The beverage side of the menu is a hotbed of innovation and activity, whether you’re talking coffee, tea, sodas, cocktails, mocktails or anything that can be sipped or slurped. There’s a flavor story in every category, along with bright colors, new formats and global ingredients generating buzz. Here’s a look at the top drink trends bubbling up in 2025.
Next wave coffee
Pistachio, “the flavor of the year,” is just one of the Middle Eastern influences filtering into the coffee cup. The AF&Co. + Carbonate 2025 Hospitality Trends Report names Yemeni coffee as the new brew in town. U.S. cafes specializing in this beverage reflect the strong coffee culture in Yemen, and the coffee itself is often infused with cardamom, ginger, rose and other warm and floral spices.
Savory coffees are a concurrent trend. The Caffè by Mr. Espresso in Oakland, California, partners with local chefs to create limited-time coffees, and several lean toward the savory side. The White Choke-Latte is blended with roasted sunchoke puree and white chocolate, while Kopi Avocado is made with fresh avocado, and “The Bussdown” with candied yam.

Expect to see savory coffees blended with ingredients like sunchokes, mushrooms and yams. | Photo courtesy of Mr. Espresso
Miso espressos and mushroom coffees are all about umami, but the latter also offer functional benefits. “At Kimpton, we’re enhancing our tea offerings with ingredients that not only deliver exceptional flavor but also provide meaningful nutritional benefits,” said Katherine Wojcik, director of beverage programs and partnerships at parent company IHG Hotels & Resorts. “For example, reishi mushrooms, known for their immune-boosting benefits, and adaptogenic ingredients like ashwagandha root, celebrated for its stress-relieving properties, can be great add-ons to coffee. Guests can expect these functional ingredients to appear on our menus in the new year.”
Color power
Sales of energy drinks have skyrocketed 73% in the last five years, according to research firm Mintel, and numbers from Datassential reveal that 54% of consumers are interested in ordering these pumped-up drinks on premise. Along with a shot or two of caffeine, younger consumers, in particular, are looking for mood boosters, electric colors and vibrant flavors. And the drinks they crave are almost always icy cold.
A new product line called Monin Brilliance, geared to coffee cafes and beverage concepts, delivers on those desires. “Color is a big selling point in beverages now,” said Melissa Nasits, Monin’s director of beverage innovation. A pump or two of acai-flavored purple or starfruit yellow can transform sparkling water or club soda into an instant pick-me-up and Insta-worthy drink. “With coffee going up in price, both operators and consumers are looking for energy alternatives,” said Nasits.
Color is also at play in lemonades, boba teas and all kinds of soft drinks. The chewy tapioca pearls that rose to fame in bubble tea shops are now showing up in quick-service chains, with Sonic, Del Taco and Starbucks some of the frontrunners.

Vibrant colors, exotic fruity flavors and dirty sodas are driving beverage innovation. | Photo courtesy of Del Taco.
Hot and dirty
Apparently, consumers like to quench their thirst by heating up their gullets. In a survey by advertising consultants NC Solutions, 62% of respondents say they are more likely to purchase a beverage if it’s advertised as spicy.
Fiery flavors have been popular in cocktails, but now they’re making their way into sodas and sweet drinks, said Andrew Freeman of AF&Co. + Carbonate. Jamba introduced a watermelon refresher with Tajin, and bubble tea concept Gong Cha infused tapioca pearls with Frank’s Red Hot sauce in two limited-time drinks. Expect things to heat up even more with 2025’s cold beverages.
Drinks are primed to get dirtier, too. Restaurant consultant Michael Whiteman, who shared his predictions in the Baum + Whiteman 2025 Forecast of Food & Beverage Trends, called dirty sodas “the drink of the year.” These ultra-customizable soft drinks can be as simple as a branded soda mixed with fruit syrup and cream, to an over-the-top concoction with mix-ins of cookie and candy pieces and toppings of flavored marshmallow foam and whipped cream.
The sky’s the limit—and that’s exactly why dirty sodas are moving out of specialty chains like Swig, Fiiz and Cool Sips into mainstream QSRs like Jack in the Box and Taco Bell. Soda giant Pepsi just introduced its version: Wild Cherry & Cream in a can.
At the bar
Dirty sodas are gaining fans because they offer non-drinkers an enjoyable alternative to alcohol. Same with spirit-free or zero-proof cocktails, a.k.a. mocktails. But there’s another drink category emerging at bars and restaurants: low-alcohol cocktails and wine.
“A well-curated drink list should have three sections,” said Freeman, “no-alcohol, low ABV and regular or full-strength cocktails.”
Kimpton Hotels has been upgrading its spirit-free selection with fresh, clean and elevated options as more guests are either abstaining from alcohol or moderating intake. “It’s not enough [for a menu] to just be alcohol-free anymore,” said Wojcik. “The expectation is to deliver on the same level of ingredients, innovation and flavor as any classic cocktail.”

Bars are upgrading spirit-free selections with inventive garnishes, like fruit leather. | Photo courtesy of Kimpton Hotels.
The wider selection and better quality of zero-proof spirits makes it possible to craft high-end mocktails that closely mimic the high-test ones. The same goes for lower alcohol products, especially wines. Varietals including cabernet, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and sparklers with up to 33% less alcohol are increasingly available and can be served as aperitifs or food pairings.
Then there are the alcohol-free CBD and THC-infused libations. A recent Gallup poll found that 40% of adults believed cannabis wasn’t harmful to health, while only 16% believed alcohol was not. In communities where regulations allow, bartenders are using non-alcoholic cannabis-infused spirits like Pamos to craft cocktails such as margaritas, spritzes and bellinis, the AF&Co + Carbonate report noted.
Martini riffs and variations
Cocktail lists are filled with many trends that will have legs in the year ahead, such as forced carbonation, fat washing, freeze-dried fruit and vegetable powders and downsized boba that can be sucked through a narrow straw. But martini variations rose to the top as a common prediction.
Freezer martinis were spotlighted in AF&Co. + Carbonate’s report. “Instead of shaking or stirring to order, freezer martinis can be prebatched, then bottled and chilled below freezing temperatures and poured icy cold,” said Freeman. Valerie, a restaurant in New York City, has an entire section of “Freezer Door Martinis” on its cocktail list.
A “martini revival” was one of 10 trends pointed out in Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits Liquid Assets Tour. Brian Masilionis, senior director of channel development/national accounts, said espresso martinis set up the trend, giving birth to new twists, flavors and formats.

Lychee martinis are on the rise, with one bar in Austin, Texas serving them on draft. | Photo: Shutterstock
“The lychee martini is ready to catch on and may become as popular as the espresso martini,” he said. “Its more nuanced, delicate flavor fits with the trend toward balanced, refreshing cocktails.” Not to mention the lychee’s Asian roots—a strong influence on both the food and drink sides of the menu. One bar in Austin, Texas, serves lychee martinis on draft, infused with vodka, lychee and blanc vermouth.
As one of the contributors to Southern Glazer’s Liquid Assets Tour, which visited six U.S. cities, Masilionis also singled out “tiny tipples” as a martini trend. Like freezer martinis, these are batched “and it’s just as easy for an operator to pour two ounces as four ounces,” he said. “Small pours encourage sampling and help guests moderate their drinking.” Another bonus—the customer pays less for their cocktail and the operator can earn a higher margin.
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