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50 Years of Golden Spoon Awards
Florida's Best Places to Dine - The Future
Restaurants will be serving up more liquid meals and ethnic foods.
Florida’s menu for the next 10 years is easy to predict in some ways:
More beer, small plates, take-out and delivery, burgers, barbecue tacos and
pizza and all-hours dining. More fresh and local, especially beer.
Beyond that? It’s anyone’s guess. In the meantime, here’s what’s headed our way …
Carrots and Farro
Charred, parboiled, caramelized or pureed, carrots are the latest in the vegetable renaissance pioneered by kale, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Look beyond quinoa for other ancient grains, like farro, freekeh and spelt. Expect more veggies from the deep, from kelp to sea beans.

Butcher Block
Chefs will smoke, cure, trim and grind more meat and fish in-house for burgers, meatloaf, sausage and salamis. As beef prices rise, more pork, wild boar and lamb will show up as premium cuts, yet $60 rib-eyes will remain. Wagyu and other premium names will show up in burgers and stews. Next big fish: Branzino.

‘Clean’ Buzz
This will be the fashionable term for healthful restaurants of all sizes and prices, vegan or maybe not, that promote whole and fresh ingredients, sustainability and local produce and humane protein. They eschew too much fat and steer away from peanuts, gluten, soy or dairy or other taboos of the moment. FitLife Foods now provides ready-made meals from chicken pho to paleo sloppy Joes at 15 locations in Tampa Bay, Orlando and south Florida from a modern central kitchen in Plant City.
