Words to Describe Taste
The flavor of your food is what most customers focus on when they are deciding what to eat. How you present the dishes on your menu can help build anticipation, and a good menu description could even convince a hesitant customer to try something new. With this in mind, it's important to be precise and thorough when choosing words to describe your food's flavor.
Acidic: A food with a sharp taste. Often used to refer to tart or sour foods as well.
Bitter: A tart, sharp, and sometimes harsh flavor.
Bittersweet: A less harsh taste than bitterness. Couples tartness with sweetness.
Briny: Another word for salty.
Citrusy: A bright flavor like that of lemons, limes, oranges, and other citrus fruits.
Cooling: A taste that mimics the feeling of cold temperature. Often used to describe mint.
Earthy: Reminiscent of fresh soil. Often used to describe red wines, root vegetables, and mushrooms.
Fiery: A taste that feels as though it gives off heat. Another word for spicy.
Fresh: A light and crisp taste. Often used to describe produce or herbs.
Fruity: Any taste reminiscent of sweet fruit flavors.
Full-bodied: Rich flavor that can feel heavy in the mouth. Often used to describe wines.
Herbal: A bright, fresh, or sometimes earthy taste created by the incorporation of herbs.
Honeyed: A sweet or candied taste that may be reminiscent of honey.
Nutty: Any taste similar to the flavors of nuts. Often used to describe cheeses.
Rich: A full, heavy flavor. Often used to describe foods containing cream.
Robust: A rich taste with some earthiness. Often used to describe wines or aged liquors.
Sharp: A harsh, bitter, or tart taste. Often used to describe acidic foods.
Smoky: A taste reminiscent of the smell of smoke.
Sour: A biting, tangy, tart flavor.
Spicy: A burning taste from hot spices.
Sweet: A sugary flavor.
Tangy: A tart, biting taste that feels tingly in the mouth.
Tart: A sharp, bitter, or sour flavor. Often used to describe acidic foods.
Yeasty: An earthy taste reminiscent of yeast. Often used to describe beer and breads.
Woody: An earthy, sometimes nutty taste. Often used to describe coffees or cheeses.
Zesty: A fresh, vivid, or invigorating flavor.
