Luxury Travel & Lifestyle Trends

One of the hottest cultural travel segments, culinary tourism, is seriously in vogue. Previously regarded as an elite/special interest product in parts of Europe, wine and culinary tourism is going more mainstream and cashing in on the growing consumer trend of appreciating regional wine and food travel experiences.

Restaurant and food pop-ups are flourishing in every shape and size. Intimacy and hipness is the attraction: the ‘I-know-something-or-somebody-you-don’t-know’ feeling. We’ve seen numerous examples of pop-up restaurants in recent years, including those with strictly three-month seasonal menus. Others use guerrilla gourmet dining clubs: strictly word-of-mouth, unlicensed, underground restaurants in unmarked buildings, blind alleys and urban caverns.

Everywhere we go these days, all we see is burgers. Big juicy burgers graced the covers of this month’s Saveur and Food & Wine at the local grocery checkout; mini burgers and fries are all the rage on wedding menus; and sliders of all varieties are hot menu items in all sectors.