Houston delivers on wine and spirits innovation

Recently ranked as the most diverse city in the U.S., it’s no surprise that the bar and restaurant scene in Houston reflects the diversity of the people who imbibe and thrive in the area. It was one of the reasons we selected the city as the first stop on our Liquid Insights Tour, Southern Glazer’s extensive, coast-to-coast educational initiative that explores and identifies the latest trends in mixology and wine.

After visiting 14 venues over the course of two days, we were amazed at the international influences we discovered across the city. Inspirations from India, Latin America, China, and Vietnam were well expressed in both the food and cocktails. 

As our team sauntered and sipped our way through our rigorous touring agenda (someone’s got to do it), local flavor and menu trends became apparent. We loved the varied use of dehydrated or roasted fruits as garnishes or infusions. Asian spices and ingredients popped up in cocktails everywhere. 

High-end concoctions and presentations of non-alcoholic beverages designed to prevent FOMO while letting consumers sip responsibly were more common than ever before. And whether bartenders like it or not, the espresso martini seems to be here to stay — we even saw one poured from a nitrogenated tap.

Houston’s strong cocktail programs were also bolstered by great global wine offerings. Unique wine varietals, as well as natural, organic, and biodynamic wines frequented many menus.

Restaurant and bar locations were almost as surprising as their menus. As one of the only major U.S. cities without a zoning ordinance, Houston’s venues were integrated into residential neighborhoods and unique retail spaces. So, a great local gem could turn up next to a gas station parking lot or across the street from your grandmother’s house.

In a post-pandemic world, where on-premise establishments still struggle with labor shortages, execution seems to have simplified. From pre-batched cocktails to pre-prepped garnishes, any strategy a bar team could use to make service fast and simple was on the table.

While QR codes were as prevalent as they were during the height of COVID, many venues found innovative ways to use them to highlight a broader variety of beverage offerings, rather than just using them to guide guests to their full menus.

These were just a few of the pointers we picked up as we searched for product, place, price, people, and process trends around town. But will these trends translate into other markets, or are they just the local flavors that make Houston so unique? Only time will tell! Kansas City, my hometown, is up next, and I look forward to being a tourist in my own backyard. 

Stay ahead of the latest beverage alcohol industry trends by following along on the Liquid Insights Tour. Southern Glazer’s own Brian Masilionis and Debbi Peek travel from city to city uncovering the emerging on-premise drink trends that will help you stand out and drive sales. From trending wine and cocktails to shifting consumer preferences, their insights deliver real-world menu inspiration.

By working with our highly certified team of experts at Southern Glazer’s, you’ll gain data-driven insights and actionable takeaways like these for your on-premise bar or restaurant.

Discover our other stops on the 2022 Liquid Insights Tour:

• Chicago

• Kansas City

• Las Vegas

• Los Angeles

• New York City