Travel restrictions are keeping consumers close to home, but restaurant menus can temporarily transport diners to exotic destinations. A wide variety of global cuisines are available for carryout and delivery, but now some of the ingredients and flavors from the food side of the menu are filtering over to the beverage side.
Bartenders and chefs are playing around with Asian shishito peppers, saffron, gochujang, harissa and seaweed in both cocktails and nonalcoholic beverages, according to Technomic Ignite menu data. These four recent examples highlight the global flavors currently trending on drink menus.
Harissa Explains It All
Committee Ouzeri & Bar, Boston
Blended rums apricot, harissa cordial and craft sour mix
Shishito Margarita
Boqueria, Chicago
Shishito pepper-infused tequila and fresh lime
Le Smoke
Bon Temps, Los Angeles
Mescal, elderflower, passionfruit, lime and yuzu kosho
Mango Jang
Oseyoin, Austin
Tequila, China-China, mango and gochujang
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