Side Dish, the Decorative Gourd Edition

Hello and welcome to Side Dish, our weekly round-up of industry news, hot goss and things you might have missed. Now, let’s get to it...

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• It’s October, which means only one thing: it’s decorative gourd season, motherf&*kers.

• The New York Times might need a hug. This week’s review calls porterhouses and tomahawks “the culinary equivalent of superyachts” in a pretty depressing take on three steakhouses in NYC.

• Is this the greatest restaurateur in America? $400 million in revenue would point to yes.

• Speaking of, the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” in North America were named. Do with that what you will.

• Grubstreet wants to make Frijoleros happen.

• Eater’s truffle porn featuring a threesome, lots of butter and a bed of sabayon is the NSFW video we can get behind.

• Farm-to-table, coastal Italian and all-day-dining are dunzo. “Mexico City-inspired” is the buzz phrase du jour.

• Paging all grandmas, Strawberry BonBons are the “it” candy this Halloween season.

• It’s saucy bliss at chicken fingy phenom Mommy Pai’s says the New Yorker.

• And also.......over at Tendy’s....we mean, Wendy’s.

• It’s Sober October, y’all! For those jumping on the wagon this month, Punch is serving up favorite non-alcoholic cocktails.

• If you thought Mountain Dew couldn’t get any dirtier, you were wrong.

• If you thought soda couldn’t get any sweeter, also wrong.

• Are you following the BBQ soap opera unfolding in Texas?

• The Tacolate is here. Salt & Straw x Taco Bell drop an ice cream taco with spicy-sweet sauces.

• Charlie Sheen’s comeback tour continues with the launch of his new non-alc beer brand, Wild AF.

• Buh bye buttercream. Salad cakes with radishes, snap peas and even pickles are the new dessert trend.

• Billed as “the lamest update ever,” Erewhon teased openings across the U.S. Turns out, they’re just shipping there. Wah, wah.

• From functional snacks to budget bougie hacks, Gen Z’s 2026 food playbook is eye opening.

• The newest luxury flex is butter, with shoppers splurging on fattier, fancier spreads.

• The Four Seasons megayacht just dropped a glass-wrapped Funnel Suite that feels like a floating lantern.

• Speaking of, Ritz, Aman and Four Seasons are trying to convince us cruising with a nicer boat is really yachting. Yacht purists say, not so fast me hearties.

• Still talking about cruises here. Norwegian Haven, MSC Yacht Club and Princess Sanctuary—the VIP ships hidden inside your cruise.

• Marriott wants you to get outside via its new Outdoor Collection, where you can

  book curated, nature-focused stays.

• Maybe not on your bingo card for 2026, but Beirut’s restaurant scene is having a mo’.

• After a flashy debut, Tulum Airport faces a 26% winter flight cut from major US carriers.

• A government shutdown could mean long TSA lines, park closures and billions lost in tourism revenue.

• Skip the Venice crowds. Ravenna serves mosaics, wine and pasta in peace, no tourist tax required.

• From nurse capes to hot pants, see 100 years of flight attendant fashion.

• Time Out just named the ‘world’s coolest’ neighborhood and the reason they chose it might surprise you.

• Viceroy wants you to slip into that spandex and hit the road.

• Skip the crowds and jog past the Pantheon at sunrise. Rome’s coolest tour doubles as cardio.

• Ditch Route 66. Nat Geo maps out 5 underrated road trips with scenery, history and way fewer crowds.

• A new Frida Kahlo museum in Mexico City unveils hidden letters, jewelry and her secret refuge.

• Gluten-free at sea? Vegan at a resort? Here’s how to make all-inclusive travel safe and stress-free.

• All aboard: Orient Express is teeing up luxe golf trips across Italy’s dreamiest greens.

• For all our Ryanair stans, November means digital boarding passes only. Boomers = not happy.

• Happy Taylor Swift album release day to all who celebrate.

• Dolly Parton’s Vegas run is delayed 9 months while she recovers. Get well soon, Dolly!

• We’re hurting Gen Z’s feelings calling them party poopers. They’re really just remixing nightlife with moderation and new rituals.

• Maxwell House is downsizing. Are you buying it?

• Move over monogrammed towels – this year’s hottest wedding trend is blended and bottled.

• Emily Henry’s romcom hit People We Meet on Vacation lands on Netflix in January.

• Floss > frizz? TikTok swears by dental floss as the latest flyaway tamer.

• From collagen puptides to raw meat diets, pet wellness is going full Goop this year.

• Milan gathered to honor Giorgio Armani, whose final runway show doubled as a farewell to fashion’s maestro.

• J. Crew goes Ivy League. Boston’s new store comes with merch, a bookstand and