A Global Taste Tour Through Innovation, Culture & Connection
From London’s reborn supper clubs to sushi robots in Manchester and fish sommeliers in Berlin, 2025 is shaping up to be a year where food is more than just fuel — it’s a gateway to culture, connection, and unforgettable destinations.
Whether you’re looking for the next must-visit café or curious about how tech is changing kitchens worldwide, here’s your inside look at seven trends shaping how — and where — we eat.
Supper Clubs Are the New Night Out
Where: London (West End, East London, Nunhead)
Why go: These are more than meals — they're immersive cultural moments that offer a new way to meet the city and its people.
Young diners in London are skipping the apps and heading to supper clubs for real-world connections and creative energy. These intimate dining experiences are breathing new life into neighborhoods across the city.
In Bayswater, West London, The Candid Club transforms the Columbia Hotel into a fashion-meets-food spectacle, with catwalks between tables and menus by rising TikTok-famous chefs.
East London’s Hackney Wick is home to 2sday Supper Club, a creative gathering point for women in the arts and media scene — think tortilla chips with burnt pineapple salsa and horchata ice cream.
And in Nunhead, a leafy pocket of South East London, Dinner for One Hundred (D4100) hosts lively pizza-fuelled singles nights that feel like dinner party-meets-speed-dating.
Automation Gets a Human Check
Where: London, Manchester, Brighton
Why go: Get a firsthand look at how today’s food chains are blending smart tech with human hospitality — giving travellers a taste of the future of fast-casual dining, where efficiency meets genuine service.
Across the UK, food chains like Itsu are rethinking the role of robots in hospitality. After rolling out self-service kiosks in all 83 locations, including major sites in Oxford Circus, Spinningfields (Manchester) and Brighton’s North Laine, the chain is now reintroducing staffed tills due to customer feedback.
Founder Julian Metcalfe admits that while behind-the-scenes tech (like sushi robots) has helped speed prep, diners still crave eye contact, small talk, and real-time help when ordering.
Grocery Delivery’s Growing Pains
Where: UK (London, Birmingham), Germany (Berlin), France (Paris)
Why go: Cities across Europe are becoming live case studies in how food, tech, and local culture collide — and travellers can witness the growing pains (and innovations) firsthand.
From Deliveroo’s London headquarters to Getir’s fading footprint in Berlin, grocery delivery startups are facing real logistical hurdles as they try to become everyday essentials.
The idea: groceries on demand, delivered in minutes. The reality? In cities like Paris, local stores are fighting back with their own express services. In London, apps like Deliveroo are competing with supermarket-backed offerings like Tesco Whoosh and Ocado Zoom — but delivering a full basket of groceries isn’t as simple as takeaway.
De-Spicing the Menu
Where: London, Berlin, Copenhagen
Why go: It’s the perfect moment to explore spice-forward cuisines — without fear of needing a fire extinguisher. Ideal for the adventurous, but flavour-focused, traveller.
The global obsession with extreme heat is cooling down. In response to customer feedback, chefs across Europe are dialing down the fire — not to bland, but to balance.
In London, Thai restaurants in Peckham and Indo-Chinese spots in Soho are reworking dishes to spotlight layered flavours rather than overwhelming spice. Similarly in Berlin’s Kreuzberg and Copenhagen’s Nørrebro, menus are shifting from shock factor to sophistication.
Fish Gets the Spotlight
Where: London, Berlin, Hamburg, Amsterdam
Why go: It’s the ultimate culinary adventure for conscious eaters — a rare chance to taste the ocean’s full spectrum.
Meet Andrej Urosevic, the fish sommelier on a mission to cook all 36,000+ species — and he’s doing it across Europe. Based in London, with regular collaborations in Berlin’s Markthalle Neun and Hamburg’s HafenCity, Urosevic is pushing sustainable seafood into the spotlight.
From goldfish to tope shark (ethically sourced as bycatch from Billingsgate Market), his dishes highlight underused species and challenge diners to think beyond cod and tuna. Private tastings and pop-ups happen in cities like Amsterdam, where foodie travellers can try species they’ve never even heard of.
Pistachio Cream: The Pantry Upgrade
Where: London, Milan, Rome, Paris
Why go: A jar of pistachio cream is a travel-sized luxury — easy to pack, impossible to forget. Bonus points if you taste it in the country where it’s made.
Pistachio cream has gone global. Once a niche ingredient, it’s now a cult favourite across Europe’s specialty stores and cafés. In London, find Scyavuru’s Crunchy Pistachio Cream at Eataly (Liverpool Street), Pasta Evangelists, or boutique grocers in Notting Hill and Marylebone.
In Milan, head to Peck for a luxe selection of spreads, or stock up at La Rinascente food hall. In Paris, Maison Plisson carries pistachio cream for the perfect post-market breakfast.
London's Best Bacon Sandwich Lives in a Cabbie Café
Where: Westminster, London (near Regency Street)
Why go: It’s London comfort food at its purest — and the perfect local pit stop between galleries or shopping sprees.
Just behind the chaos of Victoria Station, The Astral Café is a black cab driver’s best-kept secret. Tucked off Regency Street in Westminster, it’s a slice of old-school London with Formica tables, velvet paintings, and the best bacon sandwich in town.
No avocado, no artisan bread — just two layers of white sliced, lashings of Anchor butter, and crispy bacon sourced from the same supplier used by RAF bases.
The Takeaway: A New Era of Food, Travel & Taste
Food in 2025 is more than what’s on your plate — it’s about where you are, who you’re with, and the stories behind the ingredients. Whether you’re planning a long weekend in London, a culinary stopover in Berlin, or an indulgent food haul from Milan, the trends of the year point to one thing: intentional, exciting, hyper-local travel experiences built around what we love to eat.
Are you ready to take your business beyond traditional consulting and into the real world of food innovation? Get in touch and start your journey today.
About A2D World
Through three decades, A2D World has been at the forefront of creating unparalleled travel experiences for both private and corporate clients. Our mission is to provide easy and reliable access to unique and meaningful experiences, connecting clients to some of the most inspiring people and places globally. With a passionate, multi-talented, and multilingual team, we bring decades of expertise in travel, hospitality, innovation, and service.
At A2D World, we believe that experiencing innovation firsthand is far more valuable than relying on traditional consulting firms. Our Food Innovation Travel concept is designed to provide you with tangible insights, direct connections, and actionable strategies—without the hefty consultant fees.
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