Flavor of the Week: The 10 most popular flavors of 2021

Every week, Nation’s Restaurant News, Restaurant Hospitality and Datassential team up to bring you information and data on a growing menu trend. In 2021, we started by talking about guajillo pepper, the dry, smoky chile, and will end it with the latest on tajin, a seasoning quickly gaining traction in the U.S.

We shared the latest on aquafaba, food waste that became a boon for vegan products, and guava, the versatile tropical fruit. In May, we talked about beverages, from hard seltzer to bitters to smooth, refined Japanese whisky. Plus, every week, we shared ideas on how to use the featured ingredient on a menu — and a real-life example of how it’s being done.

Click through the gallery to read about the 10 Flavors of the Week that our readers found the most interesting, from cauliflower to kefir and everything in between. And come back throughout 2022 for more Flavors of the Week.