What makes a food retro? Is it the nostalgia, the memories, the time that you had it first? That it has lived many lives, inspired multiple iterations, and continues to live on? Or is it the natural adaptation to today’s top trends? Perhaps all of the above, but leaning towards the latter will offer some fun to menu developers and chefs. Giving new life to a classic mac & cheese, considering a new spin on a sloppy sandwich, or offering a deconstructed play on a loaded baked potato is just scratching the surface of the discovery work ahead.

The trend is High-Low Dining, and it is on the rise. Elevating classics with premium ingredients, on-trend condiments and other distinctive touches offer a nod to the past while embracing current consumer preferences. And the retro cuisine trend doesn’t just reflect meals that came from your grandmother’s house. On the flip side, upscale steakhouse-style dishes that were in danger of disappearing from menus forever have inspired chefs to adapt classic recipes in a more contemporary way. Think Chicken Pot Pie, Deviled Eggs, and Prime Rib, add a twist, a spin, and an experiential element, and you’ll be on the right track.

At Split-Rail in Chicago, classic midwestern favorites are being reconstructed and reimagined. On the menu, Steak Tartare is updated to Lamb Tartare and served with harissa aioli and black-garlic puree. On the side, be sure to try the house-made potato chips with sour cream and onion dip loaded with trout roe. Or the green-bean casserole is another recommended pick, topped with mushroom sauce and crispy onions.

Birdie G’s, a restaurant set to open in Santa Monica early this summer, will feature a mix of classics and a dose of menu inspiration. While a burger will not be featured, there will be a version of a Sloppy Joe, called a sloppy Jeremy, after the chef owner. In a Food & Wine article, Chef Jeremy Fox described the menu item. “It’s open-faced,” he says. “It’s Bolognese made with strawberry sofrito instead of tomato.” The sandwich will host dry-aged beef scraps and will be served on Texas toast with a side of horseradish cream.

Cheese is often a favorite ingredient in reimagined classics. Mac & Cheese, for instance, has been recreated, adapted, and disguised thousands of times. McAlister’s Deli is bringing nostalgia to the sandwich menu by offering an all-natural pimento cheese, up 99% in menu penetration, on their BLT. And at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, a grilled cheese bar brings students through to build their own sandwich, pulling from multiple cheese and protein choices before grilling on a Panini press.

Nostalgic eats like sloppy joes, deviled eggs, and corn dogs are being reimagined to bring comfort food appeal to today’s menus.  For ideas on how to bring updated classics to your menu, check out our latest food trend spotlight: Reimagined Retro.

Whimsical, cheeky and craveworthy, retro-inspired dishes are truly of the moment!

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