India's food scene in 2025 was a flavour packed celebration of creativity, global influences, and social media madness. From indulgent Middle Eastern desserts to experimental crossovers that nobody saw coming, this year proved how rapidly Indian food culture is evolving. What began as niche trends on Instagram reels, soon turned into full-blown obsessions, making their way into cafes, street-food menus, home kitchens, and restaurants.

These seven viral sensations defined what India ate, posted, and craved in 2025.

1. Kunafa Everything

Kunafa was not just a dessert in 2025, it was a movement. After trending across reels, the Middle Eastern delicacy exploded into the Indian mainstream this year. What made it viral was the way chefs and home bakers experimented with it. Suddenly, every café had a Kunafa Cheesecake, Kunafa Pastry Cups, Kunafa-Stuffed Croissants, and even Kunafa Milk Cake. The classic shredded phyllo crust and stretchy molten cheese were infused with flavours like lotus biscoff, gulab jamun, pistachio cream, chocolate hazelnut and saffron. The crackle of kunafa became one of the most popular “food ASMR moments” online, further fueling its popularity.

2. Korean Street Food

ndia’s love for Korean food continued even in 2025. This year, it volved beyond ramyeon and corndogs. A refreshed wave of Korean street-food went viral in this year. Popular picks involved tteokbokki, korean cheese garlic buns, and K-style fried chicken. This trend exploded because of its high “video value.” The stretchy cheese, bold sauces, fiery textures and dramatic plating made it irresistible for reels and shorts.

3. Cloud Coffee

After the dalgona wave in 2020, many thought coffee couldn’t get trendier, until Cloud Coffee 2.0 took over India in 2025. The new version moved beyond whipped coffee. It introduced airy, cotton-candy-like foam made using milk proteins or plant-based creamers. Cafes embraced playful versions like rose cloud latte, blue pea vanilla cloud coffee, caramel cloud cold brew, and matcha cloud fusion drinks. The aesthetic of soft pastel colours, dreamy visuals, and swirling foam, was everything. The trend went viral because it was highly “Instagrammable,” easy to recreate at home and offered a refreshing twist on regular cafe beverages.

4. The Matcha Revolution

Matcha had been around for years, but 2025 was the year India embraced it fully. What started as a niche wellness drink became a mainstream café essential, thanks to Gen Z consumers pushing the trend aggressively on social media. Indian cafés introduced matcha kulfi, matcha rasmalai, and even matcha-chai hybrid. The health appeal also played a major role. With more Indians shifting to anti-anxiety beverages and alternatives to coffee, matcha gained massive traction. Influencers promoted it as an energy stabilizer, and nutritionists highlighted its antioxidants and slow-release caffeine benefits.

5. Retro Mithai Revamps

2025 saw a beautiful revival of India’s traditional mithai, but with modern, stylish makeovers. Desserts like jalebi, rasgulla, sandesh, mysore pak, and motichoor ladoo were transformed into gourmet versions that thrilled both nostalgic food lovers and new-age dessert fans. Some of these trending creations included, jalebi cheesecake jars, mysore pak truffles, motichoor tiramisu, and matcha barfi. These revamps became viral on Instagram because they combined visual appeal with the comfort of familiar flavours. Many bakeries also launched festive boxes featuring fusion mithai, making them popular for gifting and celebrations.

6. Loaded Pav

Pav-based dishes got the biggest glow-up of the year. From street vendors to gourmet food trucks, everyone found ways to reinvent pav beyond vada pav and bhaji pav. Loaded Pav became a viral trend because it offered the perfect mix of comfort food and modern flair. Variants included cheesy tandoori loaded pav, swicy butter pav, lasooni pav, and more. Influencers posted ASMR-style videos of butter-drenched pav sizzling on tavas, which triggered massive national cravings.

7. The Rise Of Swicy

2025 was the year India officially embraced the global swicy trend. The trend is all about embracing the perfect blend of sweet and spicy flavours. Swicy dishes like swicy chicken wings, swicy fries, honey-chilli tofu, and more popped up everywhere. Indians loved the trend because it matched the country’s natural love for spice and balanced sweetness. It appealed to Gen Z and millennials who enjoy bold, dramatic flavours that also look great on camera.