The Brief

One advantage of being someone who writes about food is getting to talk to people involved in L.A.'s food scene — from chefs to restaurateurs to frequent diners. That gives me insight into what trends are bubbling up and likely will come into full view this year.

Last year, I predicted the Manhattan cocktail and pavlova desserts would make a comeback and Orange County's dining scene would gain momentum. This year's forecast includes a range of predictions, from personal-sized treats to low-alcohol craft beers to diasporic cuisines ready to take center stage.

Desserts

Individual cake slices will be the hot new treat in 2026 — a perfect, commitment-free indulgence for one or two.

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Personal cake slices: Forget the whole cake. Expect individual slices to be the hot new treat — a perfect, commitment-free indulgence for one (or two).

Cinnamon rolls: The breakfast pastry, whether homemade or from your local bakery, will dominate social media feeds and the baked goods conversation.

Walk-in-only reservations

While restaurant reservations aren't going away, a new crop of restaurants will be less dependent on online bookings or will host only a few seatings per meal. This helps combat revenue loss from no-shows, reduce third-party platform fees and enable more precise staffing and inventory management.

All-day cafes with restaurant and nightlife elements

Your favorite coffee shop will also serve lunch and dinner, staying open late for drinks, thereby maximizing its concept to appeal to a broader range of customers.

Drinks

The cappuccino is making a comeback in 2026, with its carefully crafted 1:1:1 ratio of espresso, steamed milk and froth.

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The year of the cappuccino: Move over, latte. The sophisticated cappuccino is making a comeback. With its airier texture and perfect 1:1:1 ratio of espresso, steamed milk and froth, it's a balanced coffee choice that emphasizes traditional craft over the milk-heavy lattes that have dominated American coffee culture.

Low-ABV beers: We've seen low-alcohol wine and liquors in previous years, and now it's beer's turn to be in the spotlight. As more people prefer lighter-style beers, both independent brewers and larger brands will offer additional lower-alcohol options for consumers looking to avoid hangovers.

Kevin Lee at work behind the bar at Tokyo Noir, hand-carving the ice that defines his cocktails’ texture and clarity.

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Wonho Lee

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Artisan ice: In cocktail bars, expect more attention to ice in various forms, including shaved ice in different types of drinks, plus imported ice from other countries featured in cocktail menus.

Health and wellness

High-fiber vegetables like broccoli, carrots and leafy greens will get new attention in 2026 as the fibermaxxing trend emphasizes gut health.

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Fibermaxxing: Fiber is set for a big year. The trend emphasizes gut health and is popping up everywhere — in high-fiber foods like beans, lentils, artichokes and brussels sprouts that will get new attention, as well as an additive in pastas, drinks and snacks to boost fullness. It aids digestion, stabilizes blood sugar and helps lower cholesterol.

Smaller portions: Driven partly by the rise of GLP-1 medications, expect smaller meal sizes everywhere — from fine dining to fast food. Del Taco recently launched a $2.99 "Micro Meal" designed specifically for lighter-eating lifestyles, featuring deliberately small portions: a mini beef and cheddar burrito, seven to 10 fries and a single donut bite. It signals what's to come.

Cuisine from diasporic communities

We'll see a bigger emphasis on diasporic communities — populations displaced from their homelands through conflict, colonization or forced migration, as opposed to voluntary immigrant communities. Southern California's restaurant scene and cookbooks will spotlight Cambodian, Haitian, Palestinian and Puerto Rican cuisines — all shaped by displacement, conflict and colonial histories.

MEXICO CITY — The Mexican army killed the leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, "El Mencho, " in an operation Sunday, a federal official said.

The official, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, said it happened during a military operation in the western state of Jalisco.

It followed several hours of roadblocks with burning vehicles in Jalisco and other states. Such tactics are commonly used by the cartels to block military operations.

Videos circulating social media showed plumes of smoke billowing over the city of Puerto Vallarta, a major city in Jalisco, and sprinting through the airport of the state's capital in panic. On Sunday afternoon, Air Canada announced it was suspending flights to Puerto Vallarta "due to an ongoing security situation" and advised customers not to go to their airport.

The U.S. State Department had offered a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest of El Mencho. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel, known as CJNG, is one of the most powerful and fasted growing criminal organizations in Mexico and was born in 2009.

In February, the Trump administration designated the cartel as a foreign terrorist organization.

It has been one of the most aggressive cartels in its attacks on the military—including helicopters—and a pioneer in launching explosives from drones and installing mines. In 2020, it carried out a spectacular assassination attempt with grenades and high-powered rifles in the heart of Mexico City against the then head of the capital's police force and now head of federal security.

The DEA considers this cartel to be as powerful as the Sinaloa cartel, one of Mexico's most infamous criminal groups, with a presence in all 50 U.S. states where it distributes tons of drugs. It is one of the main suppliers of cocaine to the U.S. market and, like the Sinaloa cartel, earns billions from the production of fentanyl and methamphetamines.

Since 2017, Oseguera Cervantes has been indicted several times in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

The most recent superseding indictment, filed on April 5, 2022, charges Oseguera Cervantes with conspiracy and distribution of controlled substances (methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl) for the purpose of illegal importation into the United States and use of firearms during and in connection with drug trafficking offenses. Oseguera Cervantes is also charged under the Drug Kingpin Enforcement Act for directing a continuing criminal enterprise.
Copyright 2026 NPR

Hermon — Some shoppers heading into Fresco Market were lost in their phones, but when they momentarily looked up, they were greeted by a flap of brilliant green feathers and a cheery squawk. Phones were put away.

“Pepe! Hey Pepe! So good to see you!”

Perched on the shoulder of T.J. Gonzalez, Pepe the Parrot was in full greeter mode. Wide-eyed and seeming to almost smile as he surveyed the parking lot and his approaching public, Pepe did what he naturally does: make people happy.

A common sight at the Hermon market, near where they live, Gonzalez and Pepe can also be found at community centers, farmers’ markets and local events. They often take the Metro into downtown Los Angeles, Long Beach and other locations.

There’s no money asked, stressed Gonzalez, adding that Pepe simply adores the attention. “People want to see and talk with him more than me,” he joked as he cracked a nut and placed it in his mouth. On cue, the bird reached around Gonzalez’s mouth to retrieve it.

Michael Eagle-Hall of El Sereno is delighted to meet Pepe outside of the Fresco Market in Hermon.

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A mail carrier for 37 years before he retired, Gonzalez found Pepe, a red-crowned Amazon (flocks are often seen in Northeast L.A.) in July 2021. The chick had fallen out of a nest and was flailing on a busy street in San Marino. “He was like roadkill,” said Gonzalez, who watched cars drive over (without striking) the bird.

Gonzalez retrieved the parrot and looked for help, but wildlife rehabbers said they’d euthanize the bird since it had a broken wing. Gonzalez instead brought him to a vet and christened him Pepe.

Since Pepe could not fly, Gonzalez started walking him around the neighborhood. He soon discovered how kids and adults enjoyed interacting with the parrot. Pepe is also a social media darling, with more than 8,600 followers on Instagram.

Pepe is more of a squawker than a talker, but Gonzalez has learned how to art-direct photos of people and the bird, instructing them on how to hold their hands and arms best. “We just want that smile because that’s all that Pepe wants from you,” said Gonzalez.

Crews have now recovered the bodies of all nine backcountry skiers who were killed in an avalanche in Northern California earlier this week. It marks an end to what authorities on Saturday described as an agonizing five-day search and recovery operation complicated by intense winter storms northwest of Lake Tahoe.

"While we wish we could have saved them all, we are grateful that we can bring them home," said Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon during a Saturday news conference.

Until Saturday, authorities had not confirmed the death of a ninth victim, a skier who had been missing and presumed dead. Officials say their body was found near the eight other victims that have now been recovered. Authorities said avalanche hazards and weather conditions were too dangerous most of the week to search for the remaining victim or recover the bodies.

Four of the bodies were recovered on Friday, and the rest of the bodies were recovered on Saturday, all in the Castle Peak area where the avalanche – one of the deadliest in California history — struck. Six people from the group of 15 skiers survived Tuesday's disaster, the last day of a three-day backcountry ski trip. One guide and five travelers were among the survivors.

Helicopters with the California National Guard as well as the California Highway Patrol were used to hoist the remaining bodies from the mountain, officials said at the press conference.

On Friday, officials were able to use specialized techniques with the help of Pacific Gas & Electric to reduce the avalanche risk.

The ski trip was organized by Blackbird Mountain Guides, an outdoor tour company based in Truckee, Calif. Moon confirmed the identities of the victims. Three guides were killed: Andrew Alissandratos, 34, from Verdi, Nev.; Michael Henry, 30, from Soda Springs, Calif.; and Nicole Choo, 42, of South Lake Tahoe, Calif. The other victims, who had signed up for the group trip, are: Carrie Atkin, 46, of Soda Springs; Lizabeth Clabaugh, 52, of Boise, Idaho; Danielle Keatley, 44, of Soda Springs and Larkspur, Calif.; Kate Morse, 45, of Soda Springs and Tiburon, Calif.; Caroline Sekar, 45, of Soda Springs and San Francisco; and Katherine Vitt, 43, of Greenbrae, Calif.

The Sierra Avalanche Center classified the avalanche between a D2 and D3 on the avalanche danger scale.

"A D2 would take down a person. A D3 would take down a house, so it was right in between those. It was described by them as a football field length of a path of the avalanche," Sheriff Moon said on Saturday.

Multiple agencies are investigating.

"We are investigating the incident to determine if there were any factors that would be considered criminal negligence," Ashley Quadros with the Nevada County Sheriff's Office said in an email to NPR on Sunday. "It is a standard investigation. It is too early to know if criminal charges will be applicable, as the investigation is preliminary and remains active and ongoing."

The area will be closed to visitors for several weeks.
Copyright 2026 NPR