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- Yelp\u2019s data points to five major food and drink trends for 2026.<\/li>\n
- Expect surges in regional Indian cuisine, black sesame, sourdough, inventive spritzes, and buffets.<\/li>\n
- These trends reflect cross-cultural flavors, creative drinks, and a return to shared dining.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\nIn 2025, we saw the resurgence of martinis, an infatuation with soda, pickle-flavored everything, and caviar on just about every kind of food you can imagine. What will the new year bring? Yelp<\/a> has a pretty good idea. The crowd-sourced review site enlisted its team of data analysts and community managers, along with trend expert Tara Lewis, to analyze millions of searches and reviews to identify the food and drink trends most likely to pop in 2026. They compared last year’s data to the previous year’s to pinpoint what we’re about to get excited about. <\/p>\n
Indian & Asian Influence Hits The U.S.<\/h2>\n
When it comes to savory dishes, expect more fanfare around Indian cuisine. Trending searches highlight growing interest in regional Indian cuisine, with people increasingly searching for restaurants like Semma, Ambassadors Clubhouse, and Gymkhana, as well as terms like Indian buffets, bowls, and tiffin service. Yelp credits part of the surge to influencers like Lily Baria<\/a>, known for her “what’s in my tiffin” food videos. <\/p>\n
In keeping with cultural influences, black sesame is also taking over American menus. A popular flavor across Asian cuisines, it’s now popping up in everything from coffee to desserts, bringing a nutty, bitter flavor to lattes, croissants, and more. <\/p>\n
\n Foreign Treats Go Mainstream<\/h2>\n
On the sweeter side of things, U.S. treats are getting inspo from places like Mexico and Sweden. Searches for Mexican bakeries are up 1,184%, with conchas and tres leches trending, too. Swedish candy is booming as well: searches for Swedish candy and BUBS Swedish candy are up 476% and 610%, respectively. Swedish bakery favorites like prinsesstarta are also rising in the search bar. <\/p>\n
Sourdough Still Has Its Moment<\/h2>\n
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<\/div>\nAlexander Spatari<\/span>\/\/<\/span>Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n Everyone’s still in their sourdough (remember funfetti sourdough?), and it shows no signs of slowing down. Everything from sourdough pizzas to sourdough croissants is trending, and people are even searching for classes to learn how to bake their own at home. <\/p>\n
Drinks Get Even More Creative<\/h2>\n
When it comes to drinks, two items in particular are having a moment. By summer, the Sarti spritz is primed to be the drink of the season\u2014searches are up 8,500%! The cocktail uses a liqueur of the same name that brings notes of Sicilian blood orange and tropical fruit. Yes, please.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, matcha continues its takeover beyond just your lattes. Despite shortages, next year you can expect new ways to get your caffeine fix, with drinks like guava, horchata, and banana matcha on the rise. <\/p>\n
Buffets Are Back<\/h2>\n
Last but not least: the return of the buffet. Searches for “all you can eat buffet near me” have soared 252%, all-you-can-eat sushi bars have jumped 93%, and Korean BBQ and hot pot have skyrocketed 591%. Will our immune systems survive? Stay tuned
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