If 2024 was the year of beverages, what will 2025 bring?
Here’s a look at a few exciting new concepts that could mark some defining trends for the upcoming mid-decade milestone. It’s too soon to make any predictions about which will be a hot new concept, but these restaurants are worth keeping an eye on because they bring something new—or reinvent something old in a new way.
Ggiata
Three friends from New Jersey (Noah Holton-Raphael, Max Bahramipour and Jack Biebel) moved to Los Angeles and, in 2021, launched a deli chain that is redefining what makes a great fast-casual sandwich (sorry Jersey Mike’s). At Ggiata, there are hot, cold and breakfast sandwiches, but The Perfect Chicken Caesar Wrap must not be missed. Salads are also a standout, like the Bitter Greens with shaved fennel, roasted pistachio, goat cheese and roasted broccolini. There are five locations in LA and, yes, expect “Sopranos” references. Their social media marketing also appears charmingly home made.
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@ggiata or if theyve heard of new jersey or knows someone whos heard of new jersey #ggiata#losangeles#deli#nj#sandwich#smallbusiness♬ original sound - Maggie Winters
PopUp Bagels
Blame TikTok for ruining bagels as the have long been consumed, but the kids are loving this “grip-rip-and-dip” style of bagel and schmears. The New York-based concept has raised at least $8 million from investors who have a good eye for restaurants, and now the nine-unit chain is franchising. It’s a simple model with rotating schmear flavors. Founder and Chief Brand Officer Adam Goldberg is promising industry disruption.
Potadoh's overstuffed baked potatoes. | Photo courtesy of Potadoh.
Potadoh
At this specialty baked potato outlet in Tustin, California, guests can load their baked potatoes with everything from Cajun shrimp to pesto chicken to Korean buldak (spicy barbecued chicken), or they can build their own from numerous options. There’s even a dessert sweet potato topped with marshmallows. The concept features kiosk and digital ordering. It opened in October and was founded by Elliot Cho, who said he was inspired by the street food kumpir in Turkey and the jacket potatoes of the U.K. (remember SpudULike?) Baked potato concepts have come and gone over the years, but could this be the next modern iteration?
Angie’s Lobster
Tony Christofellis co-founded and later sold the drive-thru Salad and Go chain, building an efficient model of restaurants served by a central commissary kitchen. Now he’s growing several brands under Angie’s Food Concepts, based in Arizona, including the seafood-focused Angie’s Lobster, as well as Angie’s Prime Grill (burritos, bowls, salads) and a chicken concept was in the works. The idea is to make quality ingredients more affordable in a drive-thru format. With 15 units expected to be open by the end of 2024, Christofellis is planning another 20 in 2025, moving into new markets like Texas and Florida.
Joyland
Chef and restaurateur Sean Brock is known for higher-end restaurants like Husk, McCrady’s and Audrey & June. In 2020, he set out to reimagine fast food with Joyland in Nashville, with Crust Burgers (crunchy meat lace), chicken sandwiches, chicken on a stick, boozy milkshakes and fries. Three units are open, including one in Birmingham, Alabama. A location in Charleston, South Carolina, is next.
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Brassica
Chipotle’s venture fund arm recently invested in this fast-casual Mediterranean concept out of Ohio. Brassica was co-founded in 2015 by Kevin and Katy Malhame, who are also behind Northstar Café. Brassica has six locations and more to come, with the Cultivate Next investment. Growth will be company owned, and, likely slow and careful.
Dillas features a simple menu of quesadillas. | Photo courtesy of Dillas.
Dillas
Founder Kyle Gordon says he first dreamed of launching a quesadilla-focused concept when he was in college at the University of Texas, but it wasn’t until after he spent years running a Raising Cane’s in Texas that he felt ready to launch his own concept in 2013. It’s all about the ‘dillas—pronounced “dill-uh,” which is a reference to a line in the movie “Napoleon Dynamite”—with various stuffings. In 2022, the franchise brand won funding from Gala Capital Partners. And in 2024, the group signed a franchise development agreement with Primeaux Restaurant Group that is expected to double the unit count to 18 restaurants by mid 2026.
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