2024 Food Trends 

• Seabird Courtesy

A new year is upon us once more, which means it's time to check the pulse of the food and dining world as we know it. Last year saw the rise and fall of many interesting food trends—here's hoping we've learned to cool it on fried-chicken restaurants, thank you very much—and a new year means new dishes to try both at home and at your favorite restaurant.

I've been dutifully keeping tabs on what the experts are saying about 2024 and its impact on food and dining, so here are a few trends on the horizon along with some local spots where you can dip your toes in the water.

Beverages With Bling. Edible glitter has long been a staple of the baking world, but we're starting to see this sparkly adornment take off in the world of drinks—both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. For the latter, you'll want to check out Hello Sugar (4489 W. Partridge Hill Lane, Riverton, 385-342-1313, hellosugardonuts.com) for their mixed sodas. These colorful sodas are sugar bombs of the highest order, each of which comes swirling with a hypnotic array of sparkly glitter.

If you're after a glittery beverage that's a bit more grown-up, you can check out the Glitter Disco-Nut Rum at Dented Brick Distillery (3100 S. Washington Street, 801-883-9837, dentedbrick.com), a coconut-flavored rum that brings all that disco ball sparkle to your favorite homemade cocktail. During Pride Month, you can also check out Proper Brewing Co. (857 S. Main Street, 801-953-1707, properbrewingco.com) during Pride Month for their batches of Big Gay Ale, a vivid pink ale that has plenty of glittery sparkle.

Of course, with DIY mixology being what it is today, you can always head over to Orson Gygi (3500 South 300 West, 801-268-3316, gygi.com) to snag edible glitter in every color imaginable. Throw a little gold in your old-fashioned, or mix a bit of purple in your dirty Dr. Pepper for a bit of shimmery bling with your beverage.

Creative Condiments. Perhaps it's our recent affection for small bites and snacks on-the-go that has given rise to an equally ardent focus on the condiments that come with our meals. It's not all that surprising when you think about how American food culture was built on a foundation of salt, black pepper, ketchup and mustard; there's something akin to betrayal when you learn that most of the world outside the U.S. serves condiments with condiments of their own. With the broadening of our cultural horizons and the ease at which we can order things online, American diners are seeking out whichever flavor-enhancing condiments they can get their hands on.

I've been seeing the garlic chili crisp sauce really take off, which makes sense because it's awesome and you can put it on anything. Fly By Jing (flybyjing.com) makes a popular variety pack that is available at most grocery stores, and you can typically get a variation of this condiment served tableside at great local noodle bars like One More Noodle House (3370 S. State Street, Ste. N5, 801-906-8992, onemorenoodlehouse.com).

If you're looking for locally-made flavor enhancers, Van Kwartel Flavor Science (van-kwartel-flavor-science.square.site) is a great bet. Their roots are firmly planted in the foods and influences of the Carribbean, which is a culinary melting pot in and of itself. Their wide variety of pepper sauces, chimichurri and sofrito are great ways to spruce up your condiment tray at home, and you can also snag some of their flavorful spice blends as well.

Vinyl Bars. As I plunge headlong into my midlife crisis, I am starting to see collecting vinyl records as a safe way to contend with my own mortality. I've poked around here and there, but after hearing about the vinyl bar trend that has caught on in much more metropolitan parts of the country, I thought mixing vinyl appreciation with drinking might be a good gateway for me. I was proud of little ol' Salt Lake for not being five years behind on this trend, because we've got Seabird (seabirdutah.com) downtown (7 S. Rio Grande Street, 801-456-1223) and in Draper (13811 Sprague Lane, Ste. 210, 385-255-5473).

Seabird is owned and operated by the same team that brought us Yoko Ramen, Yoko Taco and La Barba Coffee, so there is no shortage of coolness within the cozy confines of both locations. The vinyl bar concept isn't exactly a new one—Japanese bar culture has featured listening bars or HiFi bars for decades now—but it's definitely a concept that has been gaining traction in the U.S. as of late.

So say you're interested in the intersection between vinyl and craft cocktails. What can you expect from a vinyl bar? Obviously, you've got a spot where you can get good drinks and small plates, but Seabird's audio ambiance is entirely flavored with their vinyl collection. You'll see the HiFi setup as soon as you walk in, pumping everything from Santana to Joy Division. Those after a more reflective experience at the bar will enjoy the freedom to snag a cocktail and simply listen to the curated albums that the bartenders/music aficionados spin for their clientele.

I'm excited to explore these trends plus a lot more over the course of the year—as always, if you've got a hot tip on a burning food trend, hit me up on the socials.