50 winning food trends and restaurant concepts for 2025

They're innovative AND they're big business! In this new Malou article, our food experts have rounded up the latest restaurant concepts and ideas that are making a big splash in Europe in 2025. Food fusions, mono-concepts, news ingredients, minimalism... A quick roundup to give you some inspiration 💫

✨ Discover also our Top 15 most unusual restaurants in the world!

Creating a profitable restaurant concept in 2025

Are you planning to open a restaurant? Or a new concept for a second establishment? You've come to the right place! At Malou, we've been working with restaurateurs for over 10 years to help them become as visible as possible and attract customers over the long term.

👉 The most important elements for success :

• Have a solid, differentiating concept that meets a real need. That's why keeping an eye on current food trends, even if your concept is traditional, will enable you to meet the expectations of your future customers. 
• Your location has a huge impact on what you can offer. Depending on the demand in your neighborhood and the competition in the area, you'll know whether it's better to offer an evening or lunchtime service (or both), takeaway sales, or whether you're taking too many risks because a competitor is right across the street. 
• From the get go, work on your digital marketing to boost your reputation and increase your revenues. Today, 8 out of 10 people choose a restaurant online. They systematically look at reviews, even when they are in front of your establishment's door. Working on your digital marketing will enable you to control your customer flow and ensure your long-term success.

💡 Our advice: lay all these elements out flat in a business plan dedicated to your restaurant project.

‍This will serve as your compass and help you secure financing (loans, investors). 

👉 Finally, the financial aspect is essential. You'll be preparing :

• A budget dedicated to the opening of the restaurant;
• A forecasted financial plan to achieve ideal control of your margins, sales, break-even point, etc.

Then, throughout your project, there will be several strategies to help you improve your margins.

As you can see, a successful restaurant is above all a strong concept, know-how and good control of your margins. Many successful restaurants made it: here's the latest ideas and best concepts that stood out on the market!

Are you a restaurant owner? Do you know if your establishments are visible online? At Malou, we've created a free diagnostic to assess your visibility score, and above all, generate tailor-made recommendations! Reviews, referencing, social media... Take stock! 👀

Single-dish or mono-concepts

Minimalist menus, inexpensive raw materials, low production costs, optimized preparation times... Mono-concept restaurants can offer high quality and expertise, while making economies of scale. 

Sandwiches reinvented

Sandwiches are always a winning bet. 

What works in 2025:

• Premium versions like Alain Miam Miam 's gargantuan sandwiches or the most expansive jambon-comté at Paris's Ritz hotel. 
• Exploding international versions like bokits(Banmbokit, Chick'n Kreyol), the Peruvian sanguche(Compadre Paris), Turkish or Israeli sandwiches in challah" bread as Julien Sebbag's Micho.

There's a sandwich for each country. Endless inspiration.

The winning concept in 2025: our customer Nonette, a restaurant based solely on Vietnamese banh mi and doughnuts with kaya cream.

Hot on Pizza in 2025 

Pizza is known as one of the most profitable dishes on the market, universally loved by consumers. 

Winning concepts for 2025 :

• The "real" Italian-style "pizze". Emphasis on "real" : fine products, authentic cuisine and traditional know-hows. No sacrilege here: the recipes are regional (Sicilian-style, Napolitan, etc.) and followed to the letter, wines are locals and so is the decor. The hit concept: Pizzou and their use of terroir and seasonal products.

• New York-style pizza. The top trend we see on pizza: back-to-basic pies with upgraded elements and beautiful products. New toppings are in, coming from international cuisine, especially Indian, Latin American and Asian foods (chorizo, green chilies, bratwurst).
  

You can also launch a mono-product concept similar to pizza.

For example:

• French Flammekuech(Flam's);
• The "quicheries" (luxury quiches from MOF Christophe Haton);
• Turkish pizza or "lahmacun" ;
• Pizze trucks like in Marseille... Anything is possible!

Premium burgers

With 1.5 billion units consumed in France every year, luxury burgers (French meat, aged cheeses, brioche buns or American-style "buns") have literally exploded since 2015. Examples: the dazzling success of PNY (Paris New York) or Dumbo's famous smash burgers. 

But beware: according to L'Officiel de la Franchise, the burger market could be saturated!

The right idea to make you stand out:

• Creating a franchised restaurant ;
• Set up in a city where the market is not yet mature;
• ‍Reinventing the burger concept outright.

Disco Burger's new Korean-style sealed burgers are a hit.

Artisanal pasta

Pasta is THE reference dish, both gourmet and highly profitable because it's based on few ingredients and seasonal ingredients.

• Go for real Italian-style pasta(cacio e pepe, carbonara) for maximum authenticity.

Like Big Mama, insist on decoration, portions and very Instagrammable effects (the giant pecorino scraped off the plate, the cast-iron pasta pans...).

• On the Asian side, soups made from fresh, hand-stretched pasta continue to delight consumers.

The ingredients remain simple (broth, pasta, vegetables), but what counts is know-how.Ippudo 's artisanal ramen comes to mind, as do We Cantine's phôs.

And yes, soup (also) boosts sales. 

Taquerias and empenaderias

More recent than previous trends, the market for tacos and empanadas is promising. A new cuisine from Mexico, Argentina and Peru has been a hit in the U.S. for several years now, and is now taking root in Paris.

On the agenda for 2025: authentic, ancestral recipes such as tacos such as tacos and tamales from Taco Mesa or empanadas empanadas from Clasico Argentino.

💡 A good idea: "upsell" the concept with gourmet extras like traditional dulce desserts or the pisco cocktails so popular with Parisians.

Potatoes and cheesy delights 

Let's talk potatoes! A delicious, inexpensive, highly volatile and much-loved product, it can be the subject of viral concepts for the younger generation. 

Examples: the success of the Pataterie for French gourmets and the Poutinerie for Canada aficionados.

Top idea for 2025: play on the "wow" effect of large plasters, melted cheese ans "food porn" style.

French specialties based on melted cheeses from different regions are in on Instagram and Tik Tok. Fondue, tartiflette, raclette... Let's see that cheese melt !

Why not open a roasted camembert shop?

The "tiktok" and "insta" desserts 

You see them all over the web: Korean-style fluffy pancakes, flat croissants, trompe l'oeil desserts and artisanal doughnuts (Wild Air NYC).

Sweet "street food" desserts are taking Tik Tok and Instagram by storm. The secret: exotic cuisine, attractive visuals. Ex: taro from the Philippines, Japanese soy glazed tangos...

Successful concepts include our client Manteigaria, dedicated to authentic pasteis de natas, and Mamiche's famous buns and creations.

Coffee shops around the world

Coffee shops are a must. A business model that originated in the United States and Australia (notably the famous "flat white"), these ultra-cosy places are ideal for snacks, breakfasts and delicious healthy drinks with profitable margins.

Successful concepts :

• Specialty coffee roasters with quality beans;
• New healthy and active ingredients : chaga-based coffee, long-aged Kombucha, nutrients-packed electrolytes waters, golden latte, CBD or plant-based melatonin mocktails, charcoal, vitamins and super herbs. Ex: Wild & The Moon, Moonjuice.
• 360° concepts such as 100% matcha coffees (where everything is matcha);
• International concepts : Vietnamese cafés like Caphette or Turkish coffee at Ibrik.

Many countries offer a unique, artisanal version of coffee. Accompanied by sweet treats, and you've got a concept!

💡 For this concept to work, you have to insist on barista know-how, quality ingredients (especially beans) and the comfort/decor of the place. Coffee shops are often Instagrammable.

Brunch 

Let's say it again: the brunch trend is never-ending. Like all-you-can-eat buffets, it's a high-volume, high-margin business, especially at times of the day that used to be slow (10:30am-12pm, 2pm-5pm). So if you're a restaurant, a weekend brunch offer is an excellent idea to attrac more customers!

Like coffee shops, the premises must be cosy first (and kid-friendly) and the menus must offer an international range of sweet and savory dishes (hot drinks, mimosas, granolas, viennoiseries, egg benedict, pancakes,Turkish eggs, etc.).

Successful concepts: Holly Belly, Loulou and Kafkaf , which generate thousands of posts on Instagram.

The up-and-coming trend in 2025: more international brunches featuring Turkish egg, tchoutchouka and more.

Epicurean wine bars and microbreweries

As with coffee, alcoholic beverages are highly profitable, with gross margins reaching 80%.

With their very "French epicurean" feel, wine bars are seductive. Oenological experiences, the pleasure of tapas and platters, unusual settings (a wine cellar, a microbrewery)... Natural wines (hand-harvested, biodynamic grapes)and locally brewed beers are particularly fashionable!

Good examples: wine cellar-style at Grains, concept-store-style at Drink&Co, or microbrewery-style at BapBap.

The French "Bouillon"

Like wine bars, the new French "Bouillons" are in. This 19th century concept consists in simple, affordable vintage French cuisine. Like "brasseries" or "bistrots" : retro decor and old-fashioned dishes... All with generosity and low prices. Why it's good value: popular and unpretentious, bouillon-style kitchens shine a light on simple dishes and seasonal produce (mayo eggs, seasonal soups, vinaigrette leeks). 

To make it work, plan to open as late as possible! In Paris, the bouillons are in full swing from the aperitif to the end of the evening or the cinema.

The star example: Bouillon Pigalle, which has spread throughout Paris.

"Fromageries" : shared plates at the cheese store!

Dedicated to good food, these restaurants are making a comeback. The concept: a cheese shop/grocery store where you can do your shopping, as well as enjoy platters and tapas on the spot. Cheeses, charcuterie, yoghurts and wines all make good margins, and the dishes require little preparation (just setting up). 

Examples include the La Chapelle dairy and Benat, where you can enjoy a mini-terrace.

Vegetarian and vegan canteens

We're not telling you anything: meatless dishes are in vogue. The big advantage: meat is one of the most expensive products, with the highest carbon footprint. Conversely, local, seasonal fruit and vegetables are cheap! The vegetarian and/or vegan business model is therefore both profitable and sustainable.

What works in 2025:

• Ultra-festive , gourmet atmospheres like the Ora restaurant , where you eat straight from the table (without a plate), and the waiters dance and party. Vegan, yes, but sexy!
• The very local "farm to table" where customers can contemplate the vegetable garden where their dish comes directly from.

French creperies

What if every day was Candlemas? In 2025, crêpe is the talk of the town.

• You can opt for a classic concept, either directly operated or franchised like Breizh Café.
• Another good idea: modernize the crêperie concept! Just as Brutus and Armelle have done with their "make crêpes great again", "cidrologues et crepophiles", tapas supplements and a "cider bar".

Immersive all-you-can-eat buffets

Is the all-you-can-eat buffet really profitable and up to date? The answer is yes: the concept is making a comeback in 2025, and can work, provided that the dishes offered are of high quality. In this case, profitability is ensured by high customer turnover (which increases the number of covers) and by savings on staff.

Leading concepts in 2025 experiences!

‍Japanese buffets on TikTok(Kumo Restaurant), the highly immersive Under the Sea by Ephemera, the all-you-can-eat Indian Tandoori House or the Brazilian meat experience by Rodizio porta da selva.

Salad bars

Like all-you-can-eat buffets, salad bars have the advantage of reducing staff costs. They also rely on large volumes of green, seasonal ingredients, which are less expensive and of high quality.

What's working well: franchises like Mister Garden or Picadeli that focus on "healthy" and connected products.

Takeaway sales

5 years after the pandemic, delivery-based concepts continue to innovate. 

Why is it profitable? It's a well-known fact that delivery and sales often go hand in hand. This model reduces the most important expense items: rent, room, staff costs... And allows you to rapidly test new food concepts.

Food trucks

They're still all the rage! A business model on wheels that originated in the United States, food trucks require less initial investment andpay for themselves quickly. Ideal for testing new street food or fusion cuisine concepts . They're nomadic, so you can pick up customers anywhere and offer special deals (festivals, events, weddings...). There are also a number of ways in which you can help set them up.

Models to follow: after the explosion of Le Camion qui Fume, the trend is towards sweet desserts (vintage ice creams at Glazed) and fusion concepts (arepas fromAji Dulce or pastels from Chweet).

Dark kitchens and ghost kitchens

No room, no staff, no furniture: the dark kitchen business model is still going strong. A recent Apur study pinpoints the favorite locations of the best-known brands (Paris and suburbs, notably Bagneux and Aubervillier), enabling them to flourish. 

Models to follow include Big Mamma's Napoli Gang, Frichti, Deliveroo and Not So Dark, who are testing virtual brands. 

Microplaces

These places are often described as "the smallest xxx in Paris ! Compared to their high quality, their small size is impressive. The advantage for the restaurateur: a small place means low rent, no room (or reduced cover) and few staff.

Good examples: the smallest Japanese restaurant in Paris, Asuka, and the famous sourdough bread from Éléments, the smallest bakery in Paris. What works: the secret, unusual feel of the little "boui-boui"-style place. 

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👨🍳What did you think of this catalog of ideas? One thing's for sure: 2025 is full of trends and new concepts to try out!

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