From savoury pastries and chilled reds to cherry overload, discover what's fresh and what's become just a bit stale this summer.
Fresh Trends
Savoury millefeuilles are all the rage on menus right now, for example, at Planque, which has a chanterelle and radicchio millefeuille with comte sauce. Think fancy deconstructed vol-au-vents with modern gastronomic flair.
Misugaru, the roasted Korean multi-grain powder, mixes ingredients like toasted rice, barley, millet, and sesame seeds, adding a moreish, nutty, malty creaminess to baking. Also delicious as a drink.
Pickled ketchups are the essential condiment for all discerning barbecues this summer. Examples include smacked cucumber ketchup at The Mulwray in Soho, London; pickled onion ketchup from Epicuriosity; kimchi ketchup from Chimac; and gherkin relish from Halen Mon.
Chicago tavern-style pizza features a super-thin, square cut base with toppings such as Italian sausage, Chicago-style sweet tomato sauce, pepperoni and pickles. Try it at Short Road Pizza, east London, on Tuesdays only.
Brasserie boozers blur the line where raucous boozers meet Gallic brasserie. See: newly opened The Wellington in Margate (don't miss the french onion soup with beef short rib!).
British charcuterie is being taken to new flavourful heights across Britain. Examples include pink peppercorn and cider salami from The Real Cure in Dorset; wild venison chorizo from Wass Farm in Yorkshire; and port steeped beef bresaola from Somerset Charcuterie.
Tamagoyaki pans are minimally chic and cleverly functional. Square Japanese rolled-omelette pans are the new kitchen must-have. Check out the non-stick tamagoyaki egg roll pan from Sous Chef.
Afghan Texan barbecue from Cue Point, by Mursal Saiq and Joshua Moroney, is getting its first bricks and mortar restaurant in White City, London, with live-fire chicken korma, oak-smoked lamb shank and Kabuli pilau.
Alentejo, Portugal, is the summer's must-visit European wine region, famous for its beautiful historic vineyards, ancient fortresses, bold, spicy reds (using grapes such as Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez and Trincadeira), and rustic, aromatic cuisine.
Cortisol cocktails are concoctions of coconut water, citrus juice, sea salt, and magnesium said to help lower stress. Unproven by science, delicious nonetheless.
Rabbit and hare are deliciously gamey, high in protein, low in fat, and more climate friendly than many other meats. Try the rabbit rillettes and carrot confiture at Lapin, or the rabbit, girolles, lardo, parsley and garlic at Quo Vadis, both in London.
Penny licks, the nostalgic 19th-century ice-cream icon, are being reinvented by Sally Abé at her new restaurant Teal; only £1 with proceeds donated to Hackney Food Bank.
Food fiction is on the rise: food writers like Felicity Cloake and Olly Smith are moving into fiction, culinary themes are taking over storylines of the best novels and people still can't get enough of Butter by Asako Yuzuki.
Stale Trends
Caviar overload is starting to look a little gauche now that it's popping up on everything from pizza crusts to crisps. Trout roe is even tastier and more sustainable.
Pale blush rosé wines are out; it's all about chilled reds – like low tannin French Beaujolais or Austrian Zweigelt – or dry, robust, dark ruby rose like Gentle Folk Wine's Rainbow Juice.
Insta cringe: flash-on food photography in a vibey, dim-lit dining room is not the one. Lobby mirror selfies are way cooler to post on your grid.
Oat milk is losing favour because many are unsustainably made and create spikes in glucose. Try making your own buckwheat milk: delicious, packed with protein and fibre, and acts as a regenerative soil restorer.
Cherry everything is very last summer. 2026 is all about blackberry hybrids (think marionberries, tayberries, loganberries), in everything from trifles and sorbets, to salad dressings and cocktails.
New York cookies – the imitation Levain-style – are getting ever larger, ever more underbaked and ever more sickly. Crunchy biscuits, crispy thin cookies and classic Walker's shortbread are back.
Scrambled eggs have a new style all over TikTok: 'frambled' – sizzle butter, crack in the eggs whole, slowly cook the white, then mix through the yolk. Believe the hype.
Snacking dinners are out: a plate of small snacks is not a dinner. The hearty main with wholesome veg, satisfying carbs and a flavour amplified sauce or gravy is finally back.
QR code menus are being replaced by artfully illustrated menus and beautiful calligraphy on chalkboards. Tactile analogue is the new soulless digital.
Posh canned olives are being replaced: caperberries are replacing olives on gildas, and Sweet Dill Pickle Chips from Pickle Project are the new IT drinks snack.
Chocolate erasure: many retro chocolate bars now don't contain enough chocolate to be called 'chocolate'. Check out craft chocolatiers like Khourys, Makers London or Chocolatia by Chloe Oswald; or book an artisanal chocolate tour with Jennifer Earle.
