Best Pickles And Beats Podcasts (2025)

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Episode #74 - LoTown Vol.3: The 90s & 00s - Music + Talk 18:40

4d ago18:40

18:40

Episode #74 - LoTown Vol.3: The 90s & 00s - Music + Talk Welcome to the Pickles and Beats Lofi Podcast. This is a space for discussion and a blend of narration, interviews, lofi culture, debate, producer technology, and of course Lofi music! We encourage community involvement and dialogue so reach out with your topics and music. Now go grab your fa…

1
The power of ube 44:06

6d ago44:06

44:06

Ube, the photogenic purple sweet potato from the Philippines, has been trending gradually in the United States. It got a boost recently when it made it onto the menu of the three Starbucks Reserve Roastery locations in Chicago, New York, and Seattle where it’s added to a coconut cold foam and spooned over an Espresso Martini. Pat Cobe, senior menu …

1
#166 Strung Out (Twisted By Design) with Scott from The Softer Side 1:13:33

7d ago1:13:33

1:13:33

Scott from The Softer Side joins the show to discuss Twisted By Design, the 1998 album by Strung Out. https://thesofterside.bandcamp.com/

1
How one eatertainment concept is elevating its food game 32:28

13d ago32:28

32:28

Cinco de Mayo is now in the rearview mirror, and restaurant chains are focusing on new tie-ins. Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, noted the launch of Sonic’s Unicorn Dreams Slush, a bubbly, bright pink drink that comes with a choice of four color-changing straws. It’s perfectly positio…

1
Limited-time offers roll out at warp speed 47:45

20d ago47:45

47:45

Lots of LTOs and permanent menu items launched recently, as innovation accelerates. Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, started with the big news: Crispy Chicken Strips are now on McDonald’s permanent menu—the mega-chain’s first new menu item since 2022. Arby’s continues its LTO collabor…

1
#165 Subhumans (The Day The Country Died) with John from Protagonist 59:10

21d ago59:10

59:10

Protagonist guitarist John joins Talking Records to discuss the Subhumans "The Day The Country Died" https://protagonist.bandcamp.com/

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Chain chefs share menu insights 35:40

27d ago35:40

35:40

Pat Cobe, senior menu editor at Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, together moderated a menu innovation panel at the Restaurant Leadership Conference last Monday in Phoenix. Participants included operators from Popeyes, Noodle’s & Company, Potbelly, Applebee’s …

1
Wendy's rolls out new line of Frostys 33:33

1M ago33:33

33:33

Hosts Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, had a busy week going to chain restaurants’ promotional events in New York City. Pat had high tea featuring Portillo’s menu items, and Bret went to a preview of the first United States loca…

1
#164 Rancid (And Out Come the Wolves) with Brian from The Agonizers 1:03:40

1M ago1:03:40

1:03:40

Brian from the ska/punk band The Agonizers joins the show to discuss Rancid's And Out Come the Wolves. https://theagonizers.bandcamp.com/

1
Pickle-mania sweeps restaurants 35:24

1M ago35:24

35:24

Pickles are moving from sidekick to main event on restaurant menus, as the Menu Talk co-hosts witnessed recently. Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, attended Popeyes’ pickle reveal at the chain’s flagship Times Square location in New York City. The restaurant was decked out in green fro…

1
Beverages catch fire 37:44

2M ago37:44

37:44

Beverage concepts are proliferating across the country, and for good reason. As Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, reported recently and discussed on this week’s podcast, Gen Z has become a generation of afternoon treat-buyers and they enjoy rewarding themselves with something colorful and refreshing that they can exhibit proudly …

1
#163 Lagwagon (Hoss) with Jason Camacho from Audio Karate 1:05:57

2M ago1:05:57

1:05:57

Audio Karate guitarist Jason Camacho joins the show to discuss Lagwagon's 1995 album Hoss. https://www.audiokaratestore.com/

1
Chef Scott Davis on Noodles & Company's revamp, plus more menu upgrades 29:48

2M ago29:48

29:48

Spring brings a lot of menu activity, and the most recent launches show a focus on upgraded ingredients and formats. Menu Talk hosts Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, and Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, noted Maggiano’s updates, which include Wagyu meatballs and Ch…

1
A closer look at spring's menu makeovers and fruity flavors 30:20

2M ago30:20

30:20

Menu Talk hosts Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, agree that restaurants are pushing out spring flavors earlier than ever. It’s also the season for menu makeovers at several restaurant chains. After identifying “team mom” as a co…

1
Кукла колдуна v2 3:55

2M ago3:55

3:55

…By Pickled Brains

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Restaurant chains roll out seafood specials for Lent 37:14

2M ago37:14

37:14

Lent is upon us, and that means seafood specials at restaurants across the country, both for Catholics who refrain from eating meat on Fridays during the six-week period, and for those for whom it has become a seasonal lifestyle for other reasons. Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, noticed some relatively unusual fish, such as Ala…

1
Starbucks welcomes spring with cherry and ube drinks 36:12

3M ago36:12

36:12

Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, were both invited to a preview of Starbucks’ spring menu. At the tasting, which took place at the Starbucks Reserve location in NYC’s Empire State Building, they sampled a collection of colorful …

1
Exploring the first IHOP-Applebee's cobranded restaurant 38:16

3M ago38:16

38:16

Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, recently attended a milestone event for the town of Seguin, Texas: the debut of the first Applebee’s-IHOP cobranded restaurant. With around 110 items, the menu is about as large of those of Applebee’s and IHOP individually, featuring their greatest hits alongside collaborative mashups, like a Buf…

1
Danny Meyer's new restaurant opens in Times Square 30:31

3M ago30:31

30:31

Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) just reopened the "The View" restaurant atop the Marriott Marquis Hotel in NYC’s Times Square. Bret had a chance to attend the opening reception, and he remarked that while revolving rooftop restaurants are not generally known for their great food and cocktails, clearly Danny Meyer and his team ar…

1
S8 Ep5: Thrown Under the BUSiness and the Disease to Please 25:15

3M ago25:15

25:15

Your sales partner's style in front of clients irks you, or your days of doing it all for everyone are dwindling. Snuggle up with your hosts Sticky Pickles' Carole and Maria as they attempt to wiggle out of these brand spanking new sticky dilemmas. You'll laugh. You'll gasp. You might even cry a little. Sticky Pickles: inspired by the internet, emb…

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Doughnut chains go all out on Valentine's Day 32:06

3M ago32:06

32:06

Valentine’s Day is approaching quickly, and another major American midwinter celebration, the Super Bowl, is just past. Chain restaurants gear up for both of them, each in their own way. Pizza concepts have long offered heart-shaped pies for Valentine’s Day, but doughnut chains are following that lead and offering their core products in heart shape…

1
Mexica Cry 3:28

3M ago3:28

3:28

…By Pickled Brains

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Unexpected Valentine's Day menu promotions 43:02

3M ago43:02

43:02

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and many restaurants are offering the usual romantic dinners for two. But this year, even coffee cafes and smoothie bowl concepts are spreading the love with specials themed to the holiday. Pat and Bret chat about the trend, and how restaurants are not just targeting couples anymore. An OpenTable survey found tha…

1
Super Bowl specials start trickling in 43:02

4M ago43:02

43:02

The Super Bowl is approaching fast as the Kansas City Chiefs will face the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans on Feb. 9, and in the restaurant world the Big Game means big orders of chicken wings. Promotions for wings aren’t rolling in quite the way they have in recent years, but Pat pointed to a couple of them, including new wing sauces such as Po…

1
Far-out pizza toppings and beefy limited-time offers 38:19

4M ago38:19

38:19

Pizza toppings are going way beyond the usual these days. Pat and Bret discussed that trend, leading off with all the appetizer-inspired pizzas we’ve seen lately. Jalapeño poppers, a nostalgic bar food, are back as pizza toppers at &pizza and Your Pie, plus Your Pie has another LTO pizza topped with spinach-artichoke dip. Bret came across Chicken T…

1
S8 Ep4: Hop Hop Hop to it and Morning Beer 33:42

4M ago33:42

33:42

It's 2025 and we are back with all New Sticky Pickles: Your new beau corners into meeting the "family", or your travel plans to a client meeting go awry. Snuggle up with your hosts Sticky Pickles' Carole and Maria as they attempt to wiggle out of these brand spanking new sticky dilemmas. You'll laugh. You'll gasp. You might even cry a little. Stick…

1
Trends in coffee and ranch dressing, plus Wingstop's multicultural new sauce 37:32

4M ago37:32

37:32

This new year, there has been a lot of buzz about how short-lived most people’s commitment to their resolutions are. Pat and Bret discussed that trend, and the fact that restaurants don’t pile on the better-for-you limited-time offers in early January the way they used to. Instead, they start rolling out later in the month, possibly in anticipation…

1
2025 menu predictions and Dry January news 32:45

4M ago32:45

32:45

Welcome to a new year of Menu Talk. On this week’s podcast, Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, and Pat Cobe, senior menu editor at Restaurant Business, talk trends. New Year’s Day marks the start of Dry January, which seems to be motivation for people to moderate alcohol consumption for…

1
Король и шут - Кукла колдуна Progressive House Cover 3:44

5M ago3:44

3:44

…By Pickled Brains

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L.A. dine-around, Taco Bell nuggets and oak-fired steak 30:24

5M ago30:24

30:24

On this week’s podcast, Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, discuss recent tasting adventures. Bret traveled to Los Angeles on vacation, where he began exploring restaurants in the West Hollywood neighborhood where he was staying a…

1
Informa's holiday party, Yelpers' favorite restaurant and a brasserie at Grand Central 24:28

5M ago24:28

24:28

On this week’s podcast, Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, said that the holiday season is actually a quiet time for him, with fewer media events as restaurants are busy serving paying customers, so the only party he went to this week was the holiday party of his own company, Informa, w…

1
Momo crawl, Black Friday in Chinatown and dinner at Baar Baar 29:32

6M ago29:32

29:32

On this week’s podcast, Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, discuss recent eating adventures. Pat took the subway to Jackson Heights, a multicultural neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It’s home to a large populat…

1
Virgil's 30th anniversary, happy hour at Mermaid Inn and Christmas decorations at Pete's Tavern 22:22

6M ago22:22

22:22

On this week’s podcast, Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, discuss recent tasting adventures as the holidays approach. Pat went to Pete’s Tavern near Union Square in Manhattan, which decks itself out in Christmas regalia every yea…

1
OST Inception (саундтрек к/ф Начало) Time - Hans Zimmer Progressive House Cover by Pickled Brains 4:03

6M ago4:03

4:03

…By Pickled Brains

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Cocktail-inspired scents, Scotch eggs and Fado dinner 25:19

6M ago25:19

25:19

On this week’s podcast, Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, discuss recent tasting adventures, starting with more of a smelling experience. Bret was invited by Via Carota, a gem of an Italian restaurant in Greenwich Village, to try…

1
Worlds of Flavor, pastrami with horseradish and Cambodian food 27:27

6M ago27:27

27:27

On this week’s podcast, Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, discussed Bret’s trip to the San Francisco Bay area, where he went for The Culinary Institute of America’s annual Worlds of Flavor conference in Napa. The theme this year …

1
S8 Ep3: Cards on the Table and Getting Moustached 23:35

6M ago23:35

23:35

All New Sticky Pickles: You make a shocking blunder at a regular games night, or your new pet sitter might just be too good to be true. Snuggle up with your hosts Sticky Pickles' Carole and Maria as they attempt to wiggle out of these all new sticky dilemmas. You'll laugh. You'll gasp. You might even cry a little. Sticky Pickles: inspired by the in…

1
Комбинация - American Boy Progreesive House by Pickled Brains 2:40

6M ago2:40

2:40

…By Pickled Brains

1
Chicago taste-around, revisiting Eataly and dinner with Wonder 35:50

7M ago35:50

35:50

On this week’s podcast, Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, discuss a week’s worth of eating experiences, starting with a dine-around in Chicago. The two editors were in Chicago for the last conference of the International Foodserv…

1
Edible glitter, tainted onions and the evolution of American sushi 38:01

7M ago38:01

38:01

On this week’s podcast, Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, discussed their recent eating adventures. That included Pat’s visit to a Hampton Inn, home of the original waffle bar, created by the midscale hotel chain 40 years ago. Th…

1
#162 Skankin' Pickle (Sing Along With...) with Aaron Carnes 1:40:00

7M ago1:40:00

1:40:00

In Defense Of Ska author and podcaster Aaron Carnes returns to Talking Records to discuss the second edition of In Defense of Ska and to deep dive Skankin' Pickle's album Sing Along With Skankin' Pickle.

1
S8 Ep2: The Perfect Suitor and Mud in your Face 29:09

7M ago29:09

29:09

Your mom presents her great baby daddy plan for you, or you stretch the truth to keep someone keen. Snuggle up with your hosts Sticky Pickles' Carole and Maria as they attempt to wiggle out of these all new sticky dilemmas. You'll laugh. You'll gasp. You might even cry a little. Sticky Pickles: inspired by the internet, embellished by us. Support u…

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Episode #73 - Exploring the Subgenres of Lofi Music: Chillhop, Boom Bap, and More - Music + Talk 17:04

7M ago17:04

17:04

Episode #73 - Exploring the Subgenres of Lofi Music: Chillhop, Boom Bap, and More - Music + Talk Welcome to the Pickles and Beats Lofi Podcast. This is a space for discussion and a blend of narration, interviews, lofi culture, debate, producer technology, and of course Lofi music! We encourage community involvement and dialogue so reach out with yo…

1
Chef-inspired Crunchwraps, Cava's all in on ranch and a visit to Bluestone Lane 32:38

7M ago32:38

32:38

On this week’s podcast, Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, share highlights from their recent eating and drinking excursions. Both editors attended a media preview of Taco Bell’s chef-created Crunchwrap Supremes. The chain tapped …

1
Whole hog barbecue, CREATE recap and 2 food festivals 31:28

7M ago31:28

31:28

On this week’s podcast, Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, discuss a week’s worth of eating adventures, starting with the CREATE conference in Nashville. The conference, geared toward emerging chains, is organized by NRN, so Bret …

1
S8 Ep1: Don't I know You and Hygiene Hangups 23:11

7M ago23:11

23:11

We are back with a brand new Season 8! In this sticky: You realise you have history with your bestie's new squeeze, or you find yourself in a food hygiene quandary. Snuggle up with your hosts Carole and Maria as they attempt to wiggle out of these all new sticky dilemmas. You'll laugh. You'll gasp. You might even cry a little. Lil update: we will b…

1
Episode #72 - The Evolution of Lofi Music: From Sampling to Streaming - Music + Talk 17:04

7M ago17:04

17:04

Episode #72 - The Evolution of Lofi Music: From Sampling to Streaming - Music + Talk Welcome to the Pickles and Beats Lofi Podcast. This is a space for discussion and a blend of narration, interviews, lofi culture, debate, producer technology, and of course Lofi music! We encourage community involvement and dialogue so reach out with your topics an…

1
Greek food, the Chicken Big Mac and 'The Bear' 33:06

7M ago33:06

33:06

Bret was a bit of a homebody last week as he prepared for CREATE: The Event for Emerging Restaurateurs, a conference that Nation’s Restaurant News is hosting in Nashville this week, but he did enjoy traditional Jewish brisket for Rosh Hashannah at a friend’s home in Manhattan. Pat attended two Broadway shows that were preceded by tasty and affordab…

1
Веселые ребята - В последний раз Pickled Brains Deep House Cover 4:12

8M ago4:12

4:12

…By Pickled Brains

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ChatGPT says hello, sauces are everywhere and so is KPOT 42:07

8M ago42:07

42:07

Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, kicked off this week’s podcast by briefly introducing a friend, of sorts. He had asked ChatGPT to greet the audience of Menu Talk, and the chatbot, which can now simulate a human voice much better than the electronic messages we have grown accustomed t…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Pickles And Beats Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen