14 High-Low Drink Pairings

While drink pairings such as wine and cheese are already popular among consumers, restaurants and food companies are beginning to experiment with more unusual food and beverage couplings. More specifically, there has been a shift towards high-low drink pairings that make food and drink accompaniments seem more accessible to consumers.

When it comes to wine, cheese and cured meats no longer reign supreme as the ultimate accompaniments. Indeed, fine wines are now being enjoyed in restaurants alongside sweets such as donuts and cakes. At home, consumers are even pairing their wine with store-bought confections such as candy bars and packaged cookies.

Beyond wine, a number of creative drink pairings involve combining beer with unexpected dishes. In some cases, beer is being paired with traditional comfort foods such as burgers and pizza. However, other restaurants are serving up beer alongside unexpectedly sweet treats such as chocolate, cupcakes and even peanut butter sandwiches.