9 hospitality concepts we’ll see in 2025
A new year, and therefore 365 days to fill with visits to restaurants and bars. Can’t wait! The hospitality world never stands still. There are plenty of new trends to spot in restaurants in 2025, too. We already shared the trends in eating at restaurants with you. Now we’re zooming in on hospitality concepts. What can we expect when we eat out in this new year?
9 hospitality concepts in 2025
1. A bigger role for the bar
Heading straight home after dinner? Maybe in 2024, but not anymore in 2025. After dessert, we want to linger over a cocktail, glass of wine or craft beer. Many restaurants are responding to this by placing the bar at the center of the restaurant. If it isn’t in the middle of the restaurant, you’ll find it in a separate room that you move to after your last bite. Not planning to stay a little longer after dinner? In any case, you’ll be made very tempted to do so. More and more restaurants move the tables and chairs aside after a certain time and turn up the music a little louder. Go on, just one more…
2. Authenticity is important
Just be yourself. That’s something we humans should do, and restaurants should too. Stay true to your unique DNA and identity, linked to the history and surroundings of your restaurant. That’s what distinguishes a restaurant from all the others—and precisely why people want to come and eat at yours. Like the recently opened restaurant Williams Farmhouse; a place where seasonal British dishes are served in a warm, stylish ambiance.
3. Personal hospitality is here to stay
Digitalization is also thriving in the restaurant world. Apps, smart systems for staff, self-service options and even robots are increasingly common in the hospitality industry. Such concepts simply save hospitality staff time and money. But we don’t need to worry that we’ll only interact with robots when we eat out. Personal hospitality is here to stay, in 2025 as well. You might not think so when you see how many people get out their phone or iPad (”At least the kids will be quiet”…) too, but really: we continue to consider human contact important.
4. Traditional vs. modern
The nostalgic brown café seems to be experiencing a bit of an identity crisis. Some remain as we know them, with beer and cigarette smells still in the wallpaper, crocheted tablecloths on the tables and André Hazes coming through the speakers. Others transform into a hip, TikTok-trendy café of today. Sometimes there’s also a subtle restyling: a little more modern, but retaining the charm of the past. You’ll also see some modern restaurants trying to recreate the warm, homely setting of the brown café. One thing is certain: we are not saying goodbye to the beloved brown café anytime soon.
5. ‘Eatertainment’
Simply eating good food is no longer enough for us. We want a whole evening of entertainment! An unforgettable experience—is that too much to ask? Not at all; more and more restaurants are answering that call. They combine delicious dishes with live music, cabaret, games and quizzes. Great if you want to plan an outing with friends, family or colleagues. Whoever gets up on the tables first! Tip: Duke of Tokyo in Rotterdam won the award for ‘Best new entertainment venue’ at the Entree Awards 2024. Alongside private karaoke rooms and a bar, you can also enjoy great food here.
6. Dining in a historic building
We all fall head over heels for those beautiful, old Dutch buildings in our country. So it’s only logical that restaurants located in such a building like to show it off. They put the building’s unique historic elements in the spotlight. From old-fashioned tiles on the wall to centuries-old wooden beams in the ceiling. Those elements tell a story. They take you back in time, making your experience in the restaurant even more unforgettable.
7. Big, bigger, biggest
Small and cozy is making way for big, bigger, biggest. You’ll increasingly see restaurants covering hundreds of square meters and seating well over 100 guests. Almost un-Dutch, you could say. This trend hasn’t blown over from global cities like New York and Dubai for nothing. Such restaurants often come with an impressive interior. A good homegrown example is The Siren in Amsterdam.
8. All-day restaurants
Why only dine when you can stay in the restaurant all day if you want? That’s the concept behind all-day restaurants. They serve breakfast early in the morning, followed by lunch, drinks, dinner and another round of drinks afterward. So you can practically stay for 24 hours if you want. Or at least walk in at any time of day, whether you want a coffee, have a business lunch or want to celebrate a party. The new WE ARE EDN is a good example.
9. Head outside the Randstad
Well, you don’t have to leave Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht behind forever. But it definitely pays to look beyond the end of your Randstad nose every now and then. In small cities and villages, you’ll find more and more high-quality restaurants. We already saw that last year—just take a look at the list of Michelin-starred restaurants for 2024—but this concept trend will happily continue in 2025. As someone from a Brabant village, I knew that all along, of course 🙂
Also read:
- This Michelin-starred restaurant in Amsterdam serves one of the world’s most expensive menus
- Restaurant criticized for serving wine in water glasses
- Exhausting: when the service in a restaurant is overly nice
Image: The S.O.F. – Snickers Old Fashioned at Duke of Tokyo, source: Misset Horeca
