There are more than four seasons a year when it comes to restaurant menus, and late spring is a time to start making a switch to early summer. Look for new flavors of the month, new limited-time offers and cooking techniques geared to warmer weather trending on menus right now.
Campfire Meals are Cracker Barrel’s tribute to summer. On the entrée side, there’s a new Campfire Shrimp Skillet featuring grilled shrimp and andouille sausage cooked in a buttery broth with seasoned corn and potatoes. Returning to the menu are Campfire Chicken, a marinated half-chicken seasoned with campfire spices and slow-cooked with corn on the cob, red-skin potatoes, carrots, grape tomatoes and onions in a buttery broth. Rounding out the lineup is Campfire Beef, sealed in foil and braised with the same classic campfire vegetables and spices; entrees start at $10.99. On the sweet side, there’s a S’mores Brownie Skillet and Cinnamon Roll Skillet.
Starbucks Reserve Roasteries are giving the popular espresso martini a purple aura with their new Ube Espresso Martini. It’s a mix of Starbucks Reserve Espresso, Kalak vodka, cream and white mocha sauce topped with ube coconut cold foam. There’s also a nonalcoholic Masala Chai Latte made with a black tea blend from the Assam region of India with notes of cardamom, ginger, and black pepper. Customers craving a bite to eat can get the new Crispy Hashbrown Egg Cup, featuring a fresh-cracked egg baked until jammy inside a cup formed from crispy hashbrowns, Parmigiano Reggiano, spinach and fresh herbs. A slice of prosciutto on top is optional.
CoComelon, the YouTube animation sensation loved by preschoolers, has arrived at Perkins American Food Co. for a limited time. The family-dining chain is offering CoComelon-themed meals, such as JJ’s Pancake Party featuring rainbow pancakes, and CoComelon Cheesy Grin Grilled Cheese, along with interactive CoComelon placemats filled with games, coloring, and educational tools. Families can scan a QR code at the table to unlock more CoComelon fun to try at home or on the go.
CoComelon inspires menu items at Perkins American Food Co. | Photo courtesy of Perkins American Food Co.
Mediterranean-inspired items are flavoring the menu at Salad and Go. The Tuscan Summer Salad is a combo of orecchiette pasta, house-made sundried tomato tapenade, cucumbers, red onion and shredded provolone cheese, tossed in a tangy Italian vinaigrette, starting at $7.75. The chain is also introducing its first side dish: Hummus and Pita Chips in two variations ($4.50.) And back by popular demand is house-made Blackberry Lemonade, a blend of blueberries, citrus and basil, starting at $1.95.
Farmer Boys is putting the focus on value, refreshing its Farmstand Menu with seasonal items. Among the seven meal boxes is the new ½ Club Sandwich & Garden Salad Box, which includes a small sandwich on La Brea ciabatta bread, piled with sliced ham and turkey, sliced tomato, lettuce, Swiss cheese, Italian dressing, mayonnaise and hickory-smoked bacon. It comes with a Garden Salad and small drink. Also on offer are a Bacon Big Cheese Box, Double Bacon Boy Box, 3- or 4-piece Chicken Strips Box and a Classic or Fiery Fried Chicken Sandwich Box, all with a side of fries and small drink. The meals start at $9.99.
Fazoli's Garlic Chicken Ravioli. | Photo courtesy of Fazoli's.
Ravioli stars on Fazoli’s menu, starting with a simple cheese ravioli topped with a choice of sauce and sprinkled with Fazoli’s Parmesan spice blend. The selection gets more elaborate and pricier with three additional dishes: Three Meat Ravioli, cheese ravioli tossed in meat sauce and topped with sausage, bacon, provolone and mozzarella ($9.99); Chicken Ravioli Alfredo ($11.99); and Garlic Chicken Ravioli ($12.99) baked with mozzarella and finished with Parmesan panko breadcrumbs.
A new limited-time chicken lineup launched at sister steakhouse brands Ponderosa and Bonanza. Four chicken dishes are on offer through July 6, starting with Chicken Italian, a 6-ounce chicken breast topped with mozzarella cheese, marinara and shredded Parmesan. There’s also Laredo Bacon BBQ Chicken topped with barbecue sauce, cheddar cheese, bacon, tomatoes and green onion; Smothered Jack Chicken topped with bacon, Monterey Jack cheese, sauteed onions and mushrooms; and the returning Classic Chicken Monterey, a marinated breast served over lettuce. Entrees start at $13.99.
Sweet Mango O’ Mine Roll. | Photo courtesy of Rock n Roll Sushi.
Mango enters the menu at Rock n Roll Sushi with two limited-time specials running through July 27. The Sweet Mango O’ Mine Roll ($16.99) features a tropical blend of imitation crab stick, avocado and mango, topped with salmon, tobiko and a signature mango-ginger sauce. For dessert, there’s Mango Coconut Rockstars ($9.99,) crispy, coconut mango butter-coated sweets paired with vanilla ice cream and toasted sesame seeds.
Lemon and blueberry pair up for Carvel’s seasonal ice cream flavor—Lemonberry Crumble. The flavor is available both as soft serve and scooped, the latter featuring layers of lemon ice cream, lemon cookies and vanilla crunchies. There’s also the Lemonberry Crumble Dasher with layers of lemonberry soft serve, blueberry ribbons, vanilla crunchies and lemon cookie crumble, and a portable Lemonberry Crumble Pop dipped in a white hard shell and rolled in vanilla crunchies.
Three limited-time seasonal cocktails debuted at 20-unit Voodoo Brewing Co. The trio includes Tangerine Dream, a blend of rum, tangerine, pineapple and lemon; Strawberry Basil Lemonade, a mix of vodka, strawberry, lemon, fresh basil and Liquid Death sparkling water; and Blueberry Sour, a cocktail crafted with gin, blueberry and lemon for a well-balanced pour. Margarita Flights also launched to coincide with Cinco de Mayo, including six flavor variations: Wild Strawberry, Passion Berry, Blueberry Limeade, Blackberry Peach, Classic and Summer Paradise with mango, pineapple, lime and turmeric.
Voodoo Brewing's Margarita Flight. | Photo courtesy of Voodoo Brewing.
As summer approaches, wedding season gets into high gear, and PJ’s Coffee is ready. The New Orleans-based coffeeshop chain is returning its Southern Wedding Cake beverages to the menu. They start with PJ’s signature cold brew concentrate, which is infused with almond, vanilla and buttery cake flavors and blended with milk and cane sugar. The drinks are then steamed and frothed to a silky finish. There’s also the indulgent Southern Wedding Cake Velvet Ice, a blend of the same flavor profile with milk and ice, topped with whipped cream.
Also tapping into cake flavors is the new Cupcake Shake from Cousins Subs. The thick shake is blended with creamy vanilla gelato and topped with colorful sprinkles. And back by popular demand is Cousins’ Fried Bologna Sub. The regional Midwest favorite is piled with fried Usinger’s bologna, crispy bacon, American cheese, onions, pickles, mayonnaise and mustard on the chain’s signature Italian bread.
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