Super tasty smash burgers. Beautiful bingsu. Healthy acai bowls.
Yes, we have our traditional food culture at home, but social media and online influences are bringing more and more unusual foods and the best dishes worldwide to our plates. So, what have we been loving for the last five years in the USA and what food influences are set to be the next big things? We looked at the data to find out. So, let’s eat.
Travel and food: A match made in heaven
Picture the scene. You land in a new city. You sit down at a restaurant or street food vendor. You dive in and oh my, the flavors. Food is such an important part of travel. It’s a way to experience new things, and you can bring a taste of your travels back home with you every time you cook it up again. Or you can be transported to a new country by tasting the latest food influences and the top foods from around the world. So, what can you expect in 2025?
A look at the data
From our 2024 Travel Trends report we saw that for 27% of American travelers, eating the local cuisine and trying authentic food is the most popular activity whilst abroad. And 47% of American travelers have booked a destination purely on a specific restaurant they want to visit. We love food and we love travel.
We then wanted to see which global foods have been influencing our food scene in the last five years and which are set to do so in 2025 and beyond. We first looked at which foods can be considered food fashions looking at ingredients, dishes, drinks, sweets and more. And we evaluated search volume to see which are consistently searched for and which are now starting to peak and enter the public consciousness and stomachs. This is what we found.
Pho has reigned supreme since 2020
Let’s start with what’s been gracing our plates since 2020. We looked at search data to find the most searched for food fashions during that time. And we’ve been enjoying foods from across Asia and a little closer to home too:
Pho
14,088,200 average searches per year
Birria tacos
8,126,800 average searches per year
Ashwagandha
7,811,300 average searches per year
Top 10 predicted 2025 food influences
These 10 food influences are already making noise on the global food scene and are set to get even bigger in America in 2025.
Acai bowls
You’ve no doubt seen them on Instagram. Acai bowls have been everywhere in the last few years and will be a huge food influence in 2025. These healthy breakfast treats are a feast for the eyes and stomach. They’re made from pulped, flash frozen and pureed acai berries which are then topped with your favorite toppings, whether fruit, nuts or seeds. Think of a smoothie in a bowl – but you must be able to eat it with a spoon, not drink it. The berries themselves come from Brazil and have long been considered a superfood.
Smash burgers
Smash burgers are ready to explode onto the food scene in 2025. They’re huge at home, in the UK and across the world. The original smash burgers are made from 100% beef. The difference with normal burgers is that the patty is made from ground beef that’s smashed onto the grill or griddle with a spatula. Smashing the burger in this way results in a sear on the outside of the meat, locking in the juices and flavor. If you’re on a trip to London, check out the smash burgers at Bun & Sum in Hackney.
Foodie fact file:
Smash burgers originated in the 1920s
The technique was born out of necessity when times were tough
The food fashion is huge at home in the USA and in the UK
Bingsu
Bingsu, also called Korean shaved ice, is a delicious Korean dessert. It’s a milk-based treat featuring shaved ice with sweet toppings like fruit, condensed milk, fruit syrup and red beans. The most common variety in Korea is pat-bingsu – the sweet red bean shaved ice. If you make the trip to Seoul, head to BingBing Bing for some of the best bingsu around.
Pol Sambol
This traditional Sri Lankan garnish is found on tables all around the country and for many is the unofficial dish of Sri Lanka. It’s made from freshly grated coconut, chili peppers, lime juice, and salt. The ingredients are ground or pounded together in a pestle and mortar to create a spicy paste that’s packed full of flavor. Sprinkle it on your curry or use it to jazz up your rice.
Pintxos
Like tapas but from Northern Spain – mainly the Basque country, La Rioja, Cantabria, and Asturias – pintxos are small snacks traditionally eaten at the bar. Pintxos are far more elaborate than tapas and are usually served with a toothpick through the middle. Check out Gure Toki in Bilbao’s Old Town and you won’t be disappointed.
Croffles
Another delicious dessert that originated in South Korea, croffles are a cross between a croissant and waffles. Using soft and buttery croissant dough, they’re delicately baked until light and crispy. You get the flakiness of a fresh croissant with the classic stylings of American waffles. Whilst it started in Korea, this food influence has spread right across the world. Visit Croffle House in Downtown Flushing, New York for a taste of Korea a little closer to home.
Chia seeds
Chia seeds are oval in shape and grey with black and white spots. They’re the edible seeds of flowering plants that are native to Mexico, and they’ve been elevating breakfasts and desserts right across the world. They’re healthy too, packed with fiber, protein, omega-3 fatty acids and a range of micronutrients. We love chia seed pudding. Simply mix chia seeds with oat or almond milk, maple syrup and cinnamon. Throw it together and chill in the fridge for the best chia seed pudding going. You can also mix them with your overnight oats for a hit of fiber and protein or sprinkle them on your Greek yogurt or acai bowl.
Pastel de nata
Everyone’s favorite Portuguese custard tart, the pastel de nata is having a real moment on the food scene. The crisp, creamy and sweet egg pastries are often topped with cinnamon and are the perfect size to pop into your mouth. Whilst you’ll find them all over Portugal and popping up in more and more bakeries across Europe, Lisbon is their true spiritual home. And for the originals on your next trip to the Portuguese capital, don’t miss Pastéis de Belém – just be prepared to queue outside to get your hands on one.
Banh mi
Banh mi is a traditional Vietnamese sandwich and worldwide street food sensation. Showing both French and Asian influences it features a short crusty-on-the-outside and soft-on-the-inside baguette filled with grilled meat and pickled veg topped with coriander, red chili and mayo. If you’re traveling to Vietnam and want those authentic flavors, check out Banh Mi Huynh Hoa in Ho Chi Minh City.
Souffle pancakes
Switch up your classic American pancakes for a taste of Japanese souffle pancakes. These super tall and fluffy pancakes are made using whipped egg whites and traditional souffle techniques. They’re much taller than standard pancakes and feel like biting into a fluffy cloud. Throw some berries on top with some whipped cream and you’re good to go.
Today’s food influences and origins
Of course, we can’t get enough of traditional American flavors, but it’s no surprise that we’re seeing influences from all over the world creep into our food more and more. It’s the way it’s always been and will continue to be. But where in the world are we seeing the heaviest influence?
In America, our top food influences right now come from East Asia. The fermented sweet tea drink, kombucha, has been popular for a while, as has bubble tea. The origins of both kombucha and bubble tea are in East Asia. And it’s also given us other favorites and soon-to-be-favorites including banh mi, pho and Korean corn dogs.
Our palates are influenced by tastes closer to home in the Americas too. We love poke bowls (originating from Hawaii), Brazilian acai bowls, and Mexican chia seeds and birria tacos. Don’t forget those NYC eggs benedict too.
But we’re also taking food influences from South Asia too, including ashwagandha (a native herb used in traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine) and gulab jamun (sweet dessert) from India.
The next big food influence
And the next big thing to tingle our tastebuds? Tastes and flavors from Eastern Europe and the Middle East will be sliding onto our plates and into our recipes.
Look out for sekacz – a traditional Polish, Lithuanian and Belarusian cake cooked on a rotating spit. It’s truly iconic. Make sure you check out chimney cake – this Hungarian cake is piled high and utterly delicious. And don’t sleep on burek – an Eastern European flaky pasty filled with savory fillings.
Future food flavors from the Middle East include knafeh (a traditional Arabic dessert), dondurma (Turkish ice cream) and kumpir (Turkish stuffed baked potatoes).
Whether you’re looking for new dishes to try at home or new countries to experience a burgeoning food scene, it’s time to travel with all your senses (taste and smell included) so begin planning your next trip with Skyscanner.