Every summer, I make a few trips back to my parents' house. Partially to visit my family of course, but if I’m honest, I’m really there for the freshly grown produce. My dad tends a massive backyard garden, and by July, the Cherokee Purples are the stuff of legend: deep, wine-dark beauties with a rich, layered sweetness that no grocery store has ever come close to replicating.  

They are present at every meal during the summer season, sliced and sprinkled simply with salt. Growing up, my mom and I canned tomatoes together, filling shelf after shelf with the season's bounty. That ritual taught me something I carry into every kitchen I work in: When tomatoes are in-season, serve as much as you can, in as many meals as possible, because the season doesn’t last long.

At home, we stuck to the standard tomato usages: salads, stewed with okra, fresh salsa, and canned homemade marinara. But when I moved to Charleston, there are two tomato memories that stand out in my mind: One is a tomato-scented perfume in a downtown store. It smelled just like the aroma from the tomato leaves that lingers on your hands after picking the ripe fruit. And the other is a light, pale red tomato sorbet, served from an ice cream cart at a music festival. Surprisingly earthy and vegetal while still refreshing and slightly sweet, proving to me once and for all that tomatoes really WERE a fruit.

Seasonal tomatoes go beyond the salad section — they can play equally as well on the cocktail list and the dessert menu. Peak tomato season is roughly June through September and it’s one of the most delicious opportunities on the calendar. And yet, so many menus still relegate tomatoes to garnish duty. This summer, let’s put the spotlight on these juicy, savory fruits.

Think Beyond the Salad

The tomato's moment is here, and the most forward-thinking operators are pushing it into unexpected territory. These aren't your standard Caprese plates. We're talking cocktails, desserts, breakfast boards, and jammy condiments that make guests stop, snap a photo, and order two.

Start by asking: Where on your menu don’t tomatoes live right now? That's exactly where they should go. Here are some nontraditional applications worth building around:

• Tomato cocktails and zero-proof drinks:  No bar is complete without a signature Bloody Mary and the same mix can be used for refreshing Micheladas. You can also try a roasted tomato & fresh basil martini, a smoky tomato-mezcal cocktail, or a savory cold pressed tomato & celery mocktail rimmed with chili-lime salt. Guests are craving drinks that feel intentional, not sweet.
• Tomato desserts: Tomato Jam on a cheese board is a welcome alternative to honey or pepper jelly. Candied cherry tomatoes atop vanilla panna cotta, a tomato sorbet (it’s a winner, I promise!), or an heirloom tomato tart with honey mascarpone are the kinds of finishes that get talked about at the table.
• Breakfast and brunch builds: A burst cherry tomato compote on ricotta toast, a spiced tomato jam alongside a biscuit board, or shakshuka-style baked eggs as a weekend special give morning menus real summer personality.
• Bold small plates: I recently served a tomato carpaccio with thinly sliced heirlooms, excellent olive oil, balsamic pearls, and flaky salt. And I love the idea of a "tomato flight" featuring three varieties prepped three ways. What a bountiful way to experience the summer season. Talk about shareable, Instagram-worthy, and endlessly riffable.

Variety Is the Spice of Life

Not all summer tomatoes are created equal, and leaning into variety, both on the plate and on the menu, is how you keep things fresh all season. A quick cheat sheet on varietals and their uses:

• Cherokee Purple / heirlooms: Best raw, minimally dressed. Let them be the star of dishes like Carpaccio, Caprese riffs, and a Tomato Panzanella Salad.
• Cherry and grape tomatoes: High sugar content makes them ideal for roasting, blistering, or jamming. Great for composed plates, desserts, and small bites.
• Roma / plum tomatoes: Dense and low-moisture; built for sauces, braises, and slow-roasted applications.
• Green / unripe tomatoes: Ideal for frying, pickling, or a chow-chow relish if you want to lean into Southern roots (a personal favorite and another one of my mom’s specialties).

Peak Fresh Produce^® Tomatoes are selected to USDA #1 grade or better. They are consistent in size, color, and flavor, sourced from the country's top growing regions and delivered with the kind of care that keeps them tasting like they just came off the vine.

And for many applications like sauces, pizza and lasagna, choose canned or sundried options which require less labor but are just as flavorful as fresh.

Moves to Make Right Now

Limited-time offerings built around peak-season tomatoes don't require a menu overhaul, just a few elements to add excitement. Here are a few ready-to-run ideas:

• "Tomato of the Week" small plate: Feature one variety, one preparation, rotating weekly. It creates urgency, drives repeat visits, and tells a story.
• Summer tomato board: Think charcuterie but produce-forward: sliced heirlooms, burst cherry tomatoes, tomato jam, pickled green tomatoes, fresh herbs, and a smear of something creamy like ricotta or crème fraiche. Easy execution, high visual impact.
• Tomato cocktail feature: One seasonal drink built around a tomato element. Tie it to a dish for an easy pairing upsell.

Tomatoes at their peak are among the rare ingredients that do the heavy lifting for you. The flavor, color, versatility, and guest excitement all come built in. Operators who lean into that right now, who let the season drive the creativity, are the ones whose menus feel alive in summer. My dad's Cherokee Purples won't last forever. Neither will the season. Let tomatoes help get your menu juices flowing!