If July’s trends were defined by tropical flair and cinematic food moments, August takes a quirkier turn. This month’s top 10 food (and food-inspired) trends span beloved traditions and bizarre internet sensations, often blurring the line between culinary culture and pop culture. From nostalgic treats making global comebacks to viral memes with a foodie twist, here are August 2025’s must-know food trends:
1. Anpan: Nostalgic Japanese Sweet Bun Revival
Anpan (あんぱん) is a classic Japanese sweet roll filled with anko (sweet red bean paste) and often topped with a few black sesame seeds. This century-old treat is finding new life as a global comfort food trend. Home bakers on social media are trying their hand at fluffy homemade anpan, charmed by its pillowy texture and subtle sweetness. Meanwhile, Japanese bakeries worldwide report a surge in demand for the nostalgic bun as foodies seek out authentic anko-filled delights. The anpan revival shows how a traditional treat can capture modern hearts – one soft, bean-filled bite at a time.
2. Labubu Coca-Cola: Pop Collectible Meets Fizzy Pop
When designer toys collide with iconic soda, you get the Labubu x Coca-Cola craze. Labubu, a mischievous monster character from Pop Mart’s collectible series, has surged in popularity since 2024 – and now it’s teamed up with Coca-Cola in a limited-edition collab. The result? Adorable Labubu figurines peeking out of Coca-Cola cans and bottles, sending both toy collectors and soda fans into a frenzy. This quirky crossover even landed a spotlight on national TV, proving that a collectible drink collab can go mainstream. With one Labubu toy reportedly fetching over $10,000 at auction (yes, really!), the Labubu Coca-Cola series embodies the meeting of pop culture and pop drinks, turning a simple sip into a collectible experience.
3. Soda Pop Comeback: Fizzy Nostalgia with a Healthy Twist
Soda Pop is back in the limelight – but not in the sugary way you remember. Brands are reinventing soda for the wellness era, offering craft sodas that are lower in sugar and boosted with feel-good ingredients. Think vintage soda flavors reimagined with modern health perks: prebiotics, botanical infusions, and natural sweeteners. Trendy brands are leading this fizzy revival, pitching sodas that serve up nostalgic flavor without the guilt. Health-conscious consumers are embracing these “better-for-you” sodas as small indulgences that balance comfort with wellness. In short, the humble soda pop is trending again – freshly reformulated, functional, and fizzing with nostalgia.
4. “Espresso Macchiato”: Eurovision’s Caffeinated Meme Hit
Leave it to Eurovision to turn a coffee order into a viral sensation. “Espresso Macchiato” isn’t just a drink – it’s the title of Estonian artist Tommy Cash’s outrageous hit song that took the Eurovision 2025 stage by storm. This hyper-caffeinated track is an absurd, earwormy homage to Italian coffee culture, complete with over-the-top staging (imagine dancing baristas and spaghetti choreography). Critics called the song “infernally catchy” and noted it perfectly captures the surreal humor of the “Italian brainrot” meme trend. Despite (or because of) its tongue-in-cheek stereotyping, Espresso Macchiato became a fan favorite, proving that in 2025 a foodie meme song can become a bona fide pop hit. The result is a cultural crossover: part coffee joke, part internet meme, and 100% stuck in your head.
5. “Gà Săn Cá”: Vietnam’s Viral Chicken-and-Fish Ballad
Don’t let the literal meaning (“chicken hunts fish”) fool you – “Gà Săn Cá” is actually a Vietnamese song that’s become a viral sensation this month. This heartfelt track, with its nostalgic melody and emotional lyrics, has struck a major chord on Vietnamese social media. TikTok users are belting it out in karaoke challenges, and the hashtag #gasanca is flooded with clips of people singing or reacting to the song’s wistful vibes. Interestingly, the quirky title has given the song a memetic boost among global listeners, who are curious about the “chicken and fish” reference. In a country where food is culture, even a song named after a fanciful dish can spark a cultural moment. Gà Săn Cá shows how a viral tune (with a foodie name) can bring people together through shared nostalgia and a bit of fun linguistic intrigue.
6. Almond Chocolate: When K-Pop Meets Dessert
What do you get when a rising K-pop girl group launches a song about sweets? A full-on dessert craze. “Almond Chocolate” is the bubbly pop track by rookie group ILLIT, and it’s more than just a catchy tune – it sparked a foodie collaboration frenzy. In Seoul, the song’s release was celebrated with an “Almond Chocolate” pop-up: fans flocked to Shinsegae department store to indulge in Almond Chocolate-themed churros, donuts and fizzy blue drinks in honor of their idols. Meanwhile, the song itself has been climbing charts across Asia, even cracking the top 10 on Japanese music rankings and Billboard charts. The phenomenon blurs the line between snack and soundtrack. With ILLIT even appearing on dessert billboards and partnering on limited-edition sweets, Almond Chocolate exemplifies how food and K-pop are teaming up to create the ultimate sugar rush – for both your ears and your taste buds.
7. Candy Cookie Chocolate: Viral Vocaloid Sugar Rush
It sounds like a kid’s tongue twister, and it’s taking the internet by storm. “Candy Cookie Chocolate” is a high-energy Vocaloid song (featuring virtual pop star Hatsune Miku) that has become the soundtrack to a viral meme trend. The song’s chorus – a rapid-fire chant of sugary treats – spawned an “animation meme” on TikTok where creators animate cutesy characters or cosplay along to the beat. With its saccharine, hyperactive vibe, Candy Cookie Chocolate hit a sweet spot in online culture. Even more intriguingly, fans discovered that the colored letters in the title spell out C-H-A-N-E-L, adding a dash of mystery (or marketing?) to the mix. Regardless, this meme-able track has thousands of people humming “candy, cookie, chocolate!” on loop. It’s official: hyper-cute J-pop and internet animation have combined to give us a sugar high that’s as infectious as it is indulgent.
8. Escoffier Renaissance: Old-School Culinary Cool
In a food world obsessed with the next big thing, the classics are cool again. Escoffier – as in Auguste Escoffier, the legendary French chef who codified modern cuisine – is having a moment. The prestigious Escoffier School of Culinary Arts (named after him) just earned the top spot on Newsweek’s 2025 education rankings, sparking fresh interest in old-school culinary technique. Chefs and foodies on forums are swapping notes on Escoffier’s traditional recipes (think mother sauces and elaborate garnishes), and TikTok cooking teachers are rebranding French fundamentals for Gen Z. It’s a trend of back to basics: in the midst of lab-grown meats and AI recipes, there’s comfort (and clout) in mastering the foundations of cuisine. Even high-end restaurants are touting Escoffier-inspired tasting menus, proving that sometimes the hottest trend is a century-old playbook – revamped for 2025 sensibilities.
9. Italian Brainrot: Absurdist Food Meme Craze
This one isn’t a dish – it’s a bizarre meme with a name only Gen Z could love. Italian Brainrot refers to a surreal series of internet memes that exploded in early 2025, featuring freaky AI-generated creatures with faux-Italian names and storylines. What’s it got to do with food? Plenty, as many of these grotesque-cute characters mash up animals with food items (think spaghetti-snail hybrids or pizza-pandas) in a nightmarishly funny way. These memes come with over-the-top Italian-accented voiceovers and nonsensical “recipes” for chaos, embodying a post-ironic humor that’s so weird you can’t look away. The trend caught fire on TikTok and Instagram, effectively becoming the digital junk food of memes – zero nutritional value, but everyone’s addicted. It’s even seeped into real life: you’ll find prank menu items or food truck specials referencing Italian Brainrot characters. In a world that’s sometimes too serious, this absurdist meme cuisine is the comic relief we didn’t know we needed.
10. Morango do Amor: Brazil’s Candied Strawberry Seduction
Step aside, tanghulu – there’s a new candied fruit stealing the spotlight. Morango do Amor, literally “Strawberry of Love,” is a traditional Brazilian candied strawberry that’s gone viral worldwide. These are fresh strawberries dipped in hard caramelized sugar (often dyed a seductive red) and served on a stick – a staple at Brazilian festivals now captivating sweet tooths everywhere. This month, TikTok creators from São Paulo to San Francisco have been trying the trend, either making their own or hunting down Brazilian vendors. A video tutorial by a popular food vlogger on how to make Morango do Amor racked up millions of views, and an Instagram clip proudly dubbed it “the viral Brazilian Morango de Amor”. Part of its appeal is visual: the glossy, glass-like candy shell is pure eye candy (pun intended), cracking open to juicy fruit beneath. It’s the perfect mix of aesthetic and delicious, and it taps into the broader candied-fruit craze. From county fairs to foodie feeds, these Brazilian candied strawberries are spreading love one crunchy bite at a time.