Trends spotlight: what's on UK restaurant menus

Elevated Mexican

Mexican food is now beginning to get its time in the limelight in UK restaurants, and for good reason. Named by UNESCO as one of only four cuisines with an 'Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity', their food tradition dates back centuries. The ingredients themselves are simple - typically corn, beans, cheaper cuts of meat that are stewed and cooked slowly to give them a delicate texture.

Mentioned in the 2024 Michelin guide, Cavita restaurant in London turns these humble ingredients into punchy and vibrant elevated street food dishes. Their quesabirra taco (a mixture of a taco and a quesadilla) is made with their own homemade corn tortillas, slow-cooked meat and a 3-day-to-prep adobo sauce for dipping, not to mention the golden cheese crust that runs through the middle. Check out our video below to see the dish in all its glory.

Now try our birria tacos for a taste of the trend from home, then discover more taco recipes. For even more inspiration, our Mexican recipes and vegetarian Mexican recipes will give you plenty of ways to cook up a Mexican feast.

Unique citrus fruit

Gone are the days of lemons, limes and oranges being the main citrus offering in restaurants. Many of the varieties native to Asia and Australia are gaining popularity in the UK, such as the likes of yuzu - a highly aromatic citrus originating in China, kumquat - similar in appearance to an orange, but much smaller, and bergamot - a citrus the size of an orange with a distinct fragrancy that you may recognise from earl grey tea but which is now developing its own voice in salad dressings and marinades.

Toklas restaurant in London have a strong relationship with Todoli Citrus Fundacio, a citrus farm in Valencia who grow over 400 varieties or rare and unique citrus fruits. These fruits make their way onto the Toklas menu from October onwards each year, used in both the restaurant and the bakery. Watch the video below to see them use sudachi, a Japanese citrus even zestier than limes, and finger limes, thin jalapeño-shaped fruit filled with tiny pearl-like beads of juice.

For a taste of this at home, try Gurdeep Loyal's creamy tomato gnocchi with yuzu kosho aubergines, then try our sake cider fizz with yuzu and earl grey and yogurt madeleines. Read more about bergamot in cooking.

Confit garlic

This humble allium skyrockets the flavour profile of a dish. A common ingredient in Mediterranean cooking, its efficacy is in its simplicity – add it to pan-fried veg or meat with a generous pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper for a punch of flavour. Almost universally adored, garlic-laden dishes never fail to go down a treat.

The more the merrier when it comes to garlic in cooking – on socials recently, you might have seen the 40 garlic clove chicken trend. The longer garlic is cooked for, the more its sweet flavour and soft texture comes forward, and any bitterness or astringency is lost. Modern European restaurant Carousel makes the most of this with its sprouting broccoli with a velvety confit garlic dressing, topped with plenty of parmesan. Try our garlic and rosemary roast potatoes, green beans with confit garlic and tahini dressing and confit garlic with roasted tomatoes on toast for a taste of the trend at home.

Apart from its pungent taste, garlic also helps you maintain a healthy gut and may help prevent or reduce symptoms of the common cold. Keep colds (and vampires) at bay this autumn season with all of our easy garlic recipes, then bookmark our wild garlic recipes ready for next spring.

Pumpkin spice

Pumpkin spice has become synonymous with the start of the cosy season – you can't step foot in any café in autumn without seeing recipes showcasing this warming spice blend. The very first pumpkin spice latte (PSL) was created by Starbucks in 2003 and each year we see more creative spins on this now-iconic flavour, with no signs of it slowing down.

Purveyors of luxury chocolate drinks Knoops have put their own cocoa spin on the popular trend with their new pumpkin spice hot chocolate. Using only real spices, this warming mix embodies the flavours of the season with ginger, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and all spice. Watch our video below to see us try the trend, then try our classic pumpkin spice latte, as well as our spiced pumpkin tart for an elegant entertaining dessert, or our soft cheese-topped spiced pumpkin muffins. For more autumn season inspiration, discover our pumpkin recipes.

Charred leeks

An incredibly versatile vegetable, the humble leek is getting its well-deserved time in the limelight at the start of its peak season in October. They're a member of the onion family, and charring them brings out their delicate silky texture and sweet flavour, as well as a wonderful smokiness.

The team at Acme Fire Cult serve their coal-roasted version atop a creamy pistachio romesco for a delightfully green, veg-forward dish that's a firm favourite on their menu. It's such a fan fave that Acme chef Daniel Watkins brought the recipe to the menu of the recently opened, plant-based Holy Carrot restaurant in Notting Hill.

For similar recipes to try at home, discover our ash-roasted leeks, caper and tarragon dressing, roasted skate wing with charred leeks and samphire and lemon chicken with charred leeks and fennel. Discover our favourite leek recipes for more inspiration.

Smacked cucumbers

Cucumbers have taken over our social media lately, and one of our favourite ways to enjoy this newly popular veg is by making smacked cucumbers. A traditionally Asian dish, cucumbers are chopped into rough chunks and smacked open to be able to absorb dressing better. Usually tossed in a chilli oil or sesame dressing, it creates a mouthwatering combination of cool cucumber against fiery heat. We headed to Dream Xi'an in Tower Hill to try their version – see the video below. For more global twists on the trend, try smacked cucumbers served with creamy tahini and chilli crunch at Bubala, or dressed in a unique szechuan ají oil and sesame at Pachamama. Smacked cucumbers are often a snack or starter, but at Kin in Farringdon they're incorporated into a main dish in a Sichuan style chicken (or tofu) with smacked cucumber and radish salad and tossed with cold rice noodles in a sesame, garlic and chilli dressing.

This is an easy trend to recreate at home and we've got plenty of recipes – from classic smacked cucumbers to an upgraded recipe for smacked cucumbers with a cheats xo sauce. Try stir-fried smacked cucumbers for a quick warm snack that's great with pre-dinner drinks.

Rice pudding

As summer ends and we head into autumn, some of our favourite restaurants are adding cosy new dishes to their menus. Rice pudding is a retro classic that never goes out of style, and it's perfect for this time of year. But, it's getting a modern update, too. Café Britaly fuses British and Italian cuisine with rice pudding arancini – we headed there to try it for ourselves, below. Newly opened Cornus in Belgravia launched its dessert menu with creamed rice pudding with caramelised oat milk, cherries and cherry ripple ice cream. Rice pudding isn't just a British classic, either: Kolamba East serves paysaam from the north of Sri Lanka, a take on rice pudding that's made with cinnamon and raisins. In Edinburgh, renowned Lannan Bakery offers a Alphonso mango, coconut rice pudding, lime leaf and rhum agricole danish pastry for a decadent elevenses treat.

Enjoy rice pudding in the comfort of your own home with our recipes, like classic rice pudding, fragrant cardamom rice pudding or cheat's halva-topped rice pudding for a quick fix.

Super sandwiches

Artisan bakeries and dedicated sandwich shops have transformed the sandwich game, frequently going viral on social media with supersized creations loaded with layers of fillings and unique flavour twists. We headed to iconic Max's Sandwich Shop to try some for ourselves – see our video below. Sandwich Sandwich has been an institution in Bristol and recently opened its first London branch, serving up giant sandwiches with huge quantities of filling (think coronation chicken, hoisin pulled pork or tuna crunch) tucked in between fluffy slices of white or granary bread. Head to Popham's Bakery for its Sloppy Joe sandwich filled with ragu, crunchy spicy cabbage slaw, Emmental cheese and mustard mayo, or try Bombay Bustle in Mayfair for the loaded pao, soft homemade buns filled with nostalgic flavours. Try the Kanda Bhajiya Pao with crispy onion fritters, mint and tamarind chutney or the the Amitaaari Fish Pao with spiced cod, sautéed onion and tartare sauce.

Make some mega sandwiches at home with our recipes: try our supercharged egg mayo sarnie, an indulgent green chilli grilled cheese or a towering instant ramen po'boy prawn sando.

Tapas and vermouth on tap

Aperitivo hour has had a chic upgrade with vermouth on tap and tinned fish delicacies appearing on restaurant menus. We headed to Tollingtons Fish Bar in Finsbury Park to try pickled anchovies, grilled sardines and vermouth on tap to wash it down. At Sabor, the tapas menu has a selection of fishy snacks to choose from, including lardo, anchovies and picos and a whole section dedicated to premium tinned Galician seafood, including scallops and sardines. Vermouth on tap can also be found at Bar 44 Cardiff. Pair it with an order of boquerones – butterflied pickled Cantabrian anchovies dusted with sumac. Try anchovies in fried form with Café Cecilia's sage and anchovy fritti or skewered with olives for gildas at Quality Wines.

To create the vibe at home, check out our best vermouth cocktails. At your next get-together, serve up our sage and anchovy fritti recipe.

Unusual ice cream flavours

This summer, ice cream is taking a turn for the unexpected, with unusual new flavours taking their place in freezers, restaurants and ice cream shops around the country. Taking inspiration from herbs and flowers, vegetables, storecupboard ingredients and condiments, and even a taste of the sea, there's an unusual ice cream for everyone this summer.

We headed to Fortnum & Mason to try some unusual ice creams for ourselves. Fortnum & Mason has taken its signature eau de nil colour and transformed it into bright silky soft serve, with a minty flavour inspired by iconic Blackpool rock. A classic chocolate flake has even been swapped out, with the soft serve garnished with a stick of rock instead. Elsewhere, at The Ice Cream Project by Anya Hindmarch, flavours inspired by cult brands included ice creams made with Kikkoman soy sauce, Filippo Berio pesto, Perello olives and even Sarson's vinegar. For those who prefer to stick to the sweeter side, Bird's custard ice cream and McVitie's Penguins or Jaffa Cakes have also been transformed into frozen form. Wilson's in Bristol serves up a unique oyster ice cream, topped with a bright rhubarb vinaigrette, whilst Gelupo in London served up fig leaf ice cream in August.

To recreate at home, try our tarragon ice cream recipe or gently spice up a classic with this smooth chocolate and black pepper gelato.

Gourmet dips

This year, dips have had an upgrade and plain hummus and guac have been considerably elevated. Whether you're packing for a picnic, looking for snacks to go with drinks when hosting friends, or ordering nibbles to kick off a restaurant meal, gourmet dips are everywhere. We headed to OMA, a Greek restaurant in Borough Market, to try some gourmet dips for ourselves. The menu has a selection of spreads to choose from, including baba ghanoush and tahini with Jerusalem artichoke crisps, or tarama topped with pickled cucumber, carob rusks. Don't miss the hot crisps and fluffy bread for dunking. You can also try whipped sheep's cheese topped with hot honey at Yasmin, fresh cheese dips at Bavette Bistro in Leeds and beetroot pesto at The Laundry in Brixton.

Make our gourmet dips at home with these queso fundido, hummus labneh and muhammara recipes.

Matcha

Matcha is popping up everywhere across the UK, with interest in its health benefits as well as its delicious taste. Matcha has a grassy, slightly sweet and nutty flavour, which pairs well with white chocolate, mango, strawberry and more. Matcha's eye-catching, vibrant green hue makes it great for Instagram posts – as a result, coffee shops and cafés are getting increasingly creative with flavour combinations and swirled toppings.

We visited some of our favourite matcha spots in London. Konveni Matcha Café is a matcha specialty café with a mission ‘to introduce people to the true taste of matcha’. You can choose from three grades of matcha powder, ranging from the house blend; a rare, handpicked blend; and an intense blend – there's something for matcha beginners and enthusiasts alike. Tsujiri offers a wide range of matcha drinks and desserts. The floats are very popular, with the strawberry matcha float being a favourite. Jenki highlights the health benefits of drinking matcha, with the menu offering additions to complement that. The calming lavender and CBD is floral and sweet, and the immune-boosting ginger and turmeric is spiced and warming.