Menu Tracker: New items from Jimmy John’s, Krispy Kreme, and Fleming’s
Plus innovation at Beans & Brews Coffee House, Dirty Dough, District Taco, Ellianos Coffee, Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Q, Robeks, Snooze A.M. Eatery, Velvet Taco, Vicious Biscuit, White Rhino Coffee Well, it’s very clearly the holiday season and this week’s Menu Tracker, with all its peppermint, gingerbread, chocolate, and eggnog, is basically a tour of the season’s flavors — warm, indulgent, and a little boozy. Smaller coffeehouse chains like Beans & Brews, Ellianos, and White Rhino Coffee have those flavors in their festive drinks, while Krispy Kreme is playing on a Grinch theme this year, just as Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar did last week. Robeks has a fruity-minty smoothie, Jimmy John’s has a chocolate peppermint cookie, and Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Q has a Christmas cookie pudding. Taco John’s is bringing back its annual Christmas nachos, or Nachos Navidad, plus seasonal queso with Hatch green chiles. Vicious Biscuit has seasonal drinks and a sweet potato biscuit, and Snooze has new brunch items, including pancakes topped with a giant marshmallow. But some chains have other things going on besides celebrating the holidays: Fleming’s has a whole new lunch menu, District Taco has tiny churros, Dirty Dough, a cookie chain, has dirty soda now, and Velvet Taco’s Weekly Taco Feature is made with fried goat cheese. Contact Bret Thorn at bret.thorn@informa.com beans-brews-eggnog-latte.jpg Type Image Caption Credits Beans & Brews Coffee House Gating level anonymous user DataTable subpages Media Image Gallery Slide description: Eggnog Latte: Eggnog, espresso and skim milk garnished with cinnamon and nutmeg, starting at around $4.85 Rich, creamy eggnog and skim milk with fresh brewed espresso lightly dusted with cinnamon and nutmeg, delicious decadence! Peppermint Mocha: Espresso, Ghirardelli cocoa, and peppermint syrup, starting at around $4.75 Hot Pumpkin Fritalia: Espresso and milk with pumpkin purée and spices, topped with whipped cream and garnished with cinnamon and nutmeg, starting at around $5.05 Pumpkin Donut Holes: Three bite-sized doughnut balls made with pumpkin and autumn spice, $1 Availability: Through the holidays Image Alt Text: beans-brews-eggnog-latte.jpgGallery Slide Headline: Beans & Brews Coffee HousePublished: dirty-dough-dirty-drinks.jpg Type Image Caption Credits Dirty Dough Gating level anonymous user DataTable subpages Media Image Gallery Slide description: Dirty Drinks: Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coke Zero Sugar, Fanta Orange, Barq’s Root Beer, Sprite, or Dr. Pepper mixed with a wide choice of syrups including brown butter, dark chocolate, caramel, peanut butter, and strawberry along with mix-ins including boba, cookie crumbs, and strawberry pieces, as well as creamers such as whole milk, coconut cream, and whipped cream, starting at $3.49 Availability: Permanent Image Alt Text: dirty-dough-dirty-drinks.jpgGallery Slide Headline: Dirty DoughPublished: district-taco-churritos.jpg Type Image Caption Credits District Taco Gating level anonymous user DataTable subpages Media Image Gallery Slide description: Churritos: Bite-sized churros dusted with cinnamon sugar and served with Ghirardelli chocolate sauce, $2.79-$2.99 Availability: Permanent Image Alt Text: district-taco-churritos.jpgGallery Slide Headline: District TacoPublished: ellianos-coffee.jpg Type Image Caption Credits Ellianos Coffee Gating level anonymous user DataTable subpages Media Image Gallery Slide description: Peppermint White Mocha: Espresso, white chocolate, and peppermint syrup, available hot, iced or frozen, $5.10-$6.20 Toffee Carmella: Espresso, toffee flavor, and caramel sauce, available hot, iced or frozen, $5.10-$6.20 Mint Cookie Freezer: Mint and chocolate cookie flavors blended with ice, $5.45-$6.70 French Toast Muffin: Muffin topped with cinnamon sugar, $3.95 Availability: Through Jan. 1, 2025 Image Alt Text: ellianos-coffee.jpgGallery Slide Headline: Ellianos CoffeePublished: flemings-shellfish-louie-salad.jpg Type Image Caption Credits Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar Gating level anonymous user DataTable subpages Media Image Gallery Slide description: Burrata with prosciutto: B
Well, it’s very clearly the holiday season and this week’s Menu Tracker, with all its peppermint, gingerbread, chocolate, and eggnog, is basically a tour of the season’s flavors — warm, indulgent, and a little boozy.
Smaller coffeehouse chains like Beans & Brews, Ellianos, and White Rhino Coffee have those flavors in their festive drinks, while Krispy Kreme is playing on a Grinch theme this year, just as Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar did last week.
Robeks has a fruity-minty smoothie, Jimmy John’s has a chocolate peppermint cookie, and Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Q has a Christmas cookie pudding. Taco John’s is bringing back its annual Christmas nachos, or Nachos Navidad, plus seasonal queso with Hatch green chiles. Vicious Biscuit has seasonal drinks and a sweet potato biscuit, and Snooze has new brunch items, including pancakes topped with a giant marshmallow.
But some chains have other things going on besides celebrating the holidays: Fleming’s has a whole new lunch menu, District Taco has tiny churros, Dirty Dough, a cookie chain, has dirty soda now, and Velvet Taco’s Weekly Taco Feature is made with fried goat cheese.
Contact Bret Thorn at bret.thorn@informa.com
beans-brews-eggnog-latte.jpg
Type
Caption
Credits
Gating level
DataTable subpages
Media Image
Eggnog Latte: Eggnog, espresso and skim milk garnished with cinnamon and nutmeg, starting at around $4.85
Rich, creamy eggnog and skim milk with fresh brewed espresso lightly dusted with cinnamon and nutmeg, delicious decadence!
Peppermint Mocha: Espresso, Ghirardelli cocoa, and peppermint syrup, starting at around $4.75
Hot Pumpkin Fritalia: Espresso and milk with pumpkin purée and spices, topped with whipped cream and garnished with cinnamon and nutmeg, starting at around $5.05
Pumpkin Donut Holes: Three bite-sized doughnut balls made with pumpkin and autumn spice, $1
Availability: Through the holidays
dirty-dough-dirty-drinks.jpg
Type
Caption
Credits
Gating level
DataTable subpages
Media Image
Dirty Drinks: Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coke Zero Sugar, Fanta Orange, Barq’s Root Beer, Sprite, or Dr. Pepper mixed with a wide choice of syrups including brown butter, dark chocolate, caramel, peanut butter, and strawberry along with mix-ins including boba, cookie crumbs, and strawberry pieces, as well as creamers such as whole milk, coconut cream, and whipped cream, starting at $3.49
Availability: Permanent
district-taco-churritos.jpg
Type
Caption
Credits
Gating level
DataTable subpages
Media Image
Churritos: Bite-sized churros dusted with cinnamon sugar and served with Ghirardelli chocolate sauce, $2.79-$2.99
Availability: Permanent
ellianos-coffee.jpg
Type
Caption
Credits
Gating level
DataTable subpages
Media Image
Peppermint White Mocha: Espresso, white chocolate, and peppermint syrup, available hot, iced or frozen, $5.10-$6.20
Toffee Carmella: Espresso, toffee flavor, and caramel sauce, available hot, iced or frozen, $5.10-$6.20
Mint Cookie Freezer: Mint and chocolate cookie flavors blended with ice, $5.45-$6.70
French Toast Muffin: Muffin topped with cinnamon sugar, $3.95
Availability: Through Jan. 1, 2025
flemings-shellfish-louie-salad.jpg
Type
Caption
Credits
Gating level
DataTable subpages
Media Image
Burrata with prosciutto: Burrata, prosciutto, charred Campari tomato, wild arugula, and toasted garlic crostini, $15
Sweet Chili Calamari: Breaded and fried calamari in sweet chile sauce, $22
Black Truffle Filet Tartare: Minced beef filet on a potato pavé with black garlic truffle aioli, onion, capers, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, $24
Mushroom Brie Soup: Cream of mushroom soup with brie cheese and truffle oil garnished with a roasted maitake mushroom, $10
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad: Romaine lettuce, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, fried capers, and crispy prosciutto with Caesar dressing, topped with grilled chicken, $18
Baby Kale & Beet Salad: Kale, shaved Brussels sprouts, quinoa, roasted red beets, dried cranberries, grapefruit, crumbled goat cheese, sweet & spicy walnuts, and julienne radish with apple cider vinaigrette, $17
Steakhouse Filet Chopped Salad: Romaine lettuce, cucumber, Campari tomato, red onion, and Danish blue cheese, stopped with a grilled beef filet and served with focaccia and sweet herb vinaigrette, $29
Shellfish Louie Salad: Lobster, colossal shrimp, and king crab in a salad of baby gem and iceberg lettuce, celery capers, pickled onion, Campari tomato, brandy mustard cream, and agave lime vinaigrette, $25
Farro Grain & Roasted Vegetable Bowl: Roasted cauliflower and carrots with shaved Brussels sprouts, red peppers, baby kale, crispy chickpeas, and farro with lemon-garlic crema, $16
Roasted Vegetable Pasta: Cavatappi pasta with a braised maitake mushroom and tomato ragout, stracciatella cheese, Campari tomato, and torn basil, $19
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse Burger: Beef patty topped with Wisconsin cheddar cheese, bacon, red onion, confit, Campari tomato, iceberg lettuce, and pickles on a bun, served with fries, $19
Sliced Filet Mignon Sandwich: Filet mignon on toasted focaccia with arugula, caramelized onions, and garlic-herb aïoli, served with fries, $28
Grilled Chicken Burrata Sandwich: Grilled chicken and burrata on focaccia with sundried tomato, caramelized onion sauce, and arugula, served with fries, $17
Cabernet Filet: Six-ounce filet mignon over Cabernet Sauvignon demiglace, topped with Danish blue cheese butter and served with sautéed spinach, Campari tomato, and choice of mushroom brie soup or salad, $35
Barbecue Salmon Filet: Salmon with barbecue glaze, garlic sesame fried rice, shaved Brussels sprouts and cilantro, served with choice of mushroom brie soup or salad, $28
Steak Frites: Six-ounce New York strip with red chimichurri, potato pavé, and tarragon aioli, served with choice of mushroom brie soup or salad, $29
Parmesan Truffle Fries: Fries with grated Parmesan cheese and truffle oil served with tarragon aïoli, $7
Roasted Asparagus: Roasted asparagus with herb butter, $12
Crispy Rosemary Potatoes: Fried potatoes with tarragon aïoli, $6
Availability: Permanent all as part of the new lunch menu
jimmy-johns-chocolate-peppermint-cookie-with-oreo.jpg
Type
Caption
Credits
Gating level
DataTable subpages
Media Image
Chocolate Peppermint Cookie made with Oreo: Dark chocolate cookie with candy cane bits and Oreo cookie pieces, starting at around $2.29, of which a portion will go to Boys & Girls Clubs of America
Availability: While supplies last
krispy-kreme-grinch.jpg
Type
Caption
Credits
Gating level
DataTable subpages
Media Image
Grinch Doughnut: Unglazed doughnut with a dark cookies & cream filling meant to resemble coal, dipped in green icing with a chocolate icing smirk and buttercream hair, around $2.59
Grinchy Claus Doughnut: Original glazed doughnut in chocolate icing topped with white buttercream, crispy little candy balls and a Grinch piece, around $2.59
Cindy-Lou Who Merry Berry Tree Doughnut: Original glazed doughnut in strawberry flavored icing with a green buttercream tree, sprinkles, and a star piece, around $2.59
Santa Belly Doughnut: A returning item of an unglazed doughnut with creamy white filling dipped in red icing, piped with a black chocolate Santa belt and topped with a belt buckle, around $2.59
Holiday Sprinkle Doughnut: A returning item of an original glazed doughnut in chocolate icing and festive sprinkles, around $2.39
Availability: An unspecified limited time starting Nov. 29
lucilles-christmas-cookie-pudding.jpg
Type
Caption
Credits
Gating level
DataTable subpages
Media Image
Christmas Cookie Pudding: Sugar cookie pudding with ribbons of Nilla Wafer crumble, whipped cream, a sugar cookie and festively colored sugar crystals, $8.99
Availability: Dec. 1-31
robeks-winter-wondermint.jpg
Type
Caption
Credits
Gating level
DataTable subpages
Media Image
Winter Wondermint: A smoothie of apple juice, pineapple, cranberries, spinach, frozen yogurt, and mint, starting at $7.49
Availability: Starting Dec. 2 for an unspecified limited time
snooze-nanas-hot-cocoa-pancakes.jpg
Type
Caption
Credits
Gating level
DataTable subpages
Media Image
Nana’s Hot Cocoa Pancakes: Buttermilk pancakes topped with a large toasted marshmallow and crushed candycane pieces, served with spiced hot cocoa for drizzling, $11.50-$12.75
Boozy Cranberry Orange Snoozius: Vodka, vanilla-cranberry juice, and orange juice garnished with whipped cream, $9.75-$$11.25, or $6.25-$7.50 without the vodka
Vanilla Cranberry Cosmo: Tito’s Handmade Vodka, vanilla-cranberry juice, Pama pomegranate liqueur, and lime, $10.75-$11.95
Availability: Through Jan. 8, 2025
taco-johns-nachos-navidad.jpg
Type
Caption
Credits
Gating level
DataTable subpages
Media Image
Queso: Creamy sauce of white cheddar, Parmesan, and Romano cheeses with Hatch, jalapeño, and red bell peppers, $1.59 for a side or $3.19 with chips
Cheesy Queso Boss Burrito: Queso, nacho cheese sauce, and shredded cheddar cheese over chicken or beef, red rice, black beans, sour cream, and pico de gallo in a flour tortilla, around $7.99
Queso Super Nachos: Tortilla chips topped with queso, beef or chicken, refried beans, four-cheese blend, tomatoes, guacamole, and sour cream, around $7.49
Queso Fried Chicken Taco: Breaded and fried chicken breast strips topped with queso, shredded lettuce, and cheddar cheese in a flour tortilla, around $3.59
Nachos Navidad: A returning item of red, green, and yellow tortilla chips topped with seasoned beef, queso, refried beans, cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, guacamole, and sour cream, around $6.99
Apple Grande: A returning dessert of warm apple pie filling, shredded cheddar cheese, and red candy seasoning all on a crispy cinnamon sugar tortilla, around $1.99
Availability: Through the holidays
velvet-taco-fried-goat-cheese-taco.jpg
Type
Caption
Credits
Gating level
DataTable subpages
Media Image
Fried Goat Cheese Taco: Beer battered and fried herbed goat cheese, avocado crema, arugula, pickled red onion, pickled Fresno chiles, avocado, tomato, and parsley in a flour tortilla, $5.50
Availability: Through Dec. 3
viscious-biscuit.jpg
Type
Caption
Credits
Gating level
DataTable subpages
Media Image
Sweet Potato Biscuit: Biscuit made with sweet potato, cinnamon, and brown sugar, $3.50
White Peppermint Mocha Latte: Espresso, white chocolate and peppermint topped with whipped cream and peppermint flakes, available hot or iced, $5.50
The Angry Elf: Baileys Irish Cream, Kahlúa, Jameson Irish whiskey and peppermint over ice in a glass with a cinnamon sugar rim, topped with a splash of whole milk, $12
Availability: Nov. 29-Dec 31