Hyper-local and meat-free: Our changing dining out habits

The Good Luck Coconut head chef Fraser Shenton with one of the restaurant's most popular dishes, the tofu salad. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Move aside steak and chips - try the shiitaki mushroom sapasui and tofu salad.

Kiwis' dining out choices are changing. A survey of hospitality owners commissioned by the Restaurant Association has revealed more "conscious consumerism" when eating away from home. That includes a desire for hyper-locally sourced food and dropping meat.

The association, which represents more than 2300 hospitality businesses, asked members which food and beverage trends they expected to become more mainstream this year.

The results showed Kiwi diners could expect a continued focus on ingredients from local growers on the menus of more establishments this year, with hyper-local ingredient sourcing ranked as the no.1 chef-driven priority.

The edible garden in Sid at The French Cafe eatery in central Auckland. Photo / Supplied

Diners could also expect more plant-based dishes, with vege-centric and plant-based proteins ranked second and third chef-driven trends.

Menu choices driven by lifestyle diets were cited as the second most prevalent diner request, followed by more plant-based dishes, caused by people cutting down on meat. Craft spirits was the top beverage trend.

A global trend towards wellness, as well as increased concern about the environment and animal welfare had spurred consumer interest in plant-based choices, particularly from younger diners, Restaurant Association chief executive Marisa Bidois said.

"The demand from consumers on reduced packaging has also seen many businesses switch to compostable takeaway packaging as well as offering incentives for using reusable cups."

The popularity of hyper-local and indigenous ingredients was expected to continue, Bidois said.

Younger diners are especially interested in plant-based choices when they eat out, Restaurant Association chief executive Marisa Bidois says. Photo / Supplied

Almost half the survey respondents ranked "conscious consumerism" as the top consumer driven trend. Twenty-seven per cent thought menus would increasingly be driven by lifestyle diets and 23 per cent by reduced meat consumption.

Only 8 per cent of respondents predicted menus would be driven by their suitability to home delivery, indicating a possible turn away from home delivery.

At The Good Luck Coconut in central Auckland, only two items on the 26-dish menu have gluten and lactose, general manager and head chef Fraser Shenton said.

"All the [survey] trends relate into one thing - more conscious consumerism. It's rare people are making these choices just for their own betterment."

He designed dishes to suit dietary needs and choices, so meals didn't have to be compromised by having certain ingredients removed.

The survey found 85 per cent of respondents had experienced a rise in requests relating to food allergies, with gluten the most common.

The Good Luck Coconut chef John Tuuama with the restaurant's vegan coconut soft serve. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Shenton had also noticed increased concern around packaging, particularly when takeaway customers were given a vegan coconut soft serve in a biodegradable, compostable cup.

"It looks plastic, but it's not. We've had some people get quite uppity. [They react] as though we're trying to pollute their country. For people to be so invested like that, it shows attitudes are changing."

Food trends come and go, restaurateur Chand Sahrawat, owner of three Auckland restaurants with husband and executive chef Sid Sahrawat, said.

"Ten years ago it was molecular gastronomy, then it was farm to table and now it's very focused on using what's around you.

"There's this ethos of, 'How close is it?' And people are trying to consume meat less because of the impact on the environment … they're telling us, 'It's meat-free Monday'."

Restaurateur Chand Sahrawat, of Sid at The French Cafe, Cassia and Sidart. Photo / Babiche Martens

For the Sahrawat's three Auckland eateries - Sid at The French Cafe, Cassia and Sidart - the answer to 'How close?' is almost always, 'Very close'.

They grow veges at home and, in the case of Sid at The French Cafe, on-site, alongside beehives. The OMG community garden across the road from Sid at The French Cafe was also used, while chocolate came from the Miann chocolate factory in Morningside.

The change in consumer habits hadn't greatly affected them as Indian cuisine had always been vegetarian friendly. But every effort mattered.

"Times have changed and the market is asking for more conscious consumerism and plant-based [dishes]. What's the point of going to a restaurant if they don't cater for what you want?"