Southern California is filled with trendsetters and their followers, and that includes the region’s restaurants.
Some predictions for the year 2025, such as Yelp’s assertion that “mushrooms are having a moment,” weren’t widely reflected on menus.
But we saw several fads arrive and take off at Southern California restaurants in 2025.
Here are five trends that we noticed.
Dubai chocolate
Dubai chocolate has been around for years, but this summer it seemed to be everywhere.
The main ingredients of the confection are chocolate, pistachios and shredded phyllo, the dough used in baklava.
Dubai chocolate was invented in 2021 and is often credited to Sarah Hamouda and Nouel Catis of Fix Dessert Chocolatier. It went viral on TikTok in 2024, with customers paying almost $40 for one hand-painted bar, delivered from the United Arab Emirates through Amazon.
Dubai chocolate is considered a generic term, and high-profile domestic versions eventually began popping up on menus and in stores. Shake Shack served a Chocolate Pistachio Dubai Shake at 10 locations in Los Angeles and Orange counties in April and took it wider during the summer, but only made a limited number of shakes a day.
Dominic Palmieri, also known as the Midway Gourmet, brought Dubai chocolate-covered strawberries to booths at the Los Angeles County Fair and the OC Fair at about the same time.
Currently, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse is serving a Dubai Chocolate Pizookie made with Ghirardelli chocolate as well as a Dubai Chocolate Espresso Martini. And Dubai-style products are available at specialty markets such as Whole Foods, Sprouts and Trader Joe’s as well as major chains such as Walmart, Target and Ralphs. Also, look for the flavor at independent chocolatiers and scoop shops.
Spicy crispy chicken
Just when it seemed like there was nothing new to add to crispy chicken, fast food chains began experimenting with Mexican spices.
Taco Bell’s Crispy Chicken Nuggets were briefly available in April but seem to be part of the Irvine chain’s aspirations to make crispy chicken a permanent part of its menu next year.
The nuggets were marinated in jalapeño buttermilk and breaded in a mixture of breadcrumbs and tortilla chip crumbs.
In July, Corona-based Miguel’s Jr. launched limited-time Caliente Chicken Bites, tossed in the Corona-based chain’s original, house-made red hot sauce.
And El Pollo Loco tested chicken tenders at some of its Orange County restaurants in November.
“Swicy” foods
Swicy, a combination of sweet and spicy, is another TikTok-inspired trend that seems to have become embedded in restaurant menus. One swicy condiment that’s been drizzled over everything from ice cream to pizza? Chili-infused hot honey. Mike’s Hot Honey is a popular brand that shows up in partnerships.
Last spring, Taco Bell introduced Mike’s Hot Honey Diablo Sauce, a limited-time condiment to pair with its aforementioned Crispy Chicken Nuggets.
Mountain Mike’s, which has a Nashville Hot N’ Swicy Pizza, is among the chains with recent swicy menu items. Ziggi’s Coffee, a new brand to Southern California, offered a Mike’s Hot Honey Latte in late summer.
Hawaiian flavors
Hawaiian cuisine was at the top of Yelp’s food and drink forecast for 2025.
Items inspired by chicken katsu – chicken with Panko breading – showed up at The Cheesecake Factory and several independent restaurants, such as Strong Water Anaheim, which also offered a Loco Moco Burger made with Spam and a fried egg, as well as a tiki brunch.
Summer saw a spate of tropical limited-time offers, including mango pizza at Mountain Mike’s, coconut cold brew at Farmer Boys, and a pina colada espresso at Klatch Coffee.
Items with King’s Hawaiian bread are featured on Norma’s new permanent menu, including French toast and cheeseburger sliders.
Protein
Loading up on protein is a “new cultural obsession,” according to a recent PBS report, as people try to build and maintain strong muscles.
High-protein drinks – more specifically, beverages enriched with whey or casein – are part of the fad.
Starbucks jumped on board Sept. 29 with new Protein Cold Foams and lattes with protein-boosted milk that deliver 15 to 36 grams of protein in a 16-ounce serving. That’s grande in Starbucks speak.
In October, The Habit Burger & Grill tested a high-protein pumpkin shake made with Muscle Milk at a Fountain Valley restaurant.
And In-N-Out Burger, which has a protein-style burger on its “not so secret menu,” recently began selling a Protein Style Shaker Bottle online for $25.