Hopes and Dreams: 56 Restaurant Ideas for 2026

Affogato ice cream stands and restaurant divorce courts, plus more polenta and pillows! Let's do this.

Photo Credit: Lawson Builder

Go to any city in America—even, in some cases, small towns—and one might argue that we’re already living in a culinary dreamscape. Omakase this, izakaya that, revived French classics, Oaxacan masa, Montreal-style glizzies, whole spots devoted to Korean Banchan. Indeed, how far this great land of ours has come.

And yet, to quote that silver-tongued crooner Billy Idol, we want “more, more, more.” When better than the beginning of the year to propose 56 fresh (and somewhat unhinged) ideas that we want to see take root in restaurants during the next 12 months.

56. Reinstitute Frog Legs
The test of every French restaurant shouldn’t be an egg, but an amphibian. Plus: they taste like chicken!

55. Ban Reservations for Bar Seats
First come, first served. Throw an elbow if you must.

54. We Want Drink Ornaments
Some say, leave the origami out of cocktails. That’s fine when it comes to garnishes. But trinkets? Umbrellas, little monkeys hanging off the side of one’s martini? Yeah, bring those back.

53. And Doggy Baggies
The ultimate flex: letting everyone know you just dined at 4 Charles. Restaurant-branded doggy bags are the Birkin Bags of restaurant merch.

52. More Pillows
If it was good for the Romans, then it’s good enough for our crumbling empire. If you force someone to sit on a banquette, provide them with nice pillows. Same with booths.

51. Restaurants with Their Own Club Cars
Watch this space…

50. Bring Back 21 Club
This year? Pretty, please?

49. Phone Lock Boxes
If it works at a Chapelle Show, it should work at a restaurant. Be present, player.

48. But Put Phone Booths In the Back
There are times when persons of leisure must excuse themselves to take a private call.

47. And One More Thing: Scrolling Sections
Remember smoking sections? What if restaurants reopened request-only back rooms where individuals or families of four can happily stare at their phones like zombies while slowly chewing burgers and chicken tendies?

46. Bowls of Salt and Pepper
We don’t care if it’s unsanitary; we want to be able to apply one, two, or three finger-pinches of salt and pepper to our food.

45. More Marshmallows!
In desserts! In cocktails! On top of sweet potatoes!

44. Mix-and-Match Pasta
Yes, we should be able to mix agnolotti and orecchiette if we want; it’s a free country.

43. Extra-Large Tapas
First, sharing is overrated. That’s fine if it’s your thing, and there are endless restaurants that are happy to shake you down for the least amount of food possible. We just want a plate that’s like family-sized for one. Isn’t that an entree, you may ask? No. It’s tapas, but huge.

42. Tabletop Jukeboxes
These small, personalized music machines were popular in diner booths for decades. Why can’t we have one at our favorite Michelin-starred restaurant? Listening to Geese while crushing foie gras? Imagine the decadence.

41. Flambé Everything
Fire good!

40. The Year Of New England Clam Chowder
Lobster bisque is overrated. We want to see New England Clam Chowder on every menu, even in the summer; it’s the Cadillac of cream-based soups.

39. Pigs-in-a-blanket Dim Sum
Who wouldn’t appreciate a squeaky cart selling à la carte mini-hot dogs halfway through dinner service?

38. Industry-Wide Charcuterie Ban
Then bring it back big and fatty in 2027

37. Dine-In Waymos
For the gastronomes on the go.

36. Every Knife Is A Steak House Knife
The steak knife is the ur-knife, the knife from which all other knives spring, and whose utility cannot be questioned. One can cut butter with a steak knife, but one can’t cut a porterhouse with a butterknife.

35. Burger Bun Choice
Brioche buns are too sweet. Pretzel buns too firm. One should be able to choose one’s burger bun, since it’s the first element of a burger one’s senses encounter when chowing down.

34. House Hot Sauce Arms Race, Please
Every restaurant, no matter its concept or cuisine, should take the time to labor over a house hot sauce that is unique, tasty, and mouth-scorching… ideally, something each spot takes pride in, too. And every restaurant should also compete with each other over the best hot sauces. We deserve a hot sauce renaissance.

33. Allergy Cards
Print them, present them, pass them, collect them. No more explaining your real or invented aversions. FOH might laugh at you, but they’ll also thank you.

32. BYOB(read)
It’s time we make like Eli Zabar and normalize bringing your own bread (and butter).

31. Soundproof Breakup Booths
The awkward restaurant whisper fight is a right of passage in any relationship. Throw some soundproof booths in the back and let enraged couples have it out over supper.

30. Tunnels Between Restaurants and Bars
For a discrete transition between dinner and debauchery. Like the tunnels a-listers used to slip in and out of the Playboy Mansion back in the day, but, you know, like less gross and creepy.

29. Euro-ify American Après-Ski
Glühwein. Spritzes. Fondue and raclette. Table dancing in our ski boots. Why can’t we have this?

28. Make (Some) Clubs Hard to Get Into Again
No, not all of them. But we need some velvet roped joints in the zeitgeist again, with an intimidating bouncer deciding who gets in and who gets rejected. Friends, fit, vibe, swag – say what you will, it all plays. Sorry, them’s the rules.

27. Airplane: The Restaurant
We’ve had tin diners. We’ve had Pullman cars. Let’s step it up with an actual fuselage – a retired 747 or Concorde. Make dining jet set again.

26. Buying drinks for other parties
Sending a round is the ultimate old school move (just ask Chef JJ) that deserves a comeback in this socially awkward age.

25. Kids Rooms at Restaurants
Let them eat chicken fingers in hermetically-sealed, soundproof chambers! (while their parents fight in the other chamber – see idea #31).

24. Dry April
We need alcohol in January. April, not so much. Take a breather before summer, when it’s truly time to play like a champion.

23. Find “Undercover Waitress” a New Job
Our queen cannot remain unemployed.

22. Consider the Meatloaf Sandwich
Cheesesteak? Chicken parm? C’mon, just give this underrated leftover classic the star treatment it deserves.

21. Retire the Word “Invite” for Pricy Meals
Wow, how kind of you to “invite” us to join you on New Years Eve for $1,000 pp++

20. More Regional Mexican Food
Time to go deep on arguably everyone’s throned cuisine.

19. Year of the Hot Dog
Burgers get all of the love, but what about their skinny underdog cousins?

18. Chicken as THE Choice for a Large Plate
It could be the boring choice, but it doesn’t have to be. Bring back The Nomad-style pomp and let’s eat some amazing birds. Bonus points for interesting breeds.

17. Less Wine Bars That Are Actually Just Restaurants Without Liquor
Fully commit to the grape, cowards.

16. Up the Pairing Game
We want beverage pairings utilizing all styles of wine and spirits instead of just wine. Non alcoholic pairings need to get some love, too.

15. Death of the Spiel
Ok, this is a polarizing topic ‘round here, with some proponents of the spiel. As for the rest of us, we say nobody needs to be walked through the menu any longer. Are there specials not listed? Are you out of anything? If not, let’s get some water on the table and come back shortly for the drink order. We can handle the menu.

14. Upgrade the Seafood Tower
Less predictable options, more unique raw and cooked preparations, with different types of clams and crawfish and more crab.

13. Listening Restaurants
Sure, listening bars are cool and all, but those white label City Pop records pair just as nicely with Poulet Rôti.

12. Affogato Ice Cream Stands
Imagine how locked you’d be this year if you punctuated every afternoon with some chocolate chip cookie dough swimming in espresso?

11. The Great Diner Renewal Project
We cannot lose these precious institutions, and it’s time for the government, wealthy altruistic donors, or another third party to step in.

10. Enough with the protein maxxing
We get it!

9. Give Polenta the Star Treatment
It’s the sexiest grain-based dish. Just ask the Italians.

8. Normalize Iced Red Wine
It’s glam, just ask “it girl” Sasha Mutchnik.

7. Restaurants: Step Up the Art Game
You should be a gallery with food.

6. 86 Any Guy Who Treats a Dinner Date Like a Podcast
Debating your date isn’t sexy. Go home, Theo Von.

5. More Tavern-Style Pizza
Especially here in New York.

4. Comfort Food Tasting Menus
C’mon, Achatz, let’s reclaim that lost Michelin Star with some deconstructed tater tots.

3. Smooth Jazz Bars
Controversial? Sure. Smooth? Always.

2. Fitness Apps That Unlock Meals On The House
Torch those calories with 10,000 steps? Your table awaits…

1. Restaurant Divorce Court
Who gets the joint in the breakup? Let the restaurant decide who truly is the regular. Sorry, no joint custody.