Data from Tastewise UK earlier this year showed online conversations around “authentic regional cuisine” had increased 39% year-on-year, while regional menu items themselves were up 10.4%.
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The figures, highlighted in Bidfood’s latest food and drink trends research, suggested customers were becoming more interested in the provinces behind already established cuisines.
As a result, focus has shifted from broader cuisines such as Italian, Chinese and Indian towards regional plates, with Bidfood highlighting Sicilian, Cantonese, Sichuan and Keralan food among the areas to watch.
Bidfood highlighted Basque pintxos, Tuscan white bean stew and Northern Thai khao soi among the dishes operators could explore.
However, venues do not need to make drastic menu changes to test whether more regional food will appeal to their customers, it said.
Something new
Bidfood advised pubs to focus on one region at a time through limited-time offers, themed menus, rotating showcases, specials or a regional dish of the week.
The shift comes as customers continue to show an appetite for trying something new when eating out.
More than a quarter (26%) said a flavour or ingredient they had not tried before would encourage them to choose a new dish, according to a Bidfood and Yonder Omnibus Survey from June 2026.
Vietnamese and Middle Eastern food were also identified as cuisines gaining ground, with Tastewise UK figures showing interest in Vietnamese menu items was up 65% year-on-year, while Middle Eastern menu items were up 15.2%.
Bidfood head of corporate marketing and insight Catherine Hinchcliff said Middle Eastern food in particular was becoming relevant across a wider range of settings and increasingly moving into the mainstream.
She said pubs could introduce those flavours through recognisable formats, with Bidfood highlighting bánh mì, pho, noodle bowls and summer rolls for Vietnamese food alongside mezze, shawarma, flatbreads and salads for Middle Eastern dishes.
Quality and experience
The growing interest in regional food also extends to where dishes and ingredients come from.
Lumina Intelligence research, cited by Bidfood, found 70% of consumers were more likely to trust products that came from places known for producing them.
Furthermore, 55% agreed knowing the exact farm or region an ingredient came from helped them decide what to buy.
For pubs, this could mean making greater use of menu descriptions to explain a dish’s regional origins, ingredients or the story behind it rather than simply giving it a broad cuisine label.
Hinchcliff added quality and experience were also becoming more of a priority for customers deciding where to spend their money eating out.
“It’s all about perceived value. It’s not just about a cheap price,” she said.
