AUTHOR: Sam Mire
We've all been there – the hype around a certain food reaches epic proportions, and you can't wait to try it, only to be left scratching your head and wondering what the fuss was about.
Well, friends, we're here to dish out the truth on the 10 most overrated foods.
From trendy treats to so-called culinary masterpieces, let's take a journey through the world of overhyped eats and see if you agree with our picks!
Table of Contents
1. Kale
It is something of a mystery how kale became a dish that people would consider ordering at a restaurant. Spinach has never been a crowd-pleaser, yet critics point out that kale seems to be a blander version of spinach with a cardboard-like consistency.
One sore-jawed kale consumer laments that they "tried kale for the first time last week" and "are still chewing." The Excellence in Culinary Public Relations Award goes, without contest, to the team behind the kale revolution.
2. Bacon
From burgers to milkshakes, bacon has snuck into virtually any food item you can name. While bacon adds a sultry, salty richness to the table, some think the pro-bacon movement has devolved into full-blown mania. Should bacon-centric experimentation have stopped at the Baconator? Has bacon earned its status as a main draw?
One baconed-out diner succinctly noted, "I love it as much as the next guy, but...it doesn't have to go on EVERYTHING."
3. Gold-Flaked Food
Has King Midas taken over the food industry? Based on the rise of all kinds of gold-flaked dishes, you might believe that chefs have an uncontrollable golden touch. But, unfortunately, some fail to understand that a little bit of gold goes a long way. Traditionally, Americans prefer to wear their gold rather than eat it.
4. Avocado
As a general rule of thumb, it's already played out once the Boomers catch wind of a trend. So, once "loves avocado toast" became one of the five most common cliches for describing Millennials, the avocado became officially uncool.
Cool or not, did avocados ever live up to the hype? While tortilla chips and guacamole will never go out of style, avocado's broader contributions to the world of food remain questionable.
5. Charcuterie Boards
Salami, prosciutto, sopressata, and mortadella pair pristinely with an aged gouda or baby Swiss, no doubt about it.
But for the price tag and hype that charcuterie boards carry with them, some critics have come to question whether, at its core, a charcuterie board is merely lunch meat. Tony Soprano might have something to say about that.
6. Wagyu Beef
Japanese farmers breed wagyu cows selectively, literally making them a rare breed. Then, the farmers fatten the cows to produce some of the juiciest, tenderest cuts money can buy. Wagyu, for most, is a delicacy. For others, wagyu has become overhyped, overpriced, and a bit too chewy for those with little time to spare.
While this may be blasphemy to meat connoisseurs, we must defer to the voters of Reddit.
7. Oysters
Attendees at the Oyster Haters Ball proclaim that the popular bivalves are "a great reminder of how salted water from the sea tastes." Oysters are filter feeders, which means they consume all the sea has to offer before reaching the restaurant table. Gross, some say.
However, those who have enjoyed grilled oysters in New Orleans will furiously refute the claim that oysters are overrated.
8. Pho
Pronounced "fuh," this Vietnamese soup has become all the rage. In an era where Uber Eats and DoorDash have allowed diners to sample a variety of cuisines that they may not have otherwise tried, Vietnamese fare has fulfilled its come-up. However, some believe that pho-natics should get the pho out of here with all the hype—the love is just too much, they say.
9. Cake
Marie Antoinette is rolling in her grave as some cake-phobes claim that pie is superior. Let them not eat cake, critics demand. Except for cheesecake, a species of its own, cake is all frosting with no substance. And no, I don't care that it's your birthday.
10. Paella
Any time a dish becomes the standard bearer for an entire nation's cuisine, it becomes vulnerable to over-hyping. Paella, one of the most recognizable faces of Spanish cuisine, has attracted its fair share of detractors. It isn't easy being popular, as paella can attest.
This thread inspired this post.