{"id":12384166,"date":"2025-12-26T10:22:24","date_gmt":"2025-12-26T18:22:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/?p=12384166&#038;preview=true&#038;preview_id=12384166"},"modified":"2025-12-28T00:39:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-28T08:39:08","slug":"indian-cuisine-smash-burgers-and-other-delicious-dining-trends-for-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/2025\/12\/26\/indian-cuisine-smash-burgers-and-other-delicious-dining-trends-for-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Ube matcha, Indian cuisine, fibermaxxing and other delicious dining trends for 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>When we go to restaurants in 2026, we\u2019ll be looking for spicy flavors, new takes on old favorites and some good company.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"related left\"><h2 class=\"widget-title\" data-curated-ids=\"\" data-relation-type=\"automatic-primary-tag\">Related Articles<\/h2><ul><li>\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/2025\/12\/26\/a-new-california-law-requires-tortillas-to-include-an-extra-ingredient-heres-why\/\" title=\"A new California law requires tortillas to include an extra ingredient. Here\u2019s why\">\n\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"dfm-title metered\">\n\t\t\tA new California law requires tortillas to include an extra ingredient. Here\u2019s why\t\t<\/span>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n<\/li><li>\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/2025\/12\/26\/cult-pinot-noir-producer-opens-first-tasting-room-in-healdsburg\/\" title=\"Cult Pinot Noir producer opens first tasting room in Healdsburg\">\n\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"dfm-title metered\">\n\t\t\tCult Pinot Noir producer opens first tasting room in Healdsburg\t\t<\/span>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n<\/li><li>\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/2025\/12\/25\/hawaii-travel-kauai\/\" title=\"Hawaii travelers, don&#8217;t sleep on Kauai\">\n\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"dfm-title metered\">\n\t\t\tHawaii travelers, don&#8217;t sleep on Kauai\t\t<\/span>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n<\/li><li>\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/2025\/12\/24\/omakase-the-bay-area-experience-in-four-restaurants\/\" title=\"Omakase: The Bay Area experience in four restaurants\">\n\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"dfm-title metered\">\n\t\t\tOmakase: The Bay Area experience in four restaurants\t\t<\/span>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n<\/li><li>\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/2025\/12\/24\/chatting-about-the-joy-of-winter-beers-with-craig-thomas-master-cicerone\/\" title=\"Chatting about the joy of winter beers with Craig Thomas, Master Cicerone\">\n\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"dfm-title metered\">\n\t\t\tChatting about the joy of winter beers with Craig Thomas, Master Cicerone\t\t<\/span>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n<\/li><\/ul><\/aside>\n<p>That&#8217;s according to dining trend reports that come out this time of year.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re looking at three of them, each compiled with its own research methods. They reach different conclusions, but there\u2019s a lot of overlap.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ll begin with Yelp, the social media platform, whose researchers look for rising words, phrases and business mentions from millions of searches and reviews.<\/p>\n<figure  class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyautosizes lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/MIJ-L-DINING-WBOX-1016-03.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"687px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/MIJ-L-DINING-WBOX-1016-03.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/MIJ-L-DINING-WBOX-1016-03.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/MIJ-L-DINING-WBOX-1016-03.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/MIJ-L-DINING-WBOX-1016-03.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/MIJ-L-DINING-WBOX-1016-03.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w\" alt=\"Prawn biriyani is served at Lotus Curry House in Novato. (Alan Dep\/Marin Independent Journal)\" width=\"3600\" height=\"488\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/MIJ-L-DINING-WBOX-1016-03.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1\" data-attachment-id=\"6507912\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/MIJ-L-DINING-WBOX-1016-03.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/MIJ-L-DINING-WBOX-1016-03.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/MIJ-L-DINING-WBOX-1016-03.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/MIJ-L-DINING-WBOX-1016-03.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/MIJ-L-DINING-WBOX-1016-03.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Prawn biriyani is served at Lotus Curry House in Novato. (Alan Dep\/Marin Independent Journal)&nbsp;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h4>Yelp<\/h4>\n<p>Yelp includes eight items in its list of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yelp.com\/article\/2026-food-and-drink-trends\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2026 Food &amp; Drink Trends<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Indian food is No. 1, but categories tend to overlap and complement one another.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIndian cuisine is going mainstream,\u201d said senior community director Margaret Palanca, who lives in Southern California.<\/p>\n<p>Searches are up 459% for Indian buffets, she said in a phone interview.<\/p>\n<p>Takeout searches are up 153%, according to Palanca.<\/p>\n<p>Dishes that generate searches include biryani chicken, a dish with spicy marinated meat and basmati rice that\u2019s up 49%.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/2025\/10\/06\/bollywood-actor-jatin-bunty-grewal-bay-area-indian-restaurants\/\">A Bollywood actor and supermodel talks about his new Bay Area restaurant<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Chains with Indian dishes include Lazy Dog Restaurant, which has Tikka Masala Meatballs on its fall menu.<\/p>\n<p>Black sesame, which has a stronger taste than white sesame seeds, came in second. Palanca describes it as a staple in Asian-American cuisine that\u2019s used in sweets and beverages.<\/p>\n<p>Searches for black sesame matcha are up 147%.<\/p>\n<figure  class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyautosizes lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"687px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w\" alt=\"This matcha green tea cheesecake is served with black sesame ice cream. (John Burgess\/The Press Democrat)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"348\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1\" data-attachment-id=\"12384169\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">This matcha green tea cheesecake is served with black sesame ice cream. (John Burgess\/The Press Democrat)&nbsp;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Matcha, a Japanese green tea powder, is No. 3 on the list. It\u2019s already a craze, according to Palanca, and she expects it to continue to be big in 2026.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNow a lot of places are coming up with unique flavors outside of the traditional matcha,\u201d she said, including guava matcha and horchata matcha.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/2025\/03\/13\/matcha-madness-bay-area-cafes-go-all-in-on-green-tea-powder\/\">Matcha madness: Bay Area cafes go all-in on green tea powder<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI feel like there\u2019s going to be such a wave of matcha drinks, but a little more unique, rather than your traditional matcha latte.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Searches for ube matcha are up 205%, according to the report, and Palanca said searches for banana pudding matcha latte are up an \u201castounding\u201d 36,900%. Cloud matcha, similar to cold foam, is also popular.<\/p>\n<p>All-you-can-eat buffets come in at No. 4. Palanca said this trend is \u201ca whole different ballgame\u201d from Indian buffets in the way they reflect a desire for social dining that\u2019s affordable.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople are looking for ways to socialize, and we believe that an all-you-can-eat dining style is a great way to socialize in large groups.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But the trend also reflects an interest in global flavors, with searches for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/2025\/05\/05\/kbbq-mobile-robot-kitchen-opens-san-mateo-brick-and-mortar-restaurant\/\">Korean barbecues and hot pot<\/a> up 591%, dim sum up 244% and sushi bars up 93%.<\/p>\n<p>A single product came in at No. 5. It\u2019s an Italian cocktail called Sarti spritz, and it saw an 8,500% rise in searches.<\/p>\n<p>With flavors such as blood orange, mango and passionfruit, \u201cit\u2019s got a tropical profile,\u201d Palanca said. \u201cIt just goes to show that the spritz era is here to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure  class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyautosizes lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_a88c09.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"687px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_a88c09.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_a88c09.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_a88c09.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_a88c09.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_a88c09.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w\" alt=\"Swedish princess cake is popular in Yelp searches, according to the social media platform. (Barbara Alper\/New York Daily News)\" width=\"3000\" height=\"458\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_a88c09.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1\" data-attachment-id=\"12384170\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_a88c09.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_a88c09.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_a88c09.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_a88c09.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_a88c09.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Swedish princess cake is popular in Yelp searches, according to the social media platform. (Barbara Alper\/New York Daily News)&nbsp;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The remaining three categories on the list are all bakeries: artisan breads, Mexican bakeries and Scandinavian treats such as Swedish princess cakes.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/2025\/10\/29\/must-try-bakeries-for-2025-craving-decadent-cakes-beignets-cookies\/\">9 must-try Bay Area bakeries to satisfy any sweet tooth<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Interest in sourdough never went away after the COVID-19 home baking fad, according to Palanca, but people are looking for new items such as sourdough croissants, sourdough bagels and sourdough cinnamon rolls.<\/p>\n<p>Creations include, yes, a matcha cinnamon roll from Pasadena&#8217;s Bad Ash Bakes. Palanca said it went viral.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you love matcha, this is definitely a sweet treat for you.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12384171\"  class=\"wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" lazyautosizes lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_361317.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"687px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_361317.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_361317.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_361317.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_361317.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_361317.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w\" alt=\"Smash burgers will be a hot trend in 2026, according to the National Restaurant Association. (Getty Images)\" width=\"2121\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_361317.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1\" data-attachment-id=\"12384171\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_361317.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_361317.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_361317.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_361317.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OCR-L-FOODTRENDS-2026-1228_361317.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Smash burgers will be a hot trend in 2026, according to the National Restaurant Association. (Getty Images)&nbsp;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h4>National Restaurant Association<\/h4>\n<p>The trade association\u2019s annual What\u2019s Hot Culinary Forecast is created with feedback from culinary professionals who are given lists of food and drink items and macro trends to weigh in on.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/2025\/05\/28\/9-new-bay-area-burgers-you-need-to-try\/\">9 new Bay Area burgers you need to try<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Chart-topping trends for 2026 include local sourcing, comfort foods and protein add-ons.<\/p>\n<p>When it came to individual menu items, smash burgers topped the list. But like Yelp\u2019s list, an interest in global foods runs through the report.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cToday\u2019s foodies are looking for escape \u2014 the chance to step out of their everyday into somewhere comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Dessert trends spotlight <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/2025\/12\/19\/ye-over-it\/\">Dubai chocolate<\/a>, which was huge in 2025.<\/p>\n<p>So were high-protein foods and drinks.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis micronutrient can now be added to everything from your coffee to your pancakes. Diners of all kinds are exploring the benefits of protein-rich diets, including muscle-building and weight management,\u201d the report asserts.<\/p>\n<h4>Datassential<\/h4>\n<p>Dataessential is a research firm whose customers include Starbucks, Burger King, General Mills and Target, according to a news release.<\/p>\n<p>Its 2026 Trend Report was compiled using interviews with more than 1,000 consumers. Although Dataessential sells its research, it made portions of the report available in a preview edition.<\/p>\n<p>Dataessential predicts that high-fiber products will overtake protein as a diet trend as people seek to improve their gut health. Social media calls it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/2025\/11\/21\/fibermaxxing-warning\/\">fibermaxxing<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Its take on Indian cuisine is that foods and beverages from the state of Kerala on the Malabar Coast of India will have a moment. The region is known for spices and \u201cveggie-forward\u201d dishes such as mutta curry, unniyappam and palada pradhaman. Yelp has lists for Kerala food, although the restaurants it includes may not identify themselves as such.<\/p>\n<p>The report also says that consumers who embraced plant-based proteins are going back to meat and that tea time will become part of happy hour as people look for new no- and low- alcohol beverages.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNew classics\u201d for 2026 include Basque cheesecake, butter chicken, hot honey, birria and ube, a purple yam.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When we go to restaurants in 2026, we\u2019ll be looking for spicy flavors, new takes on old favorites and some good company.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":296,"featured_media":12384167,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"subheadline":"When we go to restaurants in 2026, we\u2019ll be looking for spicy flavors, new takes on old favorites and some good company","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[190,13645,172,198,160,178,27655],"tags":[396,21483,447,693],"feature":[],"location":[2],"type-of-work":[24457],"coauthors":[17546],"class_list":["post-12384166","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-california-news","category-latest-headlines","category-lifestyle","category-national","category-news","category-restaurants-food-drink","category-things-to-do","tag-food","tag-morning-wire","tag-restaurants","tag-year-in-review","location-california","type-of-work-news"],"post_status":"","edit_last":0,"edit_lock":0,"highlights":"","original_byline":"","original_canonical":"","original_category":"","original_email":"","original_id":0,"original_pubdate":"","original_source":"","primary_section":"178","primary_tag":447,"print_workflow_body":{"deck_headline":"","print_title":"Ube matcha, Indian cuisine, fibermaxxing and other delicious dining trends for 2026","print_subheadline":"When we go to restaurants in 2026, we\u2019ll be looking for spicy flavors, new takes on old favorites and some good company","print_planned_ready":"","print_pub_date":"","print_slug":"SJM-Z-FOODTRENDS-0104","print_content":"<p>When we go to restaurants in 2026, we\u2019ll be looking for spicy flavors, new takes on old favorites and some good company.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>That's according to dining trend reports that come out this time of year.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re looking at three of them, each compiled with its own research methods. They reach different conclusions, but there\u2019s a lot of overlap.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ll begin with Yelp, the social media platform, whose researchers look for rising words, phrases and business mentions from millions of searches and reviews.<\/p>\n<h4>Yelp<\/h4>\n<p>Yelp includes eight items in its list of 2026 Food &amp; Drink Trends.<\/p>\n<p>Indian food is No. 1, but categories tend to overlap and complement one another.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIndian cuisine is going mainstream,\u201d said senior community director Margaret Palanca, who lives in Southern California.<\/p>\n<p>Searches are up 459% for Indian buffets, she said in a phone interview.<\/p>\n<p>Takeout searches are up 153%, according to Palanca.<\/p>\n<p>Dishes that generate searches include biryani chicken, a dish with spicy marinated meat and basmati rice that\u2019s up 49%.<\/p>\n<p>Chains with Indian dishes include Lazy Dog Restaurant, which has Tikka Masala Meatballs on its fall menu.<\/p>\n<p>Black sesame, which has a stronger taste than white sesame seeds, came in second. Palanca describes it as a staple in Asian-American cuisine that\u2019s used in sweets and beverages.<\/p>\n<p>Searches for black sesame matcha are up 147%.<\/p>\n<p>Matcha, a Japanese green tea powder, is No. 3 on the list. It\u2019s already a craze, according to Palanca, and she expects it to continue to be big in 2026.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNow a lot of places are coming up with unique flavors outside of the traditional matcha,\u201d she said, including guava matcha and horchata matcha.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI feel like there\u2019s going to be such a wave of matcha drinks, but a little more unique, rather than your traditional matcha latte.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Searches for ube matcha are up 205%, according to the report, and Palanca said searches for banana pudding matcha latte are up an \u201castounding\u201d 36,900%. Cloud matcha, similar to cold foam, is also popular.<\/p>\n<p>All-you-can-eat buffets come in at No. 4. Palanca said this trend is \u201ca whole different ballgame\u201d from Indian buffets in the way they reflect a desire for social dining that\u2019s affordable.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople are looking for ways to socialize, and we believe that an all-you-can-eat dining style is a great way to socialize in large groups.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But the trend also reflects an interest in global flavors, with searches for Korean barbecues and hot pot up 591%, dim sum up 244% and sushi bars up 93%.<\/p>\n<p>A single product came in at No. 5. It\u2019s an Italian cocktail called Sarti spritz, and it saw an 8,500% rise in searches.<\/p>\n<p>With flavors such as blood orange, mango and passionfruit, \u201cit\u2019s got a tropical profile,\u201d Palanca said. \u201cIt just goes to show that the spritz era is here to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The remaining three categories on the list are all bakeries: artisan breads, Mexican bakeries and Scandinavian treats such as Swedish princess cakes.<\/p>\n<p>Interest in sourdough never went away after the COVID-19 home baking fad, according to Palanca, but people are looking for new items such as sourdough croissants, sourdough bagels and sourdough cinnamon rolls.<\/p>\n<p>Creations include, yes, a matcha cinnamon roll from Pasadena's Bad Ash Bakes. Palanca said it went viral.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you love matcha, this is definitely a sweet treat for you.\u201d<\/p>\n<h4>National Restaurant Association<\/h4>\n<p>The trade association\u2019s annual What\u2019s Hot Culinary Forecast is created with feedback from culinary professionals who are given lists of food and drink items and macro trends to weigh in on.<\/p>\n<p>Chart-topping trends for 2026 include local sourcing, comfort foods and protein add-ons.<\/p>\n<p>When it came to individual menu items, smash burgers topped the list. But like Yelp\u2019s list, an interest in global foods runs through the report.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cToday\u2019s foodies are looking for escape \u2014 the chance to step out of their everyday into somewhere comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Dessert trends spotlight Dubai chocolate, which was huge in 2025.<\/p>\n<p>So were high-protein foods and drinks.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis micronutrient can now be added to everything from your coffee to your pancakes. Diners of all kinds are exploring the benefits of protein-rich diets, including muscle-building and weight management,\u201d the report asserts.<\/p>\n<h4>Datassential<\/h4>\n<p>Dataessential is a research firm whose customers include Starbucks, Burger King, General Mills and Target, according to a news release.<\/p>\n<p>Its 2026 Trend Report was compiled using interviews with more than 1,000 consumers. Although Dataessential sells its research, it made portions of the report available in a preview edition.<\/p>\n<p>Dataessential predicts that high-fiber products will overtake protein as a diet trend as people seek to improve their gut health. Social media calls it fibermaxxing.<\/p>\n<p>Its take on Indian cuisine is that foods and beverages from the state of Kerala on the Malabar Coast of India will have a moment. The region is known for spices and \u201cveggie-forward\u201d dishes such as mutta curry, unniyappam and palada pradhaman. Yelp has lists for Kerala food, although the restaurants it includes may not identify themselves as such.<\/p>\n<p>The report also says that consumers who embraced plant-based proteins are going back to meat and that tea time will become part of happy hour as people look for new no- and low- alcohol beverages.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNew classics\u201d for 2026 include Basque cheesecake, butter chicken, hot honey, birria and ube, a purple yam.<\/p>\n","print_budget_line":"","print_excerpt":"When we go to restaurants in 2026, we\u2019ll be looking for spicy flavors, new takes on old favorites and some good company.","print_notes":"","photo_limits":"Photo limits are: 1 featured image, 5 featured gallery images, 5 embedded gallery images and 5 in-article embedded images. Articles that exceed these limits will not export. 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