India’s dining habits are rapidly globalising. Once limited to foreign food in high-end hotels, cuisines like Japanese sushi, Taiwanese bubble tea, and Japanese matcha tea are increasingly becoming mainstream.
A recent Swiggy-Kearney report finds that Indian consumers now order 20% more unique cuisines and try 30% more restaurants than before. In urban India, especially, dishes like sushi, tacos, and Korean BBQ have shifted from occasional treats to weeknight staples.
Social media buzz and young, well-travelled palates are driving this change; people are curious to “taste what they have been watching” on Netflix and Instagram.
Equally important, digital ordering and quick-commerce have made global dishes more accessible across India, not just in big cities. New QSRs and restaurants are emerging in Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns just as fast as in Mumbai or Delhi. In fact, analysts note that restaurant growth beyond the top eight cities is now twice that of India’s biggest metros. With organised players (cloud kitchens, cafés, and chains) growing twice as fast as the unorganised sector, global flavours are reaching a far broader audience.
Consumers report craving fresher, lighter meals and novel flavours, and global dishes fit perfectly; they are “clean, balanced, and respectful of ingredients,” as one chef observes.
From Niche To Norm
Japanese food, once exotic, is now everywhere in Indian cities. “Sushi delivery is as casual as ordering pizza,” says one food executive, and ramen shops and matcha cafés have sprung up on every corner. Younger Indians brought up on anime and K-dramas were curious to try sushi; now even desi variations (paneer tikka sushi, achari sushi, etc.) are common. Chef Eric Sifu of Pebble Street Hospitality notes that sushi appeals to the modern, well-travelled Indian palate with its focus on “clean flavours, balance, and a deep respect for ingredients.”
In practice, this means you’ll find sushi rolls and donburi rice bowls on average weekday menus just as often as butter chicken or biryani. According to The Times of India, Indian diners have embraced Japanese foods so fully that Japanese dining has grown 15-20% annually since 2019, with sushi, ramen, and matcha “weaving themselves into the everyday Indian food story.”
The health trend has also helped. Indians seeking lighter meals have turned to the Japanese emphasis on fresh ingredients and minimal oil. Nutritionists praise sushi’s lean fish and rice, and Japanese curries (with vegetables and lean protein) as healthy alternatives. Even the humble Indian chai has a matcha counterpart: green tea lattes, matcha desserts, and iced matcha are now routine café offerings.
Indeed, matcha’s popularity in India is booming; searches have quadrupled in five years, driven by its touted wellness benefits. With so many variations (matcha lattes, matcha smoothies, matcha-infused desserts), this once-niche tea is fast gaining mainstream status. In sum, what was once exotic, raw tuna on rice or frothy green tea, has become part of India’s everyday meal choices.
Bubble Tea (Boba) And Flavours That Pop
Bubble tea, with its colourful tapioca pearls and customizable sweetness, is India’s newest social media darling. The Financial Express dubs the “frothy, chewy and wildly photogenic” Taiwanese import a Gen Z and millennial favourite.
Young urbanites love bubble tea’s playful textures and Instagrammable look; it’s common to see college students and office-goers sipping mango-boba or lychee-boba teas with their friends. Industry reports note that India’s bubble tea market was about $450 million in 2024 and is set to double by 2033.
Local chains and brands (like Boba Bhai, Easy Boba, and Harajuku Cafe) have launched an array of India-inspired flavours (jamun-kala khatta, kesar-pista, mango matcha, etc.), making bubble tea feel familiar to Indian taste buds. In the words of Third Wave Coffee’s co-founder: “Bubble tea has an element of surprise, the chew, the popping, it’s addictive,” embodying the trend of experiential beverages.
This boom has real economics behind it. Restaurant industry insiders report that bubble tea stores can be highly profitable: 25% profit margins are normal, and gross margins often exceed 60%. Water-based variants can retail for just ₹99-150, making them affordable for students, while milk-based “premium” boba goes for ₹250-400.
Founders say their core audience is 12-25-year-olds, and profits per outlet can reach ₹8-12 lakh per month. Despite challenges like educating new customers and sourcing tapioca, domestic bubble tea brands are thriving. Major café chains (e.g., Chai Point, Chaayos) have even added bubble drinks to their menus, giving the craze a “desi twist.”
Matcha And The Health Trend
Green tea’s power-packed cousin, matcha, has also gone mainstream among India’s health-conscious crowd. Once limited to imported sachets, matcha powder now appears on café menus alongside masala chai and coffee. India Today reports that matcha’s Indian market is growing at nearly 9% annually, with projected sales…
Marketing has also helped. Brands tout matcha as “coffee’s healthy alternative,” and offer Indian twists like mango-ginger matcha or masala matcha chai. Major Indian tea companies and startups now stock matcha latte mixes and snacks.
For young consumers influenced by global wellness trends and K-beauty culture, matcha offers an on-trend option that aligns with fitness. As one dietitian notes, matcha “still caters to a niche audience who consume it regularly,” but its popularity is clearly growing.
In practice, matcha is the green thread connecting India’s tea culture with global wellness. The quadrupling of matcha interest over five years shows that many Indians are eager to trade some masala for matcha in their cups.
Korean, Mexican, And Beyond
Sushi and bubble tea are the headlines, but the appetite for global food extends well beyond Japan and Taiwan. Korean cuisine is riding a major wave, driven by K-pop and K-dramas: orders for Korean dishes in India have jumped 17 times in recent years.
You’ll now find bulgogi sliders, kimchi fries, and Korean BBQ on the menu alongside dosas and biryanis. Even major QSRs have played along, many burger and fried-chicken chains have launched Korean-inspired specials (gochujang sauces, yuzu drinks, spicy kimchi burgers) to capture youthful diners.
Similarly, cuisines like Vietnamese pho and Mexican tacos are surging; Vietnamese orders grew 6 times and Mexican nearly 4. Indian chefs and entrepreneurs are going global. Dishes from Peru, Ethiopia, and beyond have even begun appearing in urban India.
At home, many global foods are also tailored to local tastes. For example, Indian ramen shops might use chickpea pasta or local spices, and taco trucks often offer paneer and tandoori fillings. This cultural fusion is key: as one bubble tea pioneer notes, local brands focus on “locally inspired flavours, approachable price points, and a deeper cultural connection” to win customers.
Fusion foods (think “K-Pop burgers” with paneer patties or matcha lassis) now pop up at food festivals and mall food courts. Social media amplifies every new twist; a viral video of dosa sushi or masala bubble tea can spark nationwide interest.
By blending familiar elements (local spices, vegetarian substitutes) into foreign dishes, Indian restaurateurs make the new tastes feel less alien. This “best of both worlds” approach helps global foods settle easily into India’s diverse foodscape, turning foreign specialities into everyday options.
Also Read: What Are Food Raves? Gen Z’s New Eating Out Trend
Marketing Magic And Young Consumers
Today’s food trends in India are as much about marketing and Instagram as about ingredients. Restaurants aggressively target younger diners online: 75% or more of marketing budgets now go to digital channels like Instagram and YouTube.
Many outlets hold theme nights, influencer tastings, and photo-friendly decor to build buzz. Bubble tea shops, for example, deliberately offer a rainbow of toppings and “popping” teas because “the drink is more than a thirst-quencher; it’s a playful, multi-sensory experience” that grows on you. New global eateries often highlight novelty. “Limited edition” Korean fries or “customise-your-own taco” setups, to attract the Instagram generation.
Industry leaders emphasise local adaptation as a marketing tool. Brands like Boba Bhai and Easy Boba credit their success to unique flavours and cultural relevance. As Boba Bhai’s founder explains, the company focuses on what makes it stand out, fusion flavours and relatable positioning, believing bubble tea in India has only “scratched the surface” of its potential.
Even major cafes like Chaayos launch bubble tea lassi or matcha-ginger chai blends to connect with traditional tea-drinkers. Savvy marketing, from social-media campaigns to menu innovation, has turned global foods into trending lifestyle choices. Indians are no longer passive consumers; they actively seek new tastes online and are rewarded with a flood of options from savvy restaurateurs.
Economic Impact And Future Outlook
These shifts are not just cultural; they are reshaping India’s economy. Swiggy projects the country’s food services market will top $125 billion by 2030, driven mainly by organised restaurants and chains. Entrepreneurs and investors see a huge opportunity: new cloud-kitchen startups and international franchises are eagerly expanding in India. Already, local chains have adapted to the trend.
Ice cream brands, coffee shops, and QSRs have launched boba and matcha lines to capture market share. Quick-commerce is another catalyst; services like Swiggy’s 10-minute delivery (Bolt) now account for over 10% of orders, meaning even late-night sushi or midnight bubble tea is easily obtainable. In financial terms, this broadening palate means higher average spends and more frequent orders per customer, fueling industry growth.
Experts agree the momentum will continue. A Vantage by Firstpost analysis notes that India’s food sector is “broadening geographically, diversifying culturally and accelerating technologically” as young diners demand novelty.
Even regional flavours are making a comeback simultaneously, ensuring a balanced market. In practice, that means investors, chefs, and marketers all view global cuisines not as fads but as staples of the next decade.
As one coffee brand puts it, the arrival of boba and matcha in every city is “not a passing craze” but the beginning of a lasting era of innovation. With tastes evolving this fast, India’s food scene is set for a decade of “high-velocity” growth, a decade where every cup or plate tells a global story.
The rise of sushi, matcha, and bubble tea in India illustrates a broader transformation. This convergence of global influences and Indian entrepreneurship reflects that young consumers are more adventurous than ever, and restaurants are responding with fusion menus, savvy marketing, and fast delivery.
Backed by data, experts note that Indians now enjoy a more diverse cuisine palette. Unique cuisines per person are up 20% and restaurant options are up 30%. Foreign foods have indeed “taken over” the Indian menu, but in an inclusive way that blends them with local flavours.
Indian cafés have played a major role in popularising global foods, but in the process, taste has often taken a backseat to aesthetics. Instead of focusing on authenticity. The delicate flavour of real matcha, the clean simplicity of sushi, or the subtle tea notes in bubble tea, many outlets prioritise how the product looks on Instagram.
Drinks are turned neon, sushi rolls are overloaded with sauces, and boba cups are engineered for maximum colour contrast because visuals perform better on social media than actual flavour profiles. The result is a café culture where menu decisions are driven more by “Will this look cute in a Reel?” than by culinary integrity.
Instagram has also nudged diners towards performative eating rather than mindful tasting. A matcha latte becomes a backdrop for an outfit photo; boba becomes a prop; sushi becomes a flex. This pushes cafés to design food that is dramatic, sugary, and photogenic, even if it compromises health and taste.
The trend isn’t just about fusion or adaptation; it’s about the rise of showy, camera-ready food that prioritises likes over flavour. In this race for viral aesthetics, India risks embracing the global food trends, not for their richness or cultural value, but for their ability to sparkle on a feed.
Despite their popularity on social media, foods like sushi, matcha, and boba still sit firmly in the elite bracket of Indian consumption. A single sushi roll can cost more than an entire thali, and a matcha latte often starts where a month’s worth of tapri chai ends.
These trends thrive in cafés that cater to urban upper-middle-class pockets, creating a divide where global food becomes a symbol of access rather than taste. For many Indians, these aren’t everyday indulgences but aspirational purchases. Photographed more for status signalling than for genuine culinary curiosity.
So while these foods dominate Instagram feeds, they remain far from mass affordability. This reflects how global trends often enter India through narrow, premium-priced gates and can never cater to the common man.
Images: Google Images
Sources: Firstpost, The Indian Express, The Times of India
Find the blogger: Katyayani Joshi
This post is tagged under: sushi india, global food trends, indian food culture, matcha latte, boba tea india, food trend 2025, indian street food, fusion food, cafe culture india, foodie community, urban eating, gen z trends, instagram food, food culture change, india eats, modern india, global cuisine, food writing, lifestyle trends, indian restaurants, trending foods, food journalism, street food revolution, food critic india, food blogger india
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