As one of London’s Top Cocktail and Catering Providers for premium events, The Exquisite Group shares their insight on what’s trending in 2025.
Whether you’re planning an intimate gathering, a grandiose celebration or an impactful corporate event, understanding the trends in event planning and catering will help you create an unforgettable experience for your guests.
Top London Event and Catering Trends for 2025
Luxury Sustainable Events
Sustainable luxury has become a key focus in London’s premium event scene, and this is set to propel in 2025. The common misconception that sustainability has to compromise luxury is being quickly dismissed, especially with the rise of innovative eco solutions. True luxury and quality has been repositioned to crucially involve conscious choices. Partnerships with local organic farms and sustainable fisheries, zero-waste menu planning and forecasting with creative repurposing of premium ingredients and luxury biodegradable packaging and service ware that maintains aesthetic excellence.
Local and Seasonal Menu Ideas
The farm-to-table movement has evolved into an art form, with menus that tell the story of the local culinary landscape. Guests are becoming more conscious of what they consume and as a result demand investment in local and organic quality produce. This not only supports the environment and farmers, but it’s conducive to elevating the quality and freshness of the dishes. It is also conducive to innovative dishes and menu concepts as it requires chefs to think outside the box to creatively combine ingredients for exquisite dishes.
Luxury Vegan, Plant-based and Allergen Free Menus
Plant-based dining has evolved into a core offering at premium events. Guests are increasingly embracing Veganism among other specialised diets and expect menus to keep up without compromising on standard. Vegan fine dining is experiencing a renaissance, with top chefs and caterers working to craft exceptional dishes and concepts that surpass traditional meat dishes.
Wellness Bars
These vibrant stations will provide guests with indulgent yet healthy choices, such as antioxidant-packed acai bowls, plant-powered and protein rich bites, nutrient and vitamin rich smoothies and juices, and soul invigorating teas. Wellness bars are the perfect solution balance indulgence with nourishment, ensuring that guests feel energised, revitalized and guilt free throughout the event.
This doesn’t have to be restricted to food and drink options, wellness bars provide the perfect opportunity to incorporate interactive and luxury experiences and activities. Leave your guests pampered with facemask bars, spa related activities like massages and facials, vitamin drips and meditative or yoga centred movement. Offering these added activities elevates the luxurious feel of the event and ultimately helps guests to feel their best.
Interactive Catering Experiences
Guests are increasingly seeking to be involved and entertained. Engagement is key in 2025, with interactive food stations creating memorable moments:
Live sushi rolling with master chefs, liquid nitrogen ice cream laboratories, tableside molecular gastronomy presentations, personal chef consultations for customised dishes, cocktail making masterclasses and personalised cocktails by expert mixologists. Allowing guests to build their own dishes and drinks, when done correctly, can add to the luxury experience. Whether they are doing this literally with build your own focaccia and cocktail stations or, filling in a personalised meal form.
Signature Cocktails and Advanced Mixology
Cocktails have experienced an evolution in recent years from delicious and visually stunning drinks into a holistic sensory experience. Bars with expert mixologists will continue to dominate as a defining experience at elite events in 2025, with professional bartenders who are able to embrace the latest in cocktail craft and innovation. Taste journeys are emerging as a highly personal and complex experience, allowing skilled mixologists to map guests’ flavour preferences and craft deeply personalised drinking experiences. Incorporating guest interaction allows attendees to feel truly valued and fully immersed in the event.
Luxury Alcohol-free Mocktails
We’ve noticed people increasingly opting for low and alcohol-free options and this trend will continue to 2025. Mocktails and low-ABV options can no longer be just an afterthought. With a continued health consciousness, in 2025 mocktails will be a mainstay at luxury events. This area is experiencing a surge in creativity and experimentation to produce unprecedented alcohol-free drinks that feel just as exclusive as their boozy counterparts.
Unique Mobile Carts
Mobile carts have become an exceptionally effective solution to providing distinction and dynamism to luxury events. Whether it’s a vintage cart serving artisanal goodies a luxurious cheese and charcuterie cart circulating the crowd, or a Champagne and oyster cart for classic luxury, these mobile setups create a dynamic atmosphere and allow guests to enjoy a variety of experiences throughout the event.
Midnight Snack Heroes
As the night progresses, guests crave something a little more indulgent. Late-night catering has evolved into a highlight moment. Gourmet comfort food served late into the night. Mini wagyu burger station, Truffle grilled cheese and raclette bars, gourmet street food inspirations and designer dessert installations and refined mini fish and chips, these late-night bites are designed to keep the energy up while adding a sense of playfulness and an unexpected treat to the event. Consider offering a luxe twist on these snacks, such as truffle mac and cheese or lobster rolls, to ensure your midnight snack is the perfect ratio of grease to class.
Personalised Elements and Goodies
Personalisation continues to be a huge trend in 2025, and this extends to catering and event experiences. From customized cocktails and menu items to personalised party favours, guests will expect events to feel uniquely tailored to them. Consider bespoke touches like branded gift bags with artisanal treats, individually designed cocktails inspired by each person, or personalised bottle openers with guests’ names on. The more you can integrate personal elements into the event, the more meaningful the experience will feel to your guests.
In 2025, London’s premium events will focus on creating personalised, sustainable and immersive experiences in order to exceed expectations and leave a lasting impression. From luxury vegan and plant-based delights to cutting-edge mixology stations and opulent mobile carts, these trends are set to surge in 2025, and are the key ingredient to transcending the desires of today’s discerning guests.
Whether you’re planning a corporate event, a wedding, or a private gathering, incorporating these trends and menu ideas will help you elevate your event; creating unforgettable moments for all who attend.
