Dining trends are constantly shifting and evolving as diners across the country make room on the table for what works for them, and do away with what doesn’t. Resy has unveiled its annual Resy Retrospective, a look back at the top trends and culinary moments of 2025, as well as a glimpse into what’s to come in 2026. From a focus on connection, in the form of listening bars and communal tables, to mortadella and tiny tini’s being all the rage, every reservation is an insight into what brings people out of their homes. The thing that ties it all together? Connection.
The Atlanta Voice examined those trends with Chef Demetrius Brown, owner and executive chef of Inman Park’s Bread & Butterfly.
“But I think the biggest trend that we’ve seen is people wanting a lot more local food. They also want a story behind their food,” said Chef Demetrius Brown (above). Photo by Laura Nwogu/The Atlanta Voice
The Atlanta Voice: When you look at the trends that are bringing diners together, especially in a city like Atlanta, do those trends actively affect what’s going on in the back of the kitchen?
Demetrius Brown: “We really don’t try to look at other restaurants, but whenever we go out to eat, and we see a common theme, we do try to adjust our menu accordingly. But I think the biggest trend that we’ve seen is people wanting a lot more local food. They also want a story behind their food, kind of tying everything into either the chef’s heritage or the owner’s heritage, which are both things that we do at Bread & Butterfly. They don’t want just food to taste good for the sake of being good.
AV: How do you utilize those trends in a space like Bread & Butterfly, where the focus is global fusion, and you’re influenced by so many different places, not just one city?
DB: “It’s a hard balance, because you want to not only represent the diaspora in the countries that you’re cooking, but you also want to represent the city that you’re in. And I think one thing that we do really well here is we try to be as collaborative as possible, like collaborating with other chefs and up-and-coming chefs. We also listen to a lot of our diners when they want a specific thing. We try to cater to them also, because they keep the lights on at the end of the day.”
AV: You have a different perspective from the average restaurant goers in that you’re able to glean what hundreds of people love to eat a week. Are there any food trends you predict popping off in 2026?
DB: “I think the biggest thing is getting back to smaller restaurants, especially in Atlanta. I think Atlanta and Texas have similar dining scenes where they think big, grand restaurants are the way to go. With rent increases and goods increasing rapidly, a lot of people are going to smaller, more cozier restaurants, and I think that’s the biggest trend that will affect not only restaurants, but also the diners. And something that we do here, that I see a lot of other places doing also, is a lot more like communal dining. Our menu at nighttime is structured to be shared between two to four people. And I think that’s something that, post-pandemic, is becoming really, really popular, also.
AV: From communal tables to listening bars, are there any dining trends in Atlanta that stood out to you personally this year?
DB: “The listening bars, honestly. There are coffee places. There are wine bars doing it. I also think wine and cocktail bars are another thing that’s going to make a huge comeback, especially if the economy continues to go the way it’s going. People do like to drink, especially when times are bad. So I think cocktail lounges and wine bars are going to be a lot more prevalent than they are now.”
AV: When you’re not behind the scenes in the kitchen, as a restaurant goer yourself, what trends did you find yourself hopping on?
DB: “I like to think of myself as a trendsetter [laughs]. The biggest trend that I see a lot of people doing is one person ordering for the entire table — I’ve always done that. And then sharing food also. But also, being more loyal to restaurants rather than chasing the next best thing. I think a lot of people are trying to find restaurants that deliver really good service, really good food, and kind of stick to those few places.”
AV: As we continue to examine these dining trends in Atlanta, how do you hope Bread & Butterfly places itself as a trendsetter, as a place that is making these trends happen in the city?
DB: “One thing that we’ve hung our hat on is trying to be as eco-friendly as possible. We compost all of our food waste, and all of our to-go ware is compostable. We don’t use any single-use plastic in the kitchen. So, I think that’s the trend that’s going to make a comeback in 2026. You see a lot of other states like California, New York, that are a lot more popular, but I think Atlanta is ripe for the picking to follow suit.”
Check out the full Resy Retrospective at blog.resy.com/newsroom/resy-retrospective-2025.
This interview was edited for length and clarity.
Related
