How Gen Z Is Driving The Filipino Food Boom In America
With Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month coming to a close, it feels like there is no better time than now to celebrate the popularization of Filipino food in modern dining culture. The demand for rich yet affordable meals has drawn Gen Z to seek that flavorful, bold, home-cooked feel within Filipino cuisine, as consumer insights show searches skyrocketing to nearly 50% over the past year.
Tastewise — an AI powered consumer insights platform for food and beverage brands — analyzes how foods have been appealing to the younger generation and has found that popular dishes like kare kare (+24% YoY), batchoy (+14%), and dinuguan (+10%) are seeing substantial growth in recent months.
Alon Chen, CEO of Tastewise, credits two major factors to be driving this change. Chen comments: “First, the living crisis is pushing consumers to find affordable ways to enjoy high-quality meals — especially as 89% of U.S. dining happens at home, fueling demand for budget friendly but elevated dishes.”
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Second, social media is sparking curiosity for new flavors. With just one click, people can explore food trends from around the globe, encouraging them to experiment with and embrace these exciting new cuisines.” Traditional Filipino dishes like adobo, sinigang, and sisig are beginning to be spotlighted by both chefs and home cooks alike, as they create their own takes on these beloved dishes through recipe videos and storytelling. Even the Filipino dining tradition of kamayan, also known as a boodle fight — where food is served on banana leaves and eaten with your hands — is becoming increasingly popular for home celebrations and is now offered at select restaurants as well.
But the rise of Filipino cuisine doesn’t just end with food; Filipino coffee blends are seeing new levels of interest with a growth of 26% over the past two years. Beverage flavors that reign within the Filipino community, like pandan or ube, are now becoming a popular alternative to traditional drink infusions partly because of their delicious nature and also due to their ability to appeal to Gen Z’s desire for visually aesthetic and unique experiences.
Filipino cuisine has existed at the intersection of affordability and indulgence for centuries, long before its popularization in recent years, but the discoverability of the Internet has now brought the culture’s cuisine to new heights and audiences.
With TikTok highlighting Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the rise of adventurous-yet-affordable dining, and major milestones like Kasama becoming the first Filipino restaurant in America to earn a Michelin star, and Kuya Lord’s own Lord Maynard Llera winning a James Beard Award, Filipino cuisine isn’t just trending—it’s making history.
