Describe Food in English — Ultimate List of Taste & Texture Words

5,915 views ・ 2025-05-07

Speak Confident English


Please double-click on the English subtitles below to play the video.

00:00
Imagine this.
0
105
833
00:01
You're sitting at a restaurant and you take a bite of something so delicious.
1
1175
4700
00:06
It's the kind of meal that makes you want to pause for a second and just enjoy
2
6625
4890
00:11
the flavor because it's that good. And then someone asks you,
3
11575
4220
00:16
how is it? And you wanna describe it,
4
16215
2220
00:18
you wanna capture how amazing it tastes,
5
18454
3101
00:22
but instead you say It's good you know that there's a better
6
22095
4970
00:27
way to describe what you're tasting in English,
7
27085
2420
00:29
but you just don't have the words. If that sounds familiar,
8
29645
3980
00:33
you're in the right place.
9
33805
1060
00:35
Today I want to share with you the exact words and phrases English speakers
10
35235
4910
00:40
use to describe food. Because food isn't really just food,
11
40385
4080
00:44
it's part of how we connect. Think about it for a moment.
12
44615
3330
00:48
When you share a meal with friends,
13
48455
2170
00:51
when someone asks you about a dish that you love,
14
51215
2170
00:54
or when you're in a restaurant trying something new,
15
54085
2860
00:57
you want to express what you really think.
16
57685
2060
01:00
But if the only words that come to mind are good or
17
60405
4580
01:05
tasty, it might feel like you're holding back like you have more to say,
18
65555
4910
01:10
but English is getting in the way.
19
70485
1900
01:13
The truth is English speakers naturally use very descriptive
20
73045
4860
01:18
language for food. It's part of the conversation.
21
78185
2240
01:21
So today I want to make sure that you have those words too,
22
81165
3140
01:24
and here's how we're going to do it. First,
23
84765
3170
01:28
we'll go through simple ways to describe how food looks, smells, feels,
24
88025
4430
01:32
and tastes so that you can be precise.
25
92555
2740
01:35
And then I'll show you how to use these in real life situations so that you
26
95955
4860
01:40
feel natural and confident using them in your English conversations.
27
100816
4479
01:45
And of course, as always, I'll give you the chance to practice as well.
28
105875
3100
01:49
So let's go ahead and get started. As I briefly mentioned,
29
109355
4240
01:53
there are four key ways to describe food. We talk about how it looks,
30
113596
4559
01:58
how it smells, how it feels, or the texture and how it tastes.
31
118575
4580
02:03
Each of these helps you express your thoughts more clearly,
32
123825
3530
02:07
whether you're ordering food, sharing a meal,
33
127545
3450
02:11
or talking about your favorite dishes.
34
131415
2260
02:14
So let's begin with how food looks.
35
134575
2420
02:18
Have you ever heard the expression that we eat with our eyes?
36
138014
3171
02:21
If you think about it,
37
141845
860
02:22
one of the first things you do before you even take a bite is you observe.
38
142725
3900
02:26
You see the food on the dish, and at that moment,
39
146725
3420
02:30
your brain is already deciding does it look fresh, appetizing,
40
150215
4450
02:34
or exciting?
41
154965
833
02:36
This is why restaurants focus so much on presentation because how
42
156495
4850
02:41
food looks, influences how we think it will taste.
43
161375
3970
02:46
So how do you describe a dish when it looks appealing or when
44
166205
4820
02:51
it doesn't? Here are the words to help you do that. First appetizing.
45
171026
4759
02:56
This simply means that it looks like it's going.
46
176255
2610
02:58
To to taste good. For example, that dessert looks so appetizing.
47
178865
4660
03:04
Similar, but even stronger is mouth watering.
48
184535
3690
03:08
This means that something looks so appealing.
49
188615
3250
03:12
You can almost begin to imagine how it's going to taste. For example,
50
192365
4460
03:17
the pizza just came out of the oven and it's mouthwatering.
51
197245
3660
03:21
Then we have beautifully plated,
52
201495
2370
03:24
and this means that everything is arranged in a visually pleasing way.
53
204165
3980
03:28
For example, the chef made sure that every dish was beautifully plated.
54
208764
4941
03:34
Now if something is beautifully plated,
55
214605
2020
03:36
it's very likely that it's also colorful. In other words,
56
216855
3210
03:40
it has a mix of colors. For example,
57
220066
3039
03:43
I love how colorful this salad is with all the fresh vegetables and edible
58
223425
4680
03:48
flowers. And then we have perfectly arranged, in other words,
59
228106
3919
03:52
organized neatly and with care. For example,
60
232335
3650
03:56
the sushi rolls were perfectly arranged on the plate.
61
236125
3220
04:00
And now let's move on to describing how food smells. I'm curious,
62
240215
4380
04:04
have you ever smelled something so good that it made you feel hungry?
63
244905
3850
04:09
Imagine for example,
64
249615
1050
04:10
walking into a bakery spelling like fresh bread or cutting into an
65
250666
4959
04:15
orange and getting that bright citrus scent.
66
255626
2719
04:19
The way food smells can help build anticipation or make you
67
259245
4940
04:24
want to avoid it entirely.
68
264186
1479
04:26
A strong fragrant aroma can make a dish irresistible,
69
266865
3800
04:31
while an unpleasant smell can certainly instantly change your mind.
70
271115
4590
04:36
So here are other words that we use to describe smell. First aromatic.
71
276485
4540
04:41
This means that something has a strong, pleasant smell,
72
281615
3050
04:44
usually from herbs and spices. For example,
73
284935
3450
04:48
the kitchen was filled with an aromatic scent of garlic and
74
288485
4419
04:52
rosemary. Next is briny.
75
292945
2840
04:56
This means that it smells salty like the ocean. For example,
76
296095
4410
05:00
the fresh oysters had a distinct briny aroma.
77
300885
3540
05:04
Then we have citrusy.
78
304895
1730
05:07
This means that it smells fresh and tangy like lemons or oranges.
79
307095
4809
05:12
For example, the citrusy scent of the Lemon Tart made my mouth water.
80
312605
4420
05:17
Next is comforting. This is something that smells really familiar and warm.
81
317975
4690
05:22
It's like a home cooked meal. Think about your favorite dish from childhood.
82
322695
4890
05:27
Maybe it was something your grandmother or your mother made. You might say,
83
327795
4230
05:32
for example,
84
332085
833
05:33
the comforting smell of fresh bread filled the house up Next is
85
333125
4779
05:38
earthy. This means that something smells natural,
86
338085
2980
05:41
deep and slightly rich like mushrooms or root vegetables.
87
341535
4650
05:47
For example,
88
347045
680
05:47
the earthy aroma of truffle oil added richness to the dish and
89
347725
4980
05:52
then fresh. This means it smells clean and natural.
90
352706
3839
05:56
Like herbs or fruit. For example,
91
356815
2710
05:59
I love the smell of fresh basil in a pasta dish.
92
359885
3519
06:04
And now let's move on to some slightly less pleasant smells like
93
364265
4660
06:08
something that is pungent,
94
368926
1679
06:10
which means it has a strong smell that is very intense and
95
370735
4790
06:15
sharp, like blue cheese or garlic. Some people love it,
96
375735
3950
06:19
some people hate it. For example,
97
379955
1970
06:22
the pungent smell of kimchi is bold, but delicious.
98
382425
3780
06:26
Then we have rich. This is a deep full smell,
99
386915
4210
06:31
often associated with chocolate or coffee. For example,
100
391654
3671
06:35
the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the cafe. Next,
101
395385
4980
06:40
we have spicy. This is of course a taste, but it's also a smell.
102
400425
4180
06:44
A smell that seems hot or peppery like chili. For example,
103
404765
4680
06:49
the spicy aroma of the curry made my nose tingle and
104
409725
4840
06:54
then smoky. Smoky, of course,
105
414566
3119
06:57
smells like it's been cooked over a fire or wood. For example,
106
417745
3860
07:01
the smoky scent of grilled meat was irresistible.
107
421745
3100
07:05
Now it's time to move on to texture or how food feels in our mouth.
108
425545
4300
07:10
Some foods, for example,
109
430515
1370
07:12
make a satisfying crunch when you bite into them and others are
110
432355
4730
07:17
so soft, they almost melt in your mouth.
111
437265
2740
07:20
Think about biting into a potato chip, that crisp, crunchy sound,
112
440575
4870
07:25
and then compare that to mashed potatoes, which are smooth and soft.
113
445905
4820
07:31
Food texture is an important part of describing how something
114
451755
4930
07:36
feels when you eat it.
115
456686
1079
07:38
So here are words that you can use to describe that first melt in
116
458185
4900
07:43
your mouth. This is something that is so soft.
117
463086
2799
07:46
It's like it dissolves when you eat it. For example,
118
466395
3330
07:49
the chocolate truffle was melt in your mouth smooth.
119
469865
3500
07:54
Then we have falls off the bone meat that is extremely
120
474385
4730
07:59
tender. The slow cooked ribs were so tender,
121
479215
3900
08:03
they fell off the bone. Next up is cuts like butter.
122
483345
4420
08:08
This means that something is very soft and easy to slice. For example,
123
488035
4970
08:13
the steak is so tender, it cuts like butter,
124
493465
3300
08:17
and then we have airy. This means that something is very light and fluffy.
125
497465
4780
08:22
For example,
126
502665
833
08:23
the souffle was airy and delicate and then
127
503545
4390
08:28
chewy.
128
508545
833
08:29
This means that food requires some effort to chew like fresh
129
509605
4970
08:34
bread or caramel, for example. The bagel was perfectly chewy.
130
514665
4950
08:40
Next is crumbly. This means that once you eat something,
131
520595
4570
08:45
it breaks into small pieces very easily. Like some cookies,
132
525225
3860
08:49
for example, the shortbread was rich and crumbly. Now,
133
529865
4420
08:54
if something.
134
534304
741
08:55
Is crumbly, it's also delicate, which means it's very soft or fragile.
135
535045
3980
08:59
For example, the pastry had a delicate flaky crust,
136
539765
4260
09:04
and that brings me right into our next word, flaky,
137
544695
3220
09:08
which is something that breaks into thin layers like a croissant, for example.
138
548165
4550
09:12
The crust of the pie was golden and flaky.
139
552716
3718
09:17
Next up is gooey. This means that something is soft and sticky,
140
557145
4650
09:21
like melted cheese or melted chocolate. For example.
141
561905
3570
09:25
The brownies were warm and gooey in the center, and then we have juicy,
142
565855
4949
09:30
which is something that is full of moisture, like ripe fruit,
143
570805
4040
09:35
for example. The peach was so juicy and delicious. Alright,
144
575684
3941
09:39
we've got four more words in this category. It's quite a broad category.
145
579675
4430
09:44
Next is silky. We use this to describe something that is very smooth,
146
584615
4850
09:49
like a custard. For example,
147
589775
2170
09:52
the pumpkin soup was creamy and silky.
148
592365
3500
09:56
This brings me to creamy, which means that something is thick and smooth.
149
596295
4130
10:00
Like yogurt for example. The pasta sauce was rich and creamy.
150
600455
4810
10:05
Next is a word that we briefly highlighted earlier. Crunchy.
151
605815
3690
10:09
This means that something makes a loud sound when you bite into it,
152
609975
4370
10:14
like chips or nuts, for example,
153
614415
2490
10:17
the salad had a nice crunch from the toasted nuts. And finally,
154
617505
4120
10:22
velvety. This means that something is smooth and rich like thick,
155
622184
4201
10:26
perfectly made hot chocolate. In fact,
156
626575
2650
10:29
we quite often describe hot chocolate as thick and velvety,
157
629445
4580
10:34
and now it's time for our final category describing how food tastes.
158
634765
4860
10:40
I'm curious,
159
640405
610
10:41
have you ever eaten something so good that you actually closed your eyes for a
160
641015
4970
10:46
moment, moment just to enjoy it, to savor it?
161
646145
2680
10:49
Or maybe you've taken a bite of something and immediately thought, Nope,
162
649445
4020
10:53
that's not for me.
163
653684
981
10:55
Taste is without a doubt the most important part of any meal.
164
655235
3670
10:59
But how do you describe it beyond saying that it's good, delicious, tasty,
165
659325
4700
11:04
or bad? In English,
166
664045
2820
11:06
we often use very precise words to talk about food flavors.
167
666925
4220
11:11
So whether you're describing something that is rich and indulgent or
168
671804
4461
11:16
bland and disappointing,
169
676715
1310
11:18
having the right words will help you express exactly what you mean.
170
678684
3941
11:23
So let's get into how to talk about the way food tastes. First,
171
683205
4979
11:28
we're going to look at a list of positive words.
172
688195
2830
11:31
So when food tastes wonderful, such as delicious,
173
691165
4100
11:35
which means very pleasant,
174
695315
2150
11:37
you're super satisfied with the taste of the dish. You might say,
175
697525
4340
11:42
for example, this pasta is delicious. Can you please share the recipe?
176
702125
3700
11:46
Even stronger is exquisite. And this is also quite formal.
177
706695
4250
11:51
It means that the flavors.
178
711485
1380
11:53
Are beautiful, flawless, and delicious. For example,
179
713025
4180
11:57
each course was exquisite.
180
717434
2011
11:59
I'm so glad we made this reservation similar to this is divine,
181
719825
4620
12:04
which means supremely good. For example,
182
724655
3070
12:08
you have to try this lemon tart, it's divine.
183
728184
3701
12:12
Then we have interesting flavor profile.
184
732795
3490
12:16
This means that there's a mix of flavors that's very unique and
185
736795
4490
12:21
complex. For example,
186
741315
1610
12:23
this wine has an interesting flavor profile. It's not sweet,
187
743475
4329
12:27
but it's not really dry either. Then indulgent,
188
747865
4350
12:32
we use this to describe something that is high in sugar, fat, or salt.
189
752795
3780
12:36
In other words, it's very rich. For example,
190
756835
2099
12:39
you might say that I'm treating myself to an indulgent dessert tonight.
191
759315
4100
12:44
Then we have savory.
192
764245
1730
12:46
This is used to describe a rich umami taste that isn't
193
766645
4690
12:51
sweet. For example, I love the deep savory flavor of this dish.
194
771345
4950
12:56
Earlier in this lesson, we described a smell as citrusy,
195
776885
4130
13:01
which is perfect when trying to describe how lemons or oranges smell.
196
781016
4559
13:06
Then when you want to describe the taste, you would use tangy.
197
786285
3210
13:09
This is a slightly sharp,
198
789605
2010
13:12
acidic taste like citrus or vinegar, for example.
199
792155
3540
13:15
The dressing in the salad is tangy and fresh.
200
795875
2660
13:19
It balances the salad perfectly. And then finally,
201
799235
3780
13:23
for these positive words, we have umami, which is a deep,
202
803235
3819
13:27
satisfying, savory taste that often comes from broths,
203
807705
4790
13:33
mushrooms, or aged cheese. For example,
204
813015
2520
13:35
the broth has a strong umami flavor from the mushrooms and slow cooking.
205
815955
4940
13:41
And now let's move on to more neutral words.
206
821515
3020
13:45
When the taste of something is noticeable but not always pleasant.
207
825005
4370
13:49
For example, bitter, this means sharp and slightly harsh,
208
829995
4580
13:55
like dark chocolate or coffee, for example.
209
835005
3450
13:58
The caramel sauce is just a little bitter.
210
838515
2300
14:01
It might have been cooked for too long. Then we have bland,
211
841275
4450
14:06
and this means that something is totally lacking in strong flavor.
212
846184
4301
14:10
There might not be enough salt or it's just totally unseasoned.
213
850855
4270
14:15
As a result, it's kind of boring. So in that case,
214
855425
2900
14:18
you might say the soup tastes a little bland.
215
858385
2980
14:22
I think I need to add some spices. Next is heavy.
216
862045
3440
14:26
This is something that is thick, rich or very filling,
217
866115
3170
14:29
but not necessarily in the most positive way.
218
869465
3060
14:32
You might feel very heavy while you're eating it. In fact, for example,
219
872585
4380
14:37
the cream sauce makes this dish feel so heavy. Next,
220
877505
4700
14:42
we have sticky. Now, before we talk about it,
221
882265
2740
14:45
I wanna go back to a word we discussed earlier. Gooey,
222
885125
2920
14:48
we use this when describing texture, something.
223
888545
2500
14:51
That is beautifully melted and rich, like melted chocolate or cheese.
224
891125
3960
14:56
Sticky is a bit more neutral or negative.
225
896145
2580
14:58
It's something that clings or sticks to your mouth like caramel or honey.
226
898795
4690
15:04
For example, the toffee was sticky and chewy.
227
904185
3100
15:07
It took forever to eat. And finally, we have our negative words.
228
907625
4860
15:12
When taste is particularly unpleasant or overwhelming,
229
912635
4730
15:17
it's too much. For example,
230
917555
2330
15:20
burnt simply overcooked with a scorched taste,
231
920295
3790
15:24
for example, I think the toast is burnt. It's black on the edges.
232
924825
4700
15:30
Then we have dry,
233
930605
1330
15:32
which means lacking in moisture and too firm. For example.
234
932265
4710
15:37
Let's order from another place next time the chicken was really dry.
235
937545
3710
15:42
Next up is mushy.
236
942465
1770
15:44
This means something is too soft and often overcooked.
237
944545
4330
15:49
For example, the vegetables are mushy.
238
949295
2820
15:52
I prefer them to have a little bit of crunch.
239
952555
2200
15:55
Next on the list is sickly sweet.
240
955745
2570
15:58
This means that something is overly sugary,
241
958825
2650
16:01
so much so that it's totally unpleasant. For example,
242
961615
3660
16:05
the frosting on this cake is sickly sweet.
243
965775
2980
16:09
I can only eat one small bite. Okay,
244
969275
3180
16:12
you now have quite a list of words you can use to describe how food looks,
245
972675
4580
16:17
smells, feels, and tastes. To really learn this vocabulary,
246
977675
4260
16:22
we have to practice it. And one of the best ways to do that is number one,
247
982035
3740
16:26
see and hear how it's used in real life conversations and then practice it.
248
986395
4860
16:31
So let's do both. We're going to start with some real world scenarios.
249
991395
4860
16:36
How do you actually use these words in real conversations?
250
996315
3300
16:40
I want to share a few common situations where food descriptions are
251
1000535
4960
16:45
useful. First, when you're choosing a meal at a restaurant,
252
1005496
3759
16:49
I want you to imagine that you're at a restaurant with friends,
253
1009695
3080
16:53
you're looking at the menu and someone asks, what are you thinking of ordering?
254
1013035
3940
16:57
And instead of saying, I don't know, it all looks good. You could say,
255
1017635
4300
17:02
I'm thinking of getting the salmon. It sounds really flavorful,
256
1022675
3620
17:06
and I love anything with smoky fish,
257
1026315
2460
17:09
or the pasta sounds indulgent. It has a rich creamy sauce,
258
1029655
4660
17:14
and I'm in the mood for something comforting. Now,
259
1034615
2980
17:18
speaking of comfort foods,
260
1038115
1560
17:20
we all have those go-to meals that make us feel warm and
261
1040415
4660
17:25
relaxed. So instead of saying, I love soup,
262
1045076
3999
17:29
you might say, I love a good bowl of homemade soup.
263
1049455
3779
17:33
There's something about that rich aromatic broth that's so comforting
264
1053465
4610
17:39
or nothing beats fresh bread with creamy butter.
265
1059135
3859
17:43
It's simple, but so satisfying. This next situation is quite.
266
1063665
4970
17:48
Important because not only is it about the vocabulary,
267
1068994
2691
17:51
but it's also a bit cultural. If you are in someone's home,
268
1071705
4100
17:55
you might want to celebrate a meal that they've cooked. For example,
269
1075945
4060
18:00
imagine that you've been invited to your friend's house for dinner and you know
270
1080115
3770
18:03
that they've worked really hard on this dinner,
271
1083886
1879
18:06
so you want to express your appreciation. Instead of saying,
272
1086225
3980
18:10
this isn't bad or this is good, you could say,
273
1090595
3410
18:14
this stew is incredible. It's so hardy,
274
1094355
3330
18:17
and the spices give it a deep warming flavor.
275
1097686
3119
18:21
Or this dessert is perfect. It's light and airy,
276
1101725
3940
18:26
but still rich and flavorful.
277
1106244
2101
18:29
And then let's imagine that you're describing a dish to a friend.
278
1109105
3900
18:33
Maybe someone asks you, how was the food at that new restaurant?
279
1113535
3430
18:37
And instead of saying, it was great,
280
1117505
1900
18:39
you could say the sushi was fresh and beautifully plated and the flavors
281
1119825
4780
18:44
were perfectly balanced, or the chocolate cake was decadent,
282
1124765
4960
18:49
it was moist, rich, and just the right amount of sweet.
283
1129785
3459
18:54
Now that you have these real life examples,
284
1134355
1900
18:56
I want you to practice and here's how you can do that. First,
285
1136375
3200
18:59
I want you to think about your favorite dish,
286
1139695
2680
19:02
something that you absolutely love,
287
1142376
1959
19:04
and then I want you to describe it in the comments below.
288
1144835
3100
19:08
Try using at least three words from this lesson today. Consider how it looks,
289
1148595
4899
19:13
how it smells, what the texture is, and how it tastes.
290
1153955
4060
19:18
I will absolutely be reading your responses and can't wait to see
291
1158855
4670
19:23
what you come up with. Now, before we finish up,
292
1163835
2950
19:26
if you found today's lesson helpful to you,
293
1166965
1820
19:29
I would love to know and you can tell me in one very simple way,
294
1169065
3960
19:33
give this lesson a thumbs up here on YouTube, and while you're at it,
295
1173415
3450
19:37
make sure you subscribe so you never miss one of my Confident English lessons.
296
1177055
4010
19:41
Thank you so much for joining me, and I look forward to seeing you next time.
297
1181515
3469
About this website

This site will introduce you to YouTube videos that are useful for learning English. You will see English lessons taught by top-notch teachers from around the world. Double-click on the English subtitles displayed on each video page to play the video from there. The subtitles scroll in sync with the video playback. If you have any comments or requests, please contact us using this contact form.

https://forms.gle/WvT1wiN1qDtmnspy7