The Infatuation CEO on 2025's Best New Restaurants and Dining Trends

The Infatuation's Best New Restaurants List

• 🎯 The Infatuation's CEO, Paul Needham, discusses the company's annual Best New Restaurants list, which is the culmination of a year of visiting 5,000 restaurants nationwide and in London.
• 💡 The list not only highlights the best dining establishments but also identifies emerging trends in the culinary world.

Key Dining Trends

• 🥐 Elevated Pastries are a significant trend, with creative cinnamon rolls and items like an $11 matcha topped with banana pudding becoming popular small luxuries.
• 🍕 Pizza continues to be a major trend across the country, with high-quality, sometimes pricey, pies gaining traction in cities beyond traditional pizza hubs.
• 📈 Expanding Restaurant Hours are noted, with more establishments offering 7-day service, earlier dinner starts, and increased lunch and breakfast options, catering to the return to office and wellness trends.

Notable Restaurants and Cities

• 🏙️ In New York City, Smitherines (fish-forward) and Borgo (Italian) are highlighted, with Borgo seeing success with its lunch business.
• 🌉 San Francisco boasts one of the country's best dining scenes, with Jules Pizza being a standout favorite.
• 🎶 Nashville is also emerging as a city with a rapidly developing dining scene.

Consumer Behavior and Pricing

• 💸 Consumers are seeking small indulgences like expensive pastries or high-quality pizza, even if they are cutting back on larger expenses like vacations.
• 📉 There's a trend of drinking less, leading restaurants to rely less on wine lists and offer more mocktails, which are also priced at a premium.
• 🍽️ Dinner costs are rising, with items like pasta pomodoro reaching $30, prompting consumers to seek value in smaller treats rather than large tasting menus.