couple will soon begin welcoming guests to a 15-room hotel located two levels above Saint Peter. “We are excited about… expanding our expression of hospitality to a wonderful boutique hotel,” said Josh.
Of course, Brae has long been nailing the accommodation arm of its business, which encompasses six suites overlooking the Victorian restaurant’s organic farm. The rooms are carbon-neutral and constructed from recycled materials, reflecting Chef Dan Hunter and the broader team’s commitment to sustainability. Guests can enjoy an optional seasonal supper during their stay as well as breakfast before checking out. Ultimately, accommodation allows restaurateurs to share an extension of what they call hospitality with guests, which is unique to each operator.
Offal
Nose-to-tail is a concept that has long been preached about, however many chefs are hesitant when it comes to putting offal or ‘inferior cuts’ on the menu. Dishes featuring intestines, brain, feet, and liver are found across the globe and are part of almost every cuisine — pâté, gopchang, ox tongue, sweetbread, and Rocky Mountain oysters are just a few examples.
Of course, dishes featuring offal won’t appeal to all guests and are polarising to some, but using as much of an animal as possible plays a critical role in reducing a restaurant’s impact on the environment. It can also be an opportunity for chefs who are unfamiliar with cooking with offal to expand their skill set and challenge themselves to try something different. Heroing offal (and to be clear, offal is very much normal for many people) also comes down to presence and like all things, trickles down the more it is seen. A top-end restaurant in Brisbane recently put a lamb brain burger on the menu, and we’ve been braised tripe roll out of many Italian kitchens over the years. A modern menu includes offal, so give it a try.
Bad matcha lattes
The matcha craze is still very much peaking, but the proliferation of iced matcha lattes has led to many inferior and watered-down versions. There is absolutely a market for high-quality drinks, but many venues have jumped on the bandwagon without doing the research. There is also now a shortage of the green tea powder due to global demand. From sourcing poor-quality matcha powders to going heavy-handed on the milk and syrups, there is a lot that can go wrong — especially now fruit-flavoured additions such as strawberry, mango, blueberry, and passionfruit are growing in popularity.
Baristas and operators need to trial as many matchas as possible, which involves testing the powders with different milks and in both hot and cold forms. The differences between poor- and high-quality matcha powders are immediately apparent — a dull green colour is an indicator of an inferior product that’s not suitable for beverages. Analysing the grind and structure of the powder as well as the packaging is also essential — matcha that is exposed to sunlight or humidity often loses its original properties and can even develop mould. And of course, equipment and technique cannot be overlooked. It’s well worth investing in training sessions with a tea professional and taking the time to develop a matcha recipe so the ratios are on point.
Not paying suppliers
This year, the industry has seen some major shake ups, especially when it comes to larger groups entering administration. The first to suffer? Suppliers. Smaller businesses are often impacted in a big way, as operators assume they don’t have the manpower to chase up or initiate legal action over unpaid bills. These are the businesses that suffer the most from these losses, which ultimately impact their livelihoods as well as the viability of the companies they worked hard to create. At the end of the day, an unpaid bill is an unpaid bill, but a conversation can go a long way — even if it’s just giving a supplier a heads up that you may need an extension. Agreeing on a payment plan is another option, so the supplier can take steps to minimise the impact of the unpaid bill. Communication and transparency is key!
Pricy wine
The cost of wine by the glass has soared in recent years, especially in Australia’s major cities. The average cost of a glass of wine from a restaurant now sits around the $18 mark. Back in 2018, the average price of 750ml of wine in US dollars was $11.40, according to the World Health Organization. Wine is one of the most marked-up products in the hospitality sector, and for good reason — there are staff to pay and bills to cover. But choice is the name of the game here, and we’d like to see more venues list affordable by-the-glass options spanning different varieties — not just Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc. For some customers, a $12 glass means they can have two, which equals more money in your pocket.
Tartare
It’s a classic for a reason, but too much of a good thing is a statement that’s applicable to tartare. The first proteins to hit peak prevalence? Kingfish followed by tuna. Now it’s beef, thanks to the proliferation of European bistros that have continued to mushroom since the start of last year. Don’t get me wrong, there are many excellent tartares available across the country made by restaurants that have had the dish on the menu from day dot.
The Korean variation of yukhoe with nashi pear is one of the most memorable plates I’ve eaten this year — and I have eaten my fair share of different tartares during my time as Hospitality’s editor. But when so many restaurants have the same dish on the menu, it instantly goes into the category of ‘dishes I’d like to see less of’. It’s been a good stint, but I will be hitting pause on beef tartare until the next protein du jour comes along. I’m predicting the resurgence of crudo in place of tartare. While their commonalities begin and end with the fact that they are made with uncooked proteins, I think more diners will start to lean into fresher, vibrant, and zesty over egg yolk, mustard, and chives.
