Summer food trends have taken a delightfully fresh, fun, and unexpected twist this year. From bold and bright strawberry cream spaghetti (yes, really) to the quiet luxury of garden-grown cocktails, these are the flavours, rituals, and ideas that are shaping summer living this year.
Whether you're entertaining al fresco or simply looking to bring some chic treats to your everyday table, these trends feel nostalgic but with a new and exciting twist.
If you missed these summer food trends, consider this your gentle nudge to indulge before the season fades.
1. Sardine, sardines, sardines
Pinterest may have predicted the rise of 'Fisherman-core' earlier this year, but few expected the humble sardine to become summer’s most fashionable fish. What started with silver shimmer on runways and sardine prints on handbags has made its way to the dinner table.
At Anthropologie, sardine-themed linens and hand-painted fish platters anchor their stylish summer table decor ideas. Meanwhile, food stylists are embracing the beauty of sardine tins and home cooks are discovering just how versatile this pantry staple is when added to summer salads, pasta recipes, or simply served with crusty bread.
On Google, searches for 'Sardine Girl Summer' are up over 2,000%, and this week, 'Sicilian sardine pasta' is trending across the US. The appeal is simple: relaxed Mediterranean vibes with a salty edge.
2. Strawberries & cream, three ways
Few flavor pairings are as timeless as strawberries and cream, but 2025's summer food trends explore the delicious duo through a more global lens.
In the UK, heritage brand Marks & Spencer launched a Strawberries & Cream Sando – a soft milk bread sandwich filled with whipped vanilla cream and halved strawberries. Inspired by a beloved Japanese convenience store classic, the sandwich became an instant Instagram star, selling out in stores across England.
Meanwhile, at Wimbledon, tennis star Iga Świątek introduced fans to Makaron z Truskawkami – a Polish childhood favorite that combines strawberries, sour cream, and pasta. It’s a simple, surprising comfort food that has now gone viral. My favorite twist is the Italian way: strawberry risotto, with white wine, heavy cream, butter and Parmesan.
For those looking to bottle the season at home, start with the fruit itself. Ripe strawberries, frozen with care, will retain their colour and fragrance long after summer fades. Here’s how to freeze strawberries properly.
3. Pistachio everything
A Le Creuset recipe: Pistachio Crepe Cake
The viral 'Dubai chocolate' – a luxurious milk chocolate bar filled with pistachio cream and crispy kataifi – went viral in late 2024 and sparked a pistachio renaissance. Since then, pistachio has turned up in gelato, croissants, lattes, and cold brews – almost every summer treat you could imagine.
It’s not just culinary, either. Interior designers have embraced pistachio’s calming hue too, as seen in Martha Stewart’s pistachio-green entryway and Victoria Beckham’s dark pistachio bedroom.
The flavour remains firmly in focus in this year's summer food trends. For dessert, we adore this pistachio and rose gâteau – a treat that pairs beautifully with green tea or chilled Prosecco. For a more low-key approach to the trend, simply chop some pistachio nuts and sprinkle them atop any ice cream you have in the freezer.
4. Ice cream with wine
From European summer streets, a new pairing has emerged. Wine and ice cream. I traced the trend back to Folderol, a Parisian natural wine bar in the Marais, which serves silver coupes of gelato alongside drinks.
It’s not just a city trend, though. The rise of home appliances such as the Ninja Creami Swirl and GreenPan’s Frost Ice Cream Maker have brought the same trend to summer gatherings and mid-week after-dinner treats.
Pair a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream with a rich red wine (some people are pouring the wine over the ice cream on social media!), and you’ve captured the moment entirely. Think affogato but switch the espresso for merlot.
5. Savory cocktails
Move over Aperol, this year's summer cocktail is a savory sip. The Pinterest Summer 2025 Trends report placed savory cocktails high on its radar, and they’ve popped up on the coolest restaurant menus and TikTok accounts – in the form of tomato margaritas, anchovy vermouth, and even spicy kimchi-tinis.
Drinks industry reporter, Global Drinks Intel, says: 'Umami-rich ingredients are being blended with traditional cocktail elements to create depth. Bartenders like Tom Egerton are exploring combinations like miso, tahini and mushroom-infused spirits.'
If you want to try the trend at home, garnish your dirty martini with droplets of extra-virgin olive oil and a crack of black pepper for the umami hit. Or give this smoky maltito cocktail a try – it pairs perfectly with grilled meats and other barbecue recipes.
6. Garden-to-table dishes
Tomato salad with honey, smoked salt and lavender
As Pinterest searches for 'digital detox' surge – up by over 270% – it’s clear that many are craving more time in the garden and less on the grid. It's. been dubbed a Martha Stewart Summer and garden-to-table cooking is at the heart of the trend.
Think: tasty tomato salads, homemade herb butter pasta, and herbal spritzes made with mint, thyme, basil, or even edible flowers fresh from the garden (we love Alice Hart's lilac flower vodka soda recipe).
For those coming to the trend a little late, there is still time to pot herbs in your windowbox or plan for next year’s strawberry patch or container garden. Even the smallest balcony can support a few pots of lettuce or cherry tomatoes.
7. Maximalist ice cubes
As temperatures soar to record highs, we’ve seen ice cubes everywhere. From pretty pebbles of nugget ice in matcha lattes to fruit-studded cubes that transform a simple carafe of water into a table feature. We're even making frozen-wine cubes for pitchers of sangria, and hydrating coconut water crystals infused with edible blossoms.
I've also seen troughs and other rustic containers filled with hunks of ice encasing whole edible flowers – if you don't have a large enough mold, use old yogurt pots.
Like the best summer food trends, going extra on your ice cubes blends elegance and practicality, keeping you cool (in every sense of the word) all summer long.
Your summer food trends kit
I use this hand blender for pureéing many sweet summer recipes, since it can purée, chop fruit, and function as an electric whisk for whipped cream.
A cult-favorite among style-led cooks, Fish Wife are known for their beautifully packaged, wild-caught, sustainable tinned fish. These sardines are doused in preserved lemon or hot Calabrian pepper, ready to add to your dishes.
If you're keen to try making your own ice cream and wine pairings, the Ninja Creami is a fantastic addition to your kitchen. You freeze base first, then the Creami churns it into a perfect gelato texture. When you’re done, the pint-sized pots can be packed into the dishwasher.
These elegant martini glasses are ideal for showcasing your colorful 'tomatinis' or the more subtle, olive-hued classics. They have an extra thick rim which is ideal for extra garnishes.
Create your own dramatic ice spheres using wine, edible flowers or whole fruits for a beautiful effect in drinks and to have on display.
Perfect for serving up all of your summer food trends from sardines to garden salads, this bright statement platter comes in a range of designs and is made by artisans on the Amalfi Coast in Italy.
Whether you’re scooping wine-soaked ice cream, layering strawberries into milk bread, or tossing garden herbs into a briny martini, this summer's food trends are all about fun, fresh flavor. The vibe is relaxed, seasonal, and just a little unexpected.
Bring these together to complete your event, whether you're going for a classic summer gathering, a garden party theme or an outdoor evening party.
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