2015 was an exciting year for food and drink: we saw cauliflower used as rice and pizza bases, vegetables being substituted for pasta and noodles, and the much-maligned fat land firmly back on the map. But that was just the beginning… read on while we whet your appetite with some of 2015’s other hottest trends in food and drink!
Street Food
Until recently, UK street food has been epitomised by low-end burger vans and hot dog stands, but the last few years have seen the art of food truck catering undergo something of a revolution. Unsurprisingly, London was first to jump on board, with the rest of the country relatively slow to catch on. However with food markets now a regular feature in cities outside London, and a growing presence from street-food inspired restaurants like Thaikhun (which has six UK restaurants including Manchester, Oxford and Nottingham) and Zaap Thai (currently open in Leeds and Nottingham) it seems like our appetite for quick, delicious and most importantly, high-quality food, shows no sign of slowing down.
Prosecco
Sales of Prosecco outstripped Champagne for the first time in 2014, and was the drink of choice for bringing in 2015 (Prosecco outsold Champagne by 1.7 to 1).
Our thirst for the Italian sparkling wine was so strong that rumours of a potential worldwide shortage threatened the sanctity of Britain’s greatest summer tradition: the barbecue. Thankfully, the “shortage” never materialised and sales of Prosecco remained steady throughout the year. Cheers!
Single-Dish Restaurants
While variety was once the spice of life, today’s restaurateurs are embracing a simpler approach to catering: do one thing, but do it very, very well. In fact, since April this year, one in ten new London restaurants has focused on a single dish.
Covent Garden’s Come Fry with Me serves chips, chips, and more chips. Diners can choose from ‘skinny’, ‘gastro’, or ‘skin-on’, and dress them up with a choice of toppings including ‘Truffle and Parmesan’ or ‘Stilton and Steak’.
Eggbreak serves… eggs. Poached, folded, fried; in a bun, a burger, or on toast… If you can imagine a way to serve eggs, these guys probably do it.
Balls & Company’s menu revolves around the humble meatball – choose from pork, chicken, salmon, quinoa, or Wagyu beef.
For single dish restaurants in Nottingham try Filthy Dogs (for hot dogs), Annie’s Burger Shack (for, unsurprisingly, burgers) or Bunk (for chicken wings).
Kebabs
Kebabs have long been the much-maligned go-to food for post-pub and club revellers; however the humble combo of meat, bread, and salad is being redefined in the country’s capital. Restaurants like Chifafa, Le Bab, and Black Axe Mangal have begun appearing throughout the city to meet this demand for luxury kebabs.
Specialist kebab shops are yet to find their way to Nottingham; however diners in search a kebab that’s a cut above the takeaway special won’t go far wrong visiting Turkish restaurants Antalya or the slightly-out-of-town Han Sofrasi.
Cocktails with Dinner
We’ve been drinking cocktails for more than 200 years, but while wine has long been the drink of choice with dinner, increasing numbers of us are shunning red, white, and rose in favour of something a little more elaborate – The Mixed Drinks Report stated that “cocktails are one of the big growth areas in drinking out” and have seen “soaring popularity in restaurants”. We’ll drink to that!
Unsurprisingly there’s no shortage of Nottingham restaurants now offering cocktails with (or after) your dinner. Try The Pelican Club, Rocket, Missoula Montana or Browns to enjoy an expertly made cocktail with your meal.
Going Out for Breakfast
Not only are more of us taking the time to enjoy the most important meal of the day (half of Brits say they’re eating breakfast more now than they were five years ago) more of us are heading out of the house for breakfast, more often. Unsurprisingly, restaurants have been quick to respond to consumer demand, with restaurant chains Wagamama, Honest Burgers, and All Bar One all launching breakfast menus within the last 18 months.
Anyone looking for a slap-up breakfast in Nottingham could pop into the aforementioned Wagamama and All Bar One, or visit long-term Nottingham independents the Warsaw Diner, Brown Bettys, or for a veggie (or vegan) brekkie, The Alley Café Bar.
Premium Home Delivery
“Cheap” and “greasy” are synonymous with takeaway food but online delivery platforms including Just Eat, Deliveroo, and Eatfirst are making waves in the industry and helping the humble takeaway to go gourmet.
The premium delivery market’s biggest player, Deliveroo, secured $70m investment earlier in 2015 and is currently working with 2,000 vendors in 30 UK cities (including Nottingham) and 20 more around the world. There’s little doubt that the premium delivery market is set to grow far and fast. Watch this space!
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