Lisa O
Some dishes get hyped so much, you’d think it was a crime not to like them. They’re on every menu, featured in every food blog, and always seem to get a chorus of praise online. But when you sit down and take a bite, something feels off. You don’t love it. Maybe you never did. Here are 15 foods people pretend to enjoy just because everyone else does.
Truffle oil on everything.
What started as a gourmet touch has become a tired trend. Truffle oil is rarely made with real truffles, and it shows. The smell is overpowering, almost artificial, and once it’s on your fries or pasta, it takes over. You canât taste anything else. It clings to your mouth and lingers long after the meal ends. Most folks pretend it’s fancy when theyâd really prefer just salt and pepper.
Matcha desserts.
Thereâs a difference between appreciating matchaâs earthiness and pretending matcha ice cream is actually delicious. A little matcha in a latte? Fine. But when it sneaks into cookies or cakes, it turns dessert into a bitter, grassy experience. It’s the kind of flavor that Instagram lovesâbut your tastebuds donât. Most people choke down a matcha brownie to seemcultured, not because they actually enjoy it.
Raw oysters.
Thereâs something about oysters that makes people lie to themselves. They look fancy, theyâre served on ice, and everyone acts like itâs a rite of passage. But the truth? They’re slippery, briny, and vaguely unsettling. You toss them back more out of pressure than pleasure. Most people load them with sauce, lemon, and hot sauce just to cover the tasteâor lack thereof.
Overdecorated cupcakes.
They look like tiny edible sculptures, but most of them arenât worth the sugar crash. That beautiful swirl of frosting is usually dry, overly sweet, and stiff enough to stand on its own. Underneath is a bland cupcake trying to keep up. Itâs dessert that looks better than it tastes, and most of us are too polite to admit we tossed half in the trash.
Kale in everything.
Yes, itâs healthy. No, itâs not tasty. Kale is coarse, bitter, and requires massaging, steaming, or drowning in dressing to be chewable. But for a while, it was everywhereâsmoothies, chips, even breakfast bowls. People act like itâs great, but itâs the kind of vegetable you eat out of guilt, not joy. And deep down, most folks miss the days of good old spinach or romaine.
Gold leaf-covered anything.
It glitters, sureâbut it adds nothing else. No taste. No texture. Just flakes of edible gold there to scream âlook at me.â Whether itâs on a donut, a burger, or a cocktail, it turns food into a status symbol. Everyone acts impressed, but insidetheyâre wondering why they just paid $40 for something that tastes exactly the same without it. Itâs culinary cosplay, not cuisine.
Pumpkin spice everything.
That first latte might be cozy, but by week two of fall, itâs exhausting. Pumpkin spice has infected everythingâcookies, beer, protein bars, even dog treats. And itâs not even pumpkin. Itâs a mix of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg designed to tap into nostalgia. After the fourth item in a row, the charm wears off. But we still post it with a smile because, well⊠itâs seasonal.
Smoothie bowls.
Theyâre pretty, colorful, and loaded with fruitâbut also completely impractical. The toppings sink, the base melts fast, and by the end, you’re eating sweet soup with a spoon. Itâs the kind of breakfast that sounds healthy but leaves you hungry an hour later. Most people like the way it looks, not how it feels to eat. Especially when youâre scraping up mushy granola at the bottom.
Avocado toast.
It had its moment, and we all bought in. But once the novelty wore off, you were left with overpriced toast thatâs hard to cut and under-seasoned spread that needs lemon, salt, and chili just to taste like something. Itâs not badâitâs just not the revelation itâs made out to be. At its core, itâs mashed avocado on bread, sold with a side of hype.
Charcoal-infused foods.
Black lemonade. Goth ice cream. Jet-black pizza crust. Charcoal in food looks edgyâbut usually tastes like youâre chewing on ash. It adds no flavor, no nutrition, and sometimes even interferes with medication absorption. Itâs a novelty that got way too popular. People try it once, post it online, and quietly wonder why anyone would go back for a second bite. But no one wants to look uncool.
Tuna tartare.
It sounds elegant and looks clean on a plate, but itâs not for everyone. Cold, raw tuna chopped into bits and mixed with avocado or soy doesnât exactly scream âcomfort food.â Most people order it on a date or at a trendy restaurant, not because they love itâbut because it sounds impressive. Truth is, itâs more show than substance, and itâs rarely satisfying.
Lobster rolls.
The idea of lobster rolls is better than the reality. You get a tiny handful of lobster meatâeither drowned in mayo or butterâshoved into a roll that falls apart the minute you pick it up. Itâs messy, pricey, and almost always underwhelming. People rave about them because theyâre a luxury. But if youâre honest, theyâre not nearly as good as a simple shrimp poâ boy.
Acai bowls.
Theyâre marketed as superfood miracles, but what you get is a sugary frozen smoothie topped with more sugar. Without the granola, honey, bananas, and berries, the acai itself is tart and watery. By the time you’re halfway through, it’s melted, soupy, and hard to eat. But it looks pretty in photos, and thatâs why it keeps showing up in trendy cafĂ©s.
Turmeric lattes.
They look gorgeousâgolden and glowing. But that first sip often tastes like someone blended curry spices into warm almond milk. Itâs earthy in the way that dirt is earthy. Even fans of turmeric admit itâs an acquired taste. Most people order it once, drink it slowly, and nod like theyâre doing something healthyâwhile silently wishing it were a mocha instead.
Beetroot hummus.
Itâs pink, which makes it feel special. But the flavor? Itâs a strange combo of sweet earthiness clashing with garlic and tahini. The textureâs fine, but itâs rarely better than classic hummus. It shows up at parties with veggie platters and pita chips, mostly left untouched while the regular hummus bowl is scraped clean. It’s more decorative than delicious.