Hungry, Hungry Hipsters: 8 Drool-Worthy Food Trends
August 26, 2016
These days, food trends are born on social media… and all it takes is one great photo for a restaurant to hit the viral success jackpot.
If you’re after some timely #foodinspo, we’re rounding up some of the tastiest (and most photogenic) 2016 food trends. Peep these snacks—and get the scoop on where you can try these treats for yourself.
1. RAINBOW BAGELS: They might not look 100% edible—watch them being made and it's hard to avoid comparisons to Play-Doh—but there's a reason that rainbow bagels are one of the biggest 2016 food trends. These photogenic foodstuffs were born in Brooklyn's Bagel Store, and if you're after the real thing, it's still the best place to go on a bagel quest. (Psst: If you're nowhere near Brooklyn, no worries—these guys offer nationwide shipping).
Image courtesy of The Bagel Store
Image courtesy of The Bagel Store
2. GRAIN BOWLS: The best 2016 food trends are tasty and wholesome...and if you're after both, then grain bowls are the answer. More a format than a dish—grain bowls can feature quinoa or rice, can come topped with poached eggs or tofu, and are a vehicle for almost unlimited flavor combos—they've nevertheless taken over the food internet. For some of the best around, it's worth getting up early for breakfast at Sqirl in Los Angeles, where grain bowls (including the beloved sorrel pesto rice bowl) are revered as an art form.
Image courtesy of Sqirl
Image courtesy of Sqirl
3. FREAKSHAKES: If Willy Wonka made milkshakes, they'd probably look like these. Freakshakes—made famous by Black Tap in Manhattan—are known for their Instagram-worthy, piled-on excess. These towering creations come topped with everything from cotton candy and breakfast cereal to lollipops and pretzel sticks. Pro-tip: It might be wise to bring a few fellow eaters along for the ride.
Image courtesy of Black Tap
Image courtesy of Black Tap
4. POKE: Poke—pronounced "po-kay"—has long been a staple of Hawaiian cuisine, but it's only recently that it's migrated over to the continental U.S. The uninitiated can think of it as halfway between sushi and ceviche, with super-fresh fish, zingy sauce, and extra add-ons. You can't go to California without tripping over a poke cafe these days, and one of the best around is Sweetfin Poké in Santa Monica, which offers signature bowls (think Sriracha tuna with avocado and hijiki) as well as build-your-own.
Image courtesy of Sweetfin Poké
Image courtesy of Sweetfin Poké
5. DOUGHNUT CONES: It's a doughnut. It's an ice cream cone. It's a doughnut ice cream cone! Born in Toronto at the Eva's Original food truck, these doughnut cones—or chimneys, as Eva's calls 'em—are summertime dessert perfection. Lest you accuse them of cravenly jumping on the Cronut bandwagon, a fun fact: this popular hybrid is actually inspired by traditional Hungarian kürtőskalács pastries, which are cooked on rotating skewers.
Image courtesy of Eva's Original Chimneys
Image courtesy of Eva's Original Chimneys
6. SMOOTHIE BOWLS: Are you telling us it's 2016...and you're still enjoying your smoothies in glasses? Nah: Right now, it's all about smoothie bowls. Inspired by traditional Brazilian açai breakfasts, these deconstructed smoothies are composed of a berry base with all kinds of fruit, nut butter, and granola toppings. Head to the aptly named The Bowl and Berry in Portland for some of the freshest around.
Image courtesy of The Bowl and Berry
Image courtesy of The Bowl and Berry
7. RAINDROP CAKE: Of all the 2016 food trends out there, this one looks least recognizably like something you can eat. Meet the aptly named Raindrop Cake®. Inspired by Japanese mochi, this see-through dessert is jiggly, lightly sweet, and served with soybean flour and brown sugar syrup. You can scoop up this zeitgeisty snack at Round K Café in New York, Yojie in LA, and at Smorgasburg locations in both cities.
Image courtesy of Tim Ireland
Image courtesy of Tim Ireland
8. TURMERIC LATTES: That golden-hued drink right there? No, there's nothing wrong with it. It's just made with vibrant turmeric root, which is currently being hailed as a superfood. In San Diego, Café Gratitude is the place to pick yours up. (It'll be made out of tasty steamed almond milk and come dosed with black pepper essential oil.) Once you've got that under your belt, just wait until you discover the blue latte.
1. RAINBOW BAGELS: They might not look 100% edible—watch them being made and it's hard to avoid comparisons to Play-Doh—but there's a reason that rainbow bagels are one of the biggest 2016 food trends. These photogenic foodstuffs were born in Brooklyn's Bagel Store, and if you're after the real thing, it's still the best place to go on a bagel quest. (Psst: If you're nowhere near Brooklyn, no worries—these guys offer nationwide shipping).
Image courtesy of The Bagel Store
Image courtesy of The Bagel Store
2. GRAIN BOWLS: The best 2016 food trends are tasty and wholesome...and if you're after both, then grain bowls are the answer. More a format than a dish—grain bowls can feature quinoa or rice, can come topped with poached eggs or tofu, and are a vehicle for almost unlimited flavor combos—they've nevertheless taken over the food internet. For some of the best around, it's worth getting up early for breakfast at Sqirl in Los Angeles, where grain bowls (including the beloved sorrel pesto rice bowl) are revered as an art form.
Image courtesy of Sqirl
Image courtesy of Sqirl
3. FREAKSHAKES: If Willy Wonka made milkshakes, they'd probably look like these. Freakshakes—made famous by Black Tap in Manhattan—are known for their Instagram-worthy, piled-on excess. These towering creations come topped with everything from cotton candy and breakfast cereal to lollipops and pretzel sticks. Pro-tip: It might be wise to bring a few fellow eaters along for the ride.
Image courtesy of Black Tap
Image courtesy of Black Tap
4. POKE: Poke—pronounced "po-kay"—has long been a staple of Hawaiian cuisine, but it's only recently that it's migrated over to the continental U.S. The uninitiated can think of it as halfway between sushi and ceviche, with super-fresh fish, zingy sauce, and extra add-ons. You can't go to California without tripping over a poke cafe these days, and one of the best around is Sweetfin Poké in Santa Monica, which offers signature bowls (think Sriracha tuna with avocado and hijiki) as well as build-your-own.
Image courtesy of Sweetfin Poké
Image courtesy of Sweetfin Poké
5. DOUGHNUT CONES: It's a doughnut. It's an ice cream cone. It's a doughnut ice cream cone! Born in Toronto at the Eva's Original food truck, these doughnut cones—or chimneys, as Eva's calls 'em—are summertime dessert perfection. Lest you accuse them of cravenly jumping on the Cronut bandwagon, a fun fact: this popular hybrid is actually inspired by traditional Hungarian kürtőskalács pastries, which are cooked on rotating skewers.
Image courtesy of Eva's Original Chimneys
Image courtesy of Eva's Original Chimneys
6. SMOOTHIE BOWLS: Are you telling us it's 2016...and you're still enjoying your smoothies in glasses? Nah: Right now, it's all about smoothie bowls. Inspired by traditional Brazilian açai breakfasts, these deconstructed smoothies are composed of a berry base with all kinds of fruit, nut butter, and granola toppings. Head to the aptly named The Bowl and Berry in Portland for some of the freshest around.
Image courtesy of The Bowl and Berry
Image courtesy of The Bowl and Berry
7. RAINDROP CAKE: Of all the 2016 food trends out there, this one looks least recognizably like something you can eat. Meet the aptly named Raindrop Cake®. Inspired by Japanese mochi, this see-through dessert is jiggly, lightly sweet, and served with soybean flour and brown sugar syrup. You can scoop up this zeitgeisty snack at Round K Café in New York, Yojie in LA, and at Smorgasburg locations in both cities.
Image courtesy of Tim Ireland
Image courtesy of Tim Ireland
8. TURMERIC LATTES: That golden-hued drink right there? No, there's nothing wrong with it. It's just made with vibrant turmeric root, which is currently being hailed as a superfood. In San Diego, Café Gratitude is the place to pick yours up. (It'll be made out of tasty steamed almond milk and come dosed with black pepper essential oil.) Once you've got that under your belt, just wait until you discover the blue latte.
