2009: The future of drinking and dining

Fresh food

The farm-to-table concept will continue to boom, with diners upping the ante by demanding to meet actual purveyors at their meals. Watch for copycats to Café ZuZu, which hosts dinners featuring boutique organic farmers like Litchfield Park's Patrick Duncan. Diners will want even fancier pedigrees, like the Japanese Wagyu served at Yasu Sushi Bistro that comes with an indisputable certificate of authenticity, the nose print of its contributing cow.

Head-to-tail dinners are also on the horizon, with whole roasted fish, or eating an entire pig as a communal event (currently still limited to insider events with the new Mission, Rancho Pinot or Slow Food parties).