With rising costs, economic pressures and stiffer competition, restaurants and food retailers are working harder than ever to create experiences and products that make diners and shoppers want to open their wallets. Smaller portions, more red meat and a nuevo form of fusion that respects multiple cultures are all part of the culinary mix that get diners excited right now.

The new old fashioned

According to research agency Mintel, retro food trends are here to stay. But this time around it’s less about kitsch, or nanna frills, and instead about a more meaningful connection with the past, as a refuge from an increasingly turbulent and AI-controlled world. 

What does that look like, practically, for food-focused brands? "Consumers today are turning to heritage practices, fermentation, pickling, seasonal eating, and other ancestral techniques,” says Michelle Teodoro of Mintel. 

This isn’t simply a search for comfort, she adds. “[It’s] because these methods feel resilient and relevant in a world that’s become increasingly unpredictable. It’s a way to find emotional grounding and continuity, rather than simply recreating a nostalgic look or era.”

This trend, dubbed “retro rejuvenation” by Mintel, is likely to see products like cans, pouches, freeze-dried, frozen and other long-life product formats enjoy a new relevance. Other examples include the comeback of beef tallow as an alternative to seed oils, which is often cited as a less processed alternative to seed and vegetable oils, as cited by research at US grocery chain Whole Foods¹.

Sensory snacking

Mintel has also identified a burgeoning trend it calls ‘intentionally sensory’ food, exemplified by TikTok’s Dubai Chocolate trend, which was as much about touch, audio and visual appeal as it was about taste. 

“Brands are now designing multi-sensory experiences with purpose: textures that soothe or energise, aromas that enhance mood, and elements like sound or colour that help people feel more present,” says Teodoro. 

It’s an inclusive trend, she says. “Sensory design supports groups such as elderly consumers [or] neurodivergent individuals.”

This concept also speaks to the current wellness trend, where food is used as more than simply nourishment, but also to convey a sense of peace and calm. Classic tea shops, where food and drink is as much of a ritual as it is something to ingest, may enjoy a resurgence, with people creating their own multi-sensory experiences at home using consumables pepped with adaptogens and nootropics.

Ozempic Eats

The global market for GLP-1 weight loss drugs, known by brand names such as Ozempic and Mounjaro, is set to soar in 2026, particularly after The White House announced plans² to subsidise their cost. Some restaurants are already adjusting their menus to suit smaller appetites, to appeal to people taking the drug who may no longer desire large portions. The team at Cuba Libre in Washington, have launched a “GLPWonderful” menu for its clientele that features smaller, protein packed portions, while Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck in London is offering guests a menu called “The Mindfulness Experience" that gives them smaller portions of his regular lengthy menu. 

Fusion is Fine 

For a long time, ‘fusion’ has been a dirty word in food circles, conjuring images of east-meets-west food that did little to respect any foundational cuisines. But now, the rise of ‘third culture’ cooking, that is often born from migrant cultures meshing elements of their family’s cuisines with those of the country they were born in, are becoming increasingly common around the globe.

Canberra’s Minima is one example, where brothers Benn and Mork Ratanakosol are cooking food that references the varied cuisines of China and Southeast Asia, through the lens of the Australian-based diaspora, while in Melbourne, chef Thi Le has morphed her popular Vietnamese restaurant Anchovy to a menu of “Viet Kieu” cooking, that is Vietnamese cuisine told through the lens of the Vietnamese diaspora in Australia. 

Just Meat It

Globally, and especially in Australia, meat consumption is on the rise. According to the Meat and Livestock Association’s most recent report³, more people are now saying that they are increasing their intake of red meat than those who say they’re reducing it, the first time that has happened since tracking began.

Steakhouses have sprung up all over Australia, and celebrity chef Neil Perry recently told The Australian Financial Review⁴ that he “can’t make a steak expensive enough for people to stop buying it” at his flagship Sydney restaurant, Margaret. 

The popularity of protein seems to be a large driver, with 87 per cent of respondents to the MLA’s report citing that ‘health and nutrition’ considerations are behind their decision to eat more animal products.

Prominent Sydney restaurant publicist Shannon Blanchard from The Cru agrees that meat isn’t going anywhere. “The global push to eat more protein will see operators, small and large, continue to feature steaks - small, large and downright too big for a table,” he says, adding that the meat trend won’t be restricted to steakhouses. Seafood places, Asian and Middle Eastern restaurants will also make a point of putting red meat front and centre.

Simplicity is Key

Diners seem to be falling out of love with fine dining, and all the frills and flourishes that go along with it. According to Marriott’s Future of Food 2026 Report, fine dining chefs are turning towards more playful, casual outlets for their creativity, such as fried chicken or burger joints.

Ben Liebmann, founder of global advisory and media company Understory says that this may also lead to a move away from the more theatrical, performative aspects of fine dining, such as lengthy storytelling or showy presentation.

“Highly choreographed, hyper-personalised restaurant moments” might be “impressive”, he says, but he questions whether people will continue to see these interactions as markers of true hospitality, or a performance that is largely staged for social media and/or bragging rights. “My hope is that we return to a version of hospitality that never needs to be remembered by anyone other than the person it was meant for.”