Top 20 Cuisines in the US Ranked by Popularity

September 27, 2025

By RocketPages

Top 20 Cuisines in the US Ranked by Popularity

In 2025, restaurant owners face a dual challenge: food trends evolve constantly, and a restaurant’s website has become the first impression diners rely on before ever tasting a dish. To stay competitive, you need to align your brand with the cuisines people crave and showcase your restaurant online with a compelling, optimized site.

Diners today overwhelmingly start their journey online. They search “best sushi near me,” “Italian restaurant in Chicago,” or “authentic Indian curry in Dallas.” If your restaurant doesn’t appear in those searches—or if your site fails to convert browsers into bookings—you’re leaving revenue on the table.


The good news? Building a high-performing cuisine-focused site has never been easier. With RocketPages, you can launch a restaurant website that’s mobile-first, SEO-optimized, visually appetizing, and designed to convert. And with strategies from the Restaurant Marketing Funnel, you’ll understand how to nurture diners from discovery to booking.

This guide ranks the Top 20 cuisines in the U.S. and shows you how to design cuisine-specific restaurant websites, weaving in insights from RocketPages’ blog series.


Why Cuisine Trends Matter for Restaurant Websites

  • Customers increasingly search by cuisine, which makes it crucial to align your website’s keywords with what people are looking for. Articles like SEO for Restaurants: How to Get Found Online highlight how cuisine-based SEO terms drive visibility.
  • A strong online presence is no longer optional. As The Future of Restaurant Websites explains, your digital presence directly impacts bookings.
  • Restaurant owners who invest in a professional site often see direct ROI. One case study showed a 40% increase in bookings after launching a new RocketPages site.
  • Content like reviews, testimonials, and direct-ordering features is critical. The article Cut the Middleman makes it clear: owning your digital channels protects your revenue.


Top 20 Cuisines in the U.S. Ranked


American / Contemporary American

American cuisine spans burgers to farm-to-table dining. To stand out, your site should emphasize signature dishes and sourcing. RocketPages’ Ultimate Restaurant Website Checklist is a great framework for ensuring nothing is missed.

Italian / Italian-American

Italian food is beloved for its familiarity and comfort. Show off pizzas, pastas, and desserts in high-resolution galleries. For inspiration, see 10 Best Restaurant Websites (and What Owners Can Learn), which highlights design elements perfect for Italian sites.

Mexican / Tex-Mex / Latin American

Mexican food thrives on vibrancy. Use interactive menus to highlight customizable tacos and burritos. For conversion, integrate online ordering as shown in How to Add Online Ordering Without Paying App Fees.

Asian / Pan-Asian

Pan-Asian restaurants succeed by offering variety. Launch subpages for each cuisine using RocketPages’ site duplication. For ranking locally, see How to Optimize Your Website for “Near Me” Searches.

Japanese / Sushi / Ramen

Japanese cuisine excels in visual presentation. Highlight chef skills with videos and immersive galleries. Don’t overlook food photography—The Science of Food Photography explains how to capture sushi and ramen dishes in ways that convert.

Chinese / Regional Chinese

Chinese cuisine is regional, from dim sum to spicy Szechuan. Structure menus for clarity and emphasize authenticity. For better diner experience, digital menus make a difference; see How Digital Menus Improve Guest Experience.

Indian / South Asian

Indian food appeals for its spices and vegetarian options. Launch blog posts on your RocketPages site about regional specialties. For branding impact, refer to Restaurant Branding 101.

Mediterranean / Greek / Middle Eastern

Mediterranean food is often positioned as healthy and premium. Highlight mezze platters in galleries. For long-term growth, consider insights from How to Future-Proof Your Restaurant.

Thai / Southeast Asian

Thai cuisine shines with bold aromatics. Use galleries to show colorful curries. When marketing your specials, seasonal content works well; see Seasonal Campaigns That Drive Reservations.

Vietnamese / Pho / Banh Mi

Pho and banh mi are mainstream favorites. Stream videos of steaming bowls on your homepage. For better conversions, integrate tactics from How to Turn Website Visitors Into Paying Diners.

French / Bistro

French dining is elegant and romantic. Use curated palettes and add testimonials. Reduce no-shows with insights from How Restaurants Can Reduce No-Shows With Online Booking.

Korean / Korean BBQ

Korean BBQ is trending thanks to social media. Emphasize group dining in visuals. For competitive positioning, read How to Compete Against Chains With a Better Website.

Caribbean / Jamaican

Caribbean cuisine thrives on color and culture. Feature vibrant jerk plates and cocktails. Promote community ties with ideas from How Community Partnerships Help Restaurants Grow.

Spanish / Tapas

Tapas emphasize shareability. Use interactive menus for wine pairings. For digital growth, look to Why Every Restaurant Needs a Website in 2025.

Brazilian / South American

Brazilian churrasco restaurants should showcase skewers in high-res galleries. When scaling, learn from The ROI of a Restaurant Website.

Latin (Peruvian, Colombian, Central American)

Highlight ceviche and grilled proteins. Use storytelling on your blog for SEO. For long-term revenue, see Why More Restaurants Are Going Subscription-Based.

Cajun / Creole / Southern

Southern cuisine is tied to comfort and tradition. Showcase authenticity and family roots. To avoid pitfalls, review The Most Common Restaurant Website Mistakes.

Vegan / Plant-Based

Vegan options are growing in demand. Promote dishes visually and write supportive content. See Plant-Based Dining: How to Market Vegan Options.

Fusion / Contemporary Global

Fusion restaurants thrive by storytelling. Use animation to describe your concept. For better branding, consult Why “Link in Bio” Isn’t Enough.

Global Street Food

Street food appeals to adventurous eaters. Use textured backgrounds and video snippets to simulate the market vibe. For driving bookings, combine content with Competing With Delivery Apps.


Structuring Your Website

A successful cuisine-focused restaurant site should include:


  • Homepage with clear “Reserve / Order” CTAs
  • About / chef’s story
  • Menu pages organized by category
  • Specials updated via in-place editing
  • Gallery for dishes and interiors
  • Blog hosted on RocketPages for cuisine and SEO content
  • Contact page with hours and map
  • Trust pages like reviews and “Why Book Direct”

For a step-by-step build, follow The Ultimate Restaurant Website Checklist.


Conversion Strategies


SEO and Growth Best Practices


Conclusion

The U.S. dining scene is shaped by these Top 20 cuisines, and your website should spotlight your culinary identity while converting visitors into diners. With RocketPages, you can build a cuisine-specific restaurant site that ranks, attracts, and converts.

For further reading:


Your cuisine defines your brand. A powerful website ensures diners find you, trust you, and book with you.

Recent Articles

Stay inspired with our latest deep dives into the dining world. From choosing the perfect restaurant for life’s milestones to deciding between a night out or cozying up with takeout, each article offers humanized insights, practical tips, and stories that celebrate the joy of food and hospitality. Explore what’s new and discover guides that make every dining decision more meaningful.