The inaugural 2025 Forks and Searches report has taken a data deep-dive into Australian food trends, analysing TripAdvisor and Google searches in order to understand what people are searching for most.
The report from CupoNation has uncovered the sharp rise in cultural curiosity, regional preferences, and shifts in what is trending within the Australian hospitality industry.
Japanese has remained the most searched for cuisine, with 220,000 months searches – which is more than Italian, French, Indian, Korean and Vietnamese combined.
In fact, across seven of eight states and territories, Japanese cuisine leads in search popularity, except for South Australia, where North Indian food tops the charts.
But despite this interest, Japanese restaurants only rank eighth in terms of restaurant availability across Australia.
Meanwhile, the fastest-growing search for a cuisine is actually Ethiopian, with searches up 2767 per cent year-on-year. It signals a nationwide appetite for spice-rich, communal dining experiences, says CupoNation.
Similarly, interest in “cuisine nouvelle” (a lighter style of classic French cuisine, which developed in the 1960s and 70s) is up 1,600 per cent, suggesting a renewed curiosity for modern, artistic interpretations of traditional French cooking, says CupoNation.
According to the data, chicken is the most common protein you’ll find on Australian menus. Meanwhile, salads appear on more menus than beef, pork, fish or even desserts, according to TripAdvisor data from 23,706 restaurants.
CupNation Account Management Head Creed Van Ryt said Australians may be feeling the pinch, but they’re not losing their appetite for discovery.
“From the meteoric rise of Ethiopian cuisine to Adelaide’s unexpected edge in culinary curiosity, the data shows that we’re a nation eager to explore flavours that surprise and connect us,” says Van Ryt.
“Even in challenging times, food remains one of the most joyful ways we express culture, community, and creativity.”
According to a new report from SevenRooms, around two in five of people (42 per cent) dine out at least three times a month. In Sydney, that number is even higher, at one in two people (55 per cent).
Interest in Monday reservations has surged 152 per cent over the past year. More than half of bookings are made at the last minute, CupoNation found, which indicates dining out has shifted from special occasions to a weekly routine.
Dining and Cooking