Let’s be honest. We all have a soft spot for a touch of “good taste.”
It might be that artisanal candle you picked up on a weekend trip, or the carefully arranged charcuterie board you posted on Instagram.
But here’s the thing. What once screamed sophistication now sometimes feels a bit stale.
Cultural markers of refined living evolve faster than most people realize.
What felt aspirational in 2010 can easily feel out of touch in 2025.
Let’s look at ten things the upper-middle-class still hold up as signs of good taste that no longer carry the same weight.
1) Wine knowledge as a social flex
Once upon a time, being the person who could distinguish between a Bordeaux and a Burgundy earned you nods of admiration.
Now it feels a little tired.
The days when wine knowledge was the ultimate sign of sophistication are fading.
People care less about memorizing appellations and more about genuine curiosity.
They want to know how a drink fits into a moment.
I’ve met people who can list vintages but never once asked where the grapes came from or who picked them.
Compare that to the new generation of drinkers who might bring a natural orange wine to dinner and talk about soil health instead of tannins.
The real sign of taste today is not knowing about wine.
It’s caring about the story behind it.
2) Fine dining as the default definition of “good food”
For decades, the upper-middle-class equated taste with white tablecloths, amuse-bouches, and courses that came with long French names.
But fine dining’s aura has dimmed.
Yes, it can still be amazing. I spent years in that world, and when done well, it’s pure art.
But the old hierarchy that placed tasting menus above everything else feels outdated.
Now the best meals might come from a food truck run by a couple who pour their hearts into their recipes, or a hole-in-the-wall ramen bar that locals swear by.
Authenticity, heart, and connection have replaced exclusivity as the real indicators of taste.
Good food is no longer about how much it costs or how many Michelin stars it has.
It’s about how it makes you feel.
3) Owning “statement” kitchen appliances
There was a time when having a gleaming $7,000 espresso machine or a six-burner range signaled you had made it.
But those things quietly stopped impressing people.
Partly because everyone has seen them now on Pinterest boards, design shows, and influencer kitchen tours.
And partly because many of those machines get used once a week at best.
Taste isn’t about hardware anymore. It’s about habits.
The person who brews a simple cup of pour-over coffee every morning because they love the ritual is far more interesting than someone who bought a chrome beast they barely touch.
4) The “farm-to-table” brag
I love a good farm-to-table meal. Who doesn’t?
But when the phrase itself becomes a status signal, it starts to lose meaning.
Farm-to-table used to represent conscientious eating and a connection to the land.
But now that every restaurant menu boasts “locally sourced organic ingredients,” it feels more like marketing copy than genuine ethos.
Real taste today lies in the follow-through, not just where you eat but how you live.
Are you actually supporting local producers? Reducing waste? Cooking seasonally at home?
Those things matter more than casually mentioning that your kale came from a boutique urban farm.
5) Collecting cookbooks as décor
I’m all for beautiful books, but let’s be honest. For many people, that $70 hardcover with the minimalist cover never gets opened.
The cookbook shelf became a status symbol somewhere along the way.
The glossy covers say, “I appreciate culture and cuisine.”
But often, the only page that’s ever been flipped is the one with the author’s photo.
Taste isn’t about owning knowledge anymore. It’s about using it.
Cookbooks should have flour on them, pages stained with sauce, corners folded.
If they don’t, they’re just lifestyle props.
The more meaningful flex today is inviting friends over and cooking something imperfect but full of love.
6) Talking about “traveling for the food”
You’ve heard it before. “We went to Italy for the pasta.” “We only eat sushi in Tokyo.” “You haven’t lived until you’ve had Parisian bread.”
I get it. Food travel is incredible. It shaped who I am.
But the humblebrag about culinary pilgrimages has lost its charm.
Taste has gone global.
You can find authentic Neapolitan pizza in Seoul, world-class sushi in São Paulo, and Ethiopian food that will blow your mind in Berlin.
The new sign of taste isn’t where you’ve eaten.
It’s how open you are to discovering great food where you are.
The person who can find joy in a neighborhood taqueria or a home-cooked meal from a friend’s grandma? That’s real taste.
7) Luxury branding on everyday items
There was a time when a Louis Vuitton travel mug or a Gucci sneaker said, “I appreciate fine things.”
Now they mostly say, “I’m trying too hard.”
Luxury has shifted. Quiet luxury isn’t just about neutral tones and minimalism. It’s about subtlety and confidence.
People with real taste don’t need the logo to speak for them.
The loud brand flex has aged out.
The understated choices, like a well-made no-name leather wallet or a perfectly tailored jacket from an independent maker, now say a lot more.
Taste in 2025 is about discernment, not display.
8) The obsession with “heritage” everything
Heritage brands, heritage techniques, heritage recipes.
The word itself became shorthand for authenticity and quality.
But let’s call it what it is. Nostalgia marketing.
There’s nothing wrong with respecting tradition. I love old-world craftsmanship and classic recipes.
But taste becomes stale when it’s trapped in time, when “heritage” is used as a shield against change.
The most interesting people today are blending the old and the new.
Think of chefs remixing traditional dishes with modern flair, or artisans who combine classic materials with sustainable innovation.
Real taste isn’t about living in the past.
It’s about keeping what’s timeless and making room for evolution.
9) Curated minimalism
Remember when everyone decided that taste meant having a spotless white living room with a single fiddle-leaf fig and a stack of Kinfolk magazines?
That aesthetic ruled for years. It signaled restraint and refinement.
But now it feels sterile, like someone’s living in an Airbnb instead of a home.
People are craving warmth again. Color. Personality. Soul.
The minimalist look had its moment, but as culture shifted toward authenticity, it started feeling cold.
Taste today leans toward spaces that tell stories: mismatched ceramics, souvenirs from travels, framed memories, even a bit of clutter.
Because real style isn’t curated. It’s lived in.
10) Being “in the know” about niche trends
There’s a certain type of person who prides themselves on being ahead of the curve, discovering the new speakeasy, the underground coffee brand, or the restaurant with no website.
But when taste becomes about exclusivity instead of enjoyment, it loses something essential.
What’s more interesting is enthusiasm, not elitism.
Being genuinely excited about something, whether it’s a new bakery in your neighborhood or a TikTok recipe that actually works, is far more appealing than being the gatekeeper of cool.
These days, curiosity beats curation.
The bottom line
Taste, at its core, is about awareness, not performance.
Many of the things that once symbolized “good taste” were really about signaling it to others.
But that quiet performance doesn’t hold up anymore.
We’ve moved into an era where subtlety, authenticity, and curiosity carry more weight than any label, heritage claim, or elite experience.
Real taste isn’t something you buy or display.
It’s something you cultivate through what you pay attention to, how you treat people, and the joy you find in simple, everyday experiences.
So maybe it’s time we stop chasing markers of taste and start chasing meaning instead.
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Dining and Cooking