Drink Trends for 2026

For our inaugural column of hot takes from the drinks world, we asked this year’s Imbibe 75ers and industry experts: What trend do you hope to see—or see more of—in 2026?

Robby Dow, owner of Bespoke, Wilmington, North Carolina

“The biggest shift I’m seeing (and am hoping continues) is guests seeking great cocktail experiences in neighborhood settings, both in atmosphere and in price point. While the premium cocktail bar or speakeasy will always have a place, more people want a casual, welcoming environment where they can still get an exceptional drink… A spot that can execute a balanced Daiquiri, serve a thoughtful shot-and-beer combo, pour a proper Guinness, and still have a well-curated backbar—that’s the kind of bar culture I’m excited to see thriving.”

Alicia Perry, director of bar operations for CH Projects, San Diego

“I’ve been increasingly drawn to the nonalcoholic space. And lately my main interest lies in functional beverages; think adaptogens, nootropics, and magnesium-infused drinks. These products are often designed to support relaxation, mental clarity, focus, or even sleep. Watching how this category has grown throughout 2025, I believe we’ll see it continue to evolve and become more accessible and socially accepted in 2026. A lot of people are still looking to ‘catch a feel’. And these beverages seem much more aligned with the kind of vibe or state they’re hoping to tap into.”

Annie Shi, sommelier and owner of Lei, New York City

“I think curiosity around the greater wine world—wine from places other than traditional French or Italian regions—will continue to grow. At Lei, we’ve been very surprised by the strong interest in Chinese wine.”

Jack Simpson, World Barista Champion, Melbourne, Australia

“I’m seeing a lot of different coffee processing methods from all around the world. I think there’s a lot of innovation in that space. Ten years ago, you’d get a washed or a natural coffee. Now people are taking things from the wine industry, like inoculating it with yeast. Savage Coffee by Jamison Savage uses carbonic maceration, which is taken from the wine industry… I think we’re seeing some really cool creativity and interesting flavors coming through. It’s always exciting to try coffees that have flavors you’ve never experienced before.”

Dan Suro, co-founder of La Jefa, Philadelphia

“I really do like that people are into fermenting—it’s awesome. I think that Danny [Childs] has done a really good job of making that the future of cocktails. For so long we’ve been working out of the same canon of cocktails, and now this fermentation thing has hugely expanded our horizons.”

Nico de Soto, founder of Kota Pandan Liqueur, global

“For years, I was saying aquavit is going to be the new thing, and it never came. But we are definitely still seeing the trend of lower-ABV drinks and savory drinks. I find that drinks with savory ingredients like tomato are very trendy right now.”

Lorenzo Antinori, co-founder of Montana and Bar Leone, Hong Kong

“We expect to see a stronger focus on classic cocktails and simpler serves, drinks built around quality ingredients rather than modernist techniques or specialized equipment.”

Lance Hedrick, Coffee Educator and Wholesale Representative of Onyx Coffee Lab, Portugal

“More people getting into black coffee. I know that people love to make drinks that look pretty so they can share it on Instagram and miscellaneous social avenues, but I foresee a big growth in people actually learning to love the beverage, unabashed—finding beauty in the simplicity, the sublime in the unassuming, the ethereal in the mundane.” 

Ryan Chetiyawardana, Owner of Seed Library, New York City 

“There’s been a great appreciation of seasonality in the drinks world—especially as our facet of the food world means we can stretch this through preservation and bring slices of a season to their opposite counterpart—but I’m really excited by a growing appreciation of micro-seasonality and hyper-locality; as the knowledge (both internally and externally) around cocktails have grown, I hope these topics guide a move to celebrating diversity in flavor in a way that speaks to a sense of time and place in a meaningful way. There’s a touch of homogeneity happening in cocktails across the world, so hopefully people return to some more exciting (and delicious!) ground through this closer attention to what is the best from their setting.”

Tonya Cornett, Co-Owner of UPP Liquids, Bend, Oregon 

“Meads and lower ABV brews—I have a session mead that I am really excited about.  It is a collab with a previous colleague.  I love the way the lower alcohol allows the subtleties of the honey varietal to shine.  This batch uses Meadow Foam honey from the Willamette Valley which imparts a distinctive marshmallow and vanilla flavor.”

Kaitlyn Stewart, Drinks Consultant and Educator With Like-a-ble Cocktails, Vancouver, B.C.

“While I love the wild, gastronomy-style cocktails where everything is a rotovap distillate of something obscure, I would also love to see the art of the simple serve make its way back into our industry and just really showcase and highlight these beautiful ingredients that master distillers and master blenders put so much time and love into.”

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