Flavours Less Travelled: World food trends 2025

Our Flavours Less Travelled trend is all about the international cuisines and dishes from around the globe that will be most appealing to consumers when they eat out in 2025. The cuisines that we found will have most appeal include: Southern USA States, for example Cajun, Creole and soul food, Argentinian, Greek and Turkish, Portuguese and Swiss.

The cuisines our survey we found to be most appealing for consumers over the next 1 to 2 years,  included the Southern USA States, for example Cajun, Creole and soul food, Argentinian, Greek and Turkish, Portuguese and Swiss*. Some of the most popular dishes associated with these cuisines are:

For the Southern States: blackened fish or chicken dishes, Jambalaya, Gumbo, and corn bread

For Argentinian cuisine: Argentinian steak, dulce de leche, empanadas and chimichurri

For Turkish cuisine: Pide, kofta kebabs, shakshukka and mezze dishes

For Greek cuisine: Greek salad (Horiatiki), souvlaki (grilled meat on skewers), tzaziki, moussaka

For Portuguese cuisine: Piri-Piri chicken, pastéis de nata, and Portuguese mixed fish stew

For Swiss cuisine: Chocolate and cheese fondue, potato rosti, potenta, raclette and other Swiss cheeses.

As consumers are looking to satisfy their taste for adventure when eating out, our research points to several lesser-known cuisines that will be popular in 2025, including Swiss, Argentinian and Portuguese. More consumers are already eating Greek, Turkish and Southern States cuisines, however, the same or more consumers are also interested in trying them.

Scandinavian, Cuban, Filipino, Sri Lankan, Peruvian, Pacific Rim and Eastern European are also examples of cuisines that we have featured in previous year’s food and drink trends which are still holding their appeal.

The key ingredients associated with the Flavour Less Travelled cuisines that are set to trend in 2025 are many and varied, depending on the cuisine in question. Here are a few of the key ones that make those cuisines unique, distinctive and appealing:

Southern States: Spice blends (like Cajun and Creole spices), seafood (e.g. crawfish, shrimp, crab, cod), andouille sausage, grits, cornbread, bay leaves, thyme, red peppers, blackeyed and kidney beans, garlic, and the holy trinity of onion, carrot and celery.

Turkish: Lamb, beef, and chicken, sucuck sausage, seafood (calamari, squid, octopus, cod), fresh herbs like mint and parsley, spices such as sumac and red pepper flakes, cinnamon, cumin, saffron, garlic, grains (e.g. lentils, cous cous, chickpeas,  and bulgur wheat), tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, aubergine, courgettes, dates, halloumi, feta, yoghurt, labneh, lemon, orange, nuts (e.g. pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts), rice, tahini, rosewater

Greek: Lamb, chicken, beef, seafood (calamari, octopus, prawns) feta, lemon, sesame, tahini, olives, tomatoes, courgettes, spinach, aubergine, lemon, orange, garlic, herbs (oregano, mint, parsley and thyme especially) and nuts (pistachios, hazelnuts, pecans, yoghurt etc.

Swiss: Cheese, potatoes, onions, cream, butter and meats (particularly veal), polenta, along with apples and oats.

Argentinian: Beef/steak cuts, pork, lamb, veal, chicken and chorizo, seafood, provoleta cheese, mozzarella, potato, sweet potato, peppers, corn, pasta, dulce de leche, chimichurri, Malbec, garlic, chilli, parsley, lemon and orange.

Portuguese: Pork, chorizo, salt cod, seafood (octopus, clams, squid, scallops), beef, duck, chicken, potatoes, onions, cabbage and kale, lemon, olives, nuts (almonds, hazelnuts etc.), coriander, garlic, chilli (Piri-Piri), parsley, mustard, creams.

Of course, what would suit your menu will very much depend on your customer profile and what they love. Some of the most popular dishes that feature in the cuisines that will be trending in 2025, that are highly adaptable and which would grace many menus include:

From Turkey: Kofte kebabs, meze, baklava, pide (Turkish pizza), borek (filled savoury pastries)

From Greece: Greek (Horiatiki) salad, dolmades, moussaka, souvlaki skewers, gyros, and courgette balls

From the Southern States: Cajun, Creole and soul food dishes like: chicken and biscuits, fried chicken, jambalaya, pecan pie, sweet potato pie, gumbo and po’boy sandwiches,

From Switzerland: Fondues, rosti, raclette, bircher muesli, tartiflette, and polenta dishes

From Portugal: Piri-Piri chicken, Portuguese mixed fish stew, grilled or barbecued sardines, pastéis de nata tarts, arroz (rice pudding), feijoada stew

From Argentina: Asado grills, chimichurri salsa, empanadas, milanesa (thinly sliced, breadcrumbed beef), dulche de leche and alfajores (biscuits sandwiches with dulche de leche).

Of the cuisines we are featuring as Flavours Less Travelled in 2025, 28% of consumers we surveyed associate Southern States cuisine with ‘a great sharing experience’.  Seafood broils, jambalaya, gumbo and chowders are great examples of Southern USA sharing dishes.  28% of consumers also rated Turkish cuisine as a ‘great sharing experience’. Dishes like mezze, kofte kebabs, shakshuka and pide (Turkish pizza) are all great dishes for sharing. Likewise other dishes from the Flavours Less Travelled trend that lend themselves to social eating and sharing include Greek dishes like souvlaki skewers, Swiss fondues and Argentinian empanadas and asado which is a social barbecue involving grilled meats.

Some of the great dishes that work particularly well as sharing plates features in the 2025 Flavours Less Travelled trend include: Southern States Cajun and Creole dishes like chowders, jambalaya, gumbo and seafood broils, Swiss fondues and raclette, Greek dishes like souvlaki skewers, Turkish mezze, kofta kebabs, shakshuka and pide (Turkish pizza) as well as Argentinian empanadas and asado grills which are a traditionally enjoyed by families, gauchos or Argentinian cowboys.

Argentinian cuisine is certainly growing in popularity, more than half of the consumers in our survey were interested in trying it. Some of the best known dishes, ingredients and drinks that are associated with Argentina include: steak, along with chimichurri salsa, as well as dulche de leche, which is a great addition to a variety of sweet treats and desserts such as alfajores (which are round, crumbly short-bread-like biscuits often sandwiched together with dulche de leche). Empanadas are also a typical dish found across central and South America, both as a savoury or sweet snack, usually made with a flour (rather than a corn) dough in Argentina.

Argentina has also built a fantastic reputation for quality wines such as Malbec, grown in its Mendoza and Patagonian regions.

Argentina is famous for its Malbec wine, which is grown in the foothills of the Andes, most notably in Mendoza but also in other regions of Argentina. However, many other grape varietals are grown in Argentina, both white, red and rose. A great example of an Argentinian white wine is Torrontés, known for its lovely floral, peach and lemony aromas. Coffee is also a very popular drink in Argentina, along with chocolate milk (submarino) and mate or yerba mate, a traditional herbal tea. However, we’ve not seen submarino or mate in the UK on our trends trail yet.

Argentinian food has much to offer, and it is in essence a hybrid cuisine, drawing influences from early Spanish settlers, and Italian settlers who brought with them hearty stews, pasta dishes, and a love of sweets, pastries and ice-cream. The combination of these with indigenous ingredients like corn, beans and potato makes for a really rich and diverse cuisine that has much to offer in terms of both savoury and sweet dishes. Argentina is, of course, famous for its beef, with many herds roaming freely and grazing on grasses in ranches across the Pampas region.

Many varietals of wine are grown in Argentina, however, arguably one of the best known is Malbec, and one of the best known regions for growing Malbec is Menzoda, located in the foothills of the Andes. Amongst the other grape varietals is Torrontés, which carries lovely floral, peach and lemony aromas.

The Greek foods that are growing in popularity are the authentic dishes that include:

• Spanakopita – a savoury pastry filled with spinach and feta cheese, wrapped in layers of crispy phyllo dough. It can be served in large pie form or as small triangles.
• Pastiso – a Greek lasagne, made with layers of pasta and meat which is a comfort Greek dish. It can also be made to cater to vegetarian diets by replacing meat with mushrooms
• Kolokythokeftedes – courgette balls made with grated or pureed courgettes, lightly fried and served with the traditional Tzaziki dip made with yoghurt, mint and cucumber

The Greek food you should include on your menu in 2025 are street food items such as Gryos and Souvlaki. Gryos is shredded meat served in a pitta wrap with tzaziki, tomatoes, halloumi Calamari or octopus and Souvlaki is grilled meat on skewers, often served with warm pitta and salad.

To make sure you’re including traditional Greek items on your menu, you should be offering authentic dishes including the hearty comfort food Moussaka (a layered pie made with potatoes, aubergines, minced lamb, tomatoes, cinnamon), Dolmades (stuffed baked vine leaves with minced meat, rice and vegetables) which can be served as an appetiser and Greek salad (Horiatiki) made with tomatoes, onion, olives, peppers, feta, dressed with red wine vinegar and olive oil – which is fresh and full of flavour.

The Greek drinks that will be trending in 2025 is their traditional alcohol and coffee drinks. The national drink of Greece is called Ouzo, which is a flavoured spirit made from grape and includes fennel and cinnamon spices – it is often enjoyed with meze or small dishes like olives. Greek coffee will also be trending in 2025 which is a strong yet satisfying unfiltered coffee usually served in a small cup.

The Greek dips growing in popularity is Tzatziki and Taramasalata. These dips pair well with pitta bread, grilled meats and can be added as part of traditional meze dishes. Tzatziki is a refreshing dip that consists Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice or vinegar, and sometimes fresh herbs. Taramasalata is made with creamed fish roe, olive oil and lemon juice.

The Greek pastries that will gain popularity in 2025 are the delicious traditional pies Moussaka and Spanakopita. Both dishes offer hearty and comfort flavours and can be adapted to different dietary needs. Moussaka is a layered pie made with potatoes, aubergines, minced lamb, tomatoes and  creamy bechamel sauce. Spanakopita is a spinach and feta filo pie which is baked until golden brown and a flaky texture.

Whilst kebabs are most recognised in the Turkish cuisine, there are plenty of traditional foods that are growing in popularity beyond these. Our research shows us that after kebabs, the top 10 Turkish dishes growing in popularity in 2025 are Meze, Baklava, Pide, Borek, Manti, Dolma, Durum, Shakshuka, Sucuk and Hünkârbeğendi.

The Turkish food that you should include on your menu in 2025 are a selection of kebabs, particularly Doner Kebab and Kofta Kebab, as they have the greatest appeal. You should also include a selection of sharing dishes on your menu such as Meze or a Pide pizza. These are all considered the most popular dishes consumers would be interested in trying within the next 1-2 years.

Another popular Turkish dish you should include on your menu is Borek, a stunning flaky pastry filled with spinach and feta cheese. It is usually served hot and is presented in a pie format, but can have different variations such as a rolled cylinder shape, perfect for or on-the-go options. This popular dish can be used across different day parts including breakfast, brunch or as a snack. It can also appeal to consumers with dietary requirements such as vegetarian.

The Turkish ingredients you should include on your menu for 2025 are specific grains, pulses, meats, vegetables and spices that successfully capture the Turkish cuisine. Popular grains and pulses include rice, bulgar wheat and chickpeas. Common spices include Za’atar, paprika, cumin and sumac, often used in their meat dishes. In addition, the other popular food items you should have on your menu include lamb, chicken, aubergine, yoghurt and a selection of breads.

The Turkish drink that is trending in 2025 is Turkish coffee, as it has an exclusive place in the Turkish culture. It is a single origin coffee that has a bold yet enjoyable, bittersweet taste – typically ordered as an afternoon break or after dinner to encourage socialising. Due to its rich aroma, it is usually paired with Turkish desserts such as Baklava or Lokum (Turkish delight) to compliment the overall sensory experience.

Doner and Kofta kebabs are growing in popularity as they have a high appeal to consumers wanting to try it in the next 1-2 years. Doner kebabs appeal to 53% of consumers, and have a greater appeal (63%) for Gen X and Gen Z consumers. Kofta Kebabs appeal to 49% of consumers, and have a greater appeal (57%) for foodie consumers. There are plenty of ways to modernise kebabs on your menu such as using them in different formats, from wraps to street food bowls, mixed or served with vegetables, chips and salad.

Piri-Piri chicken is increasingly a staple on the go and takeaway item on the British high street, but the spice or sauce is versatile and can be worked into a range of different recipes. Likewise, pastéis de nata have also been appearing in coffee shops and bakeries across the UK in recent years. However, for consumers who are adventurous and interested in learning more about authentic dishes that characterise cuisines they are interested in trying, there are a wealth of other Portuguese recipes to explore. Dishes like Portuguese rice pudding or one-pot rice dishes (known as arroz doce or arroz), mixed seafood stew (known as cataplana de marisco), and caldo verde soup to name a few.

Portuguese cuisine offers some great sweet and savoury options that would grace any menu. For example, Piri-Piri chicken can be adapted for main courses, barbecues, salads as well as on the go choices. Grilled or baked sardines are an aromatic option for barbecues and grills. For soups and entrees, caldo verde is a comforting, hearty and flavoursome soup made with potato, onion, kale and chorizo.

Portugual is a key wine producer, well known in the first instance for its fortified wines, for example Madeira and Port, but also other red and white wine varietals such the refreshing Vinho Verde. Find out more about these in our Unity guide. 

Caldo verde is just one of the Portuguese soups we have chosen to highlight for this trend which is a well-known dish associated with the cuisine. It is made from potato, onion, thinly sliced kale, olive oil, and chorizo sausage and originates in the Northern part of Portugal. However, Portugal has many delicious varieties of soup recipes to talk about, including bread soups like açorda, tomato soups like sopa de tomato alentejana, chicken soups like canja de galinha to name a few.

Fish and seafood are key ingredients of Portuguese cuisine, found in Portuguese mixed fish stew, known as cataplana de marisco, balcalhau, which is a salted cod dish, aromatic grilled or barbecued sardine, known as sardinhas assadas to name a few. Arroz de tamboril is another traditional, hearty Portuguese classic made with rice, monkfish, peppers, onions and tomatoes.

The top Southern foods that are growing in popularity are Jambalaya, Chicken and Biscuits & Pecan pie. Crawfish and Seafood boils are also growing in popularity and have a slightly greater appeal to consumers who consider themselves as “foodies”, and keep up to date with the latest food and drink trends. Chicken (often prepared in buttermilk) and biscuits (breaded or battered) can be served with waffles, American biscuits, and/or mash. Jambalaya is a spicy one- pot dish with rice, sausage, shrimp, and Creole seasonings.

One Southern dish you should include on your menu in 2025 is the Po Boy Sandwich. 32% of UK consumers are interested in trying this in the next 1-2 years. The Po Boy sandwich is a baguette filled with meats or seafood, salad and mayonnaise. You can transform your typical sandwich with the addition of Cajun spices and Cajun inspired sauces and even get consumers to personalise their own to make it southern. You can also pair the sandwich with Cajun or sweet potato fries which will marry well with the flavours in the Po Boy Sandwich.

10% of consumers are interested in trying Southern American cuisine on-the-go, which rises to 16% for foodies. The Po Boy sandwich is a fantastic “on-the-go” gateway dish to offer consumers who are new to the cuisine. It offers versatility, as well as comfort and tradition which are attractive to consumers. It’s also presented in a format that is familiar to the average consumer, which can attract those who are interested in new flavours within a familiar format. The visual appeal of this dish also makes it Instagrammable, enticing consumers to take pictures and in turn attract other foodies to this delicious cuisine.

The Southern drinks trending in 2025 are soda and botanical soft drinks with floral, fruity or sweet flavours and syrups, as well as innovative ice-cream shakes and drinks with ice-cream floats. Regarding trending alcoholic drinks, we’re seeing innovative cocktails that include tomato juice as a key Southern American ingredient, such as a Cajun bloody Mary and an Oyster shooter which includes spicy tomato juice infused with vodka. New Orleans craft ales are also growing in popularity as well as Bourboun inspired cocktails, due to Bourbon being one of the most recognised Southern American drinks. A popular New Orleans cocktail is called ‘Sazerac’ which consists of whiskey, bitters, sugar, and absinthe.

The Southern side dishes that are growing in popularity are:

• Grits, which is a ground corn porridge usually paired with prawns – appealing to roughly 20% of consumers
• Candied sweet potato, which is glazed in sweet syrup – appealing to 27% of consumers
• Cornbread (31%) will also grow in popularity as it can be paired with a variety of different flavours and has higher appeal to Gen X vs other generations
• Lastly, Chowder, a thick soup which consists of clams, seafood and vegetables. It has an appeal for 28% of consumers and an even higher appeal for Baby Boomers than any other generation.

Whilst these dishes are growing in interest, there are other popular Southern American side dishes that we’re already seeing on menus including ranch salad, mac and cheese and Cajun, Creole and Chowder fries.

Swiss as a cuisine showed high levels of appeal to consumers in our recent survey which identified that more than half were interested in trying Swiss food. The key dishes that characterise Swiss cuisine include fondue, both cheese and chocolate, raclette, which is also a dish of melted cheese served with jacket potatoes, cocktail gherkins, and onions or picked fruit, rosti, which are pan fried patties of grated potato, tartiflette, a gratin dish made with potatoes, onions, crème fraiche and lardons, bircher muesli, polenta, and leckerli, small spiced, gingerbread biscuits to name a sweet option.

The most popular Swiss dish in the UK is undoubtedly fondue, both the melted cheese and chocolate varieties which work really well as sharing dishes. However, rosti, served with a fried egg, bacon and cheese make a great breakfast option, as does Bircher muesli, otherwise known as overnight oats, made by mixing yoghurt, oats, and apples, then leaving them overnight for the ingredients to soak into the oats.

Schnapps, absinthe and kirsch are all popular drinks in Switzerland. However, hot chocolate is a beverage reputed by the Swiss to revive the soul on cold days. This links perfectly with another of our 2025 Food & Drink trends, Chocolicious. This trend is about the explosion in innovation in premium hot drinks, particularly with hot chocolates that are appealing to consumers currently. For example, flavoured hot chocolate, frozen hot chocolates, white hot chocolates, served with sprinkles, toppings of marshmallows and whipped cream.

Schnapps, absinthe and kirsch are all popular drinks in Switzerland, as well as hot chocolates, many of which are enhanced with shots of alcohol (for example, rum, amaretto or schnapps) in the cold season and often finished with whipped cream and sprinkles.

Chocolate fondues are often eaten with berries, like strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, or other fruit, for example apple, cherries, bananas, grapes, pineapple and kiwi, marshmallows and small biscuits or chopped waffles.
Cheese fondues are often eaten with small cubes of bread, potatoes, charcuterie, and pickles (e.g. cornichons or gherkins), and sometimes sliced apples or pears.