The hot drinks steaming up Winter 2025 menus
Oh baby, it’s cold outside…which means customers are heading indoors and wrapping their hands around warm winter drinks. And these days, at the best venues around the country, a hot drink isn’t just coffee or hot chocolate. No, these days there’s a creamy drink of every colour steaming up a winter menu near you. See the trends keeping customers warm this winter at venues across the country.
1. Beautiful hues and blueberry brews
For many venue patrons, the blend of wellness and aesthetics is a magical elixir. And what better way to fight the winter blues, than with…something blue?
Jonna Kristiansson, the operations manager at Harry’s in Sydney’s Bondi Beach says that she’s seen the rise of coloured lattes, especially last year when she saw a blueberry latte become super popular at the iconic Bondi locale.
“We had a blueberry latte on the menu last year and it tapped into the rising trend of unique, fruit-infused flavors that appeal to both taste and health-conscious customers. Blueberries bring a gentle sweetness and a rich, vibrant color that make the drink visually exciting while adding a subtle, refreshing taste twist to the classic latte.”
If one blue drink isn’t enough, there are also butterfly pea lattes, and other rainbow coloured drinks like beetroot (popping up more and more!), and turmeric, which has been a cafe standard for years.
Jonna notes that the aesthetic of drinks like this makes them very Instagram friendly - something the savvy venue manager unfortunately can’t forget about.
>> Interested in coloured lattes?
2. Don’t take the pis-tachio
Or do take it - and add it to your hot drink.
It’s usually made by blending pistachio syrup or paste with steamed milk and either espresso or matcha. The result is a rich drink with a unique, roasted flavour.
While many versions of the pistachio latte include coffee, there are also non-caffeinated options like pistachio milk lattes or pistachio matcha blends that offer that delicious flavour without the buzz.
Originally, pistachio lattes gained mainstream fame thanks to chains like Starbucks and Dunkin’ in the U.S, but due to TikTok-driven hype, and the consumer desire for brightly coloured food and drink, it’s no surprise the photogenic pistachio latte has made it Down Under.
>> Interested in pistachio flavoured drinks?
3. Match-a me with my favourite drink
“Matcha everything,” says Ben Kelly, Director of Partnerships at Somage. It’s not surprising that matcha is still trending this winter, but Ben says that demand just keeps growing.
“We’ve seen demand go up 270% compared to this time last year.”
His observation is that baristas are having to upskill to match consumer expectations.”Those who innovate and get creative are reaping the rewards with cheffy techniques layered matchas with herbs and fruits infused with creams . They’re moving well beyond simple strawberry matchas.”
To this point, there’s a sliding scale of how important matcha is in a venue. For some a hot matcha and an iced matcha are as far tas they will go, but for others, their baristas know their way around grades, origins, and different blends.
“Matcha blends are designed to cut through milk, with the the right structure, length, and tannin-umami balance to work whether iced or steamed. Understanding palate and flavour enhancement is key.”
>> Interested in matcha? Check out our Tea & Chai Suppliers
4. Special-teas for every occasion
Specialty tea continues to grow in Australia, with strong preference for younger, fresh, spring-flush greens.
“We’re seeing demand, mainly for senchas and Longjin which suits the Australian food scene.”
Ben is seeing that overseas, however, there that darker-style non-black teas like shou(cooked) pu-erhs and fuller oolongs are booming, especially as food pairings in high-end restaurants, particularly in NYC.
While that trend may or may not filter down to Australia, it’s clear that consumers who enjoy tea are developing an even more sophisticated palette and prefer cafes that give them the choice of fresh, quality speciality teas from all over the world.
“Organic is still very important, and so is transparency supply chain, which is very similar to coffee.”
>>Interested in speciality tea?
5. Don’t scroll past the charcoal
Ben is abreast of overseas trends, and is seeing certain drinks slow down.”The very USA-centric London Fogs and pumpkin chais are starting to slow down in places like LA and NYC, replaced by curated alternative lattes - hojicha, charcoal and moringa with some venues now offering seven or more signature drinks on the menu.”
Drinks like this aren’t common-place on cafe menus but for the consumer who goes out a lot, offering something new is important.
If cafes offer unusual drinks that have proven themselves overseas, it’s a point of difference, and can mean more exposure as customers talk and post about their experience.
>> Interested in hojicha, moringa and more?
If you’re creating your winter menu and are looking for suppliers, explore Beyond the Craft - Winter 2025
With free shipping, a money-back guarantee, exclusive deals from select suppliers, and no/low minimum order value options, this is your risk-free way to try new products and suppliers for your venue.
Food lover, restaurant-goer, hospitality appreciator, and writer of content at Ordermentum.
