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Leith Steel

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  • 2 min

Seven Asian coffee drinks to know now

🍵 South Korean-style cafés are transforming the U.S. café scene with unique Asian coffee and tea drinks. Expanding from New York to Los Angeles, these cafés offer visually appealing, indulgent flavors with ingredients like sweet corn and black sesame. Highlights include Korean Einspanner and China's AeroFoam drinks. This trend satisfies consumers' desires for experiential and shareable beverages. Carbonate, a creative agency, ranked #45 on the 2025 Inc. Regionals: Midwest list, supports brands in this evolving landscape.
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No proof, no problem: Customers take a shine to non-alcoholic beverages

🍾 Nonalcoholic beverages are gaining traction as they cater to guests who moderate or avoid alcohol, enhancing inclusivity and boosting check averages. Spirit-free cocktails are a branding opportunity, requiring balance and complexity akin to alcoholic drinks. With a growing variety of N.A. options, creating flavorful alcohol-free drinks is becoming easier. Leith Steel, of Carbonate, a top-ranked creative agency (#45 on 2025 Inc. Regionals: Midwest), emphasizes the importance of diverse flavor profiles and strategic brand communication.
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From viral treat to culinary canvas: Dubai Chocolate is inspiring creative variations

🍫 In less than a year, Dubai Chocolate became a global dessert sensation, starting with a viral TikTok video by a Dubai-based creator. Named “Dessert of the Year” in a Hospitality Trends Report, it has inspired numerous variations across restaurants and pastry shops. A new trend, Dubai Strawberry Parfaits, layers fresh strawberries, pistachio cream, kataifi, and chocolate sauce. These desserts are now featured from brunch menus to evening offerings.
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The combo of bacon, egg, and cheese gets reinterpreted at restaurants across the country

🍔 The bacon, egg, and cheese (BEC) sandwich, a breakfast staple, has become a canvas for culinary innovation. Restaurants like Bad Idea in Nashville wrap it in Lao roti, Peel Wood Fired Pizza in Edwardsville, Ill., bakes it in pizza dough, Cackleberry in Cincinnati incorporates local pork, and Abby's Empanadas in Spring Lake, N.C., transforms it into empanadas. Operators across the U.S. are reimagining the BEC with unique twists while retaining its comforting essence.
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