Changes to the Boston Food Scene in 2019

In 2018, fast-casual eateries continued to dominate restaurant openings in Boston. There was more pizza. More poke. More tiki. All in all, nothing wowed us in the way of trends. But, you know: New Year, New You. In the spirit of looking forward, Boston.com talked to a handful of restaurant and bar industry professionals who have noticed some new fads and innovations start to take off this year, ones that give an indication of what 2019 might hold for Boston’s dining scene. Check out the top 3 trends!

Trend No. 1: Restaurant technology will improve hospitality
It comes as little surprise that in a city as tech-savvy as Boston, technology is propelling restaurant ingenuity. Lauren Abda is the founder of Branchfood, a networking hub for food entrepreneurs, and Branch Venture Group, a network of investors in the food innovation sphere, and has seen an uptick in new technology-driven products and services for restaurants. One of Branch Venture Group’s investments is a company called OpenCity, which builds software that allows guests to text a restaurant an inquiry — anything from, “Have I left my card at the bar?” to whether it can accommodate dietary restrictions. Frenchie Wine Bistro and Royale are among the Boston businesses that have already started using the service.

Technology is directly impacting the experience for diners on-site, too. Take Spyce as an example: Founded by four MIT grads, the restaurant opened in May with a robotic “staff” behind the counter that assembles bowls for customers. The founders recently made Forbes’s 30 under 30 list and have given Boston diners a look at what’s possible when tech takes over a kitchen.

Trend No. 2: Food halls will become the middle ground
We may be trailing a few U.S. cities (Los Angeles, New York, Miami) in this regard, but 2019 is poised to be the year of food halls in Boston. High Street Place is scheduled to open in the Financial District in the spring with 22 vendor spaces. Time Out Market will be coming to Fenway next year as well, occupying the ground floor of 401 Park Drive with 16 food vendors, two bars, a cooking school, and shopping. And while it is currently in demolition and likely won’t open for a couple of years, The Beat food hall will open in the former Boston Globe offices.

It’s a trend that may be even more welcome in Boston, where a middle ground between fast-casual restaurants and fine dining seems to be disappearing.

Trend No. 3: Career development will be a priority
Inside the kitchen, some restaurants are striving toward improving the mental health and career development of their employees. South End bar Shore Leave offered a mindfulness class before opening in November.

At Fenway’s Mei Mei, Irene Li uses open book management. Li said that being completely transparent makes it easier and more empowering for the staff to do their jobs. It’s a priority that Li believes will catch on even more in 2019.

Welcome to the future of food and beverage! Visit some of these forward-thinking restaurants and devour the details of their amazing 2019 trends. Enjoy!