30 Most Tongue Twister Food Names That Trip Up Americans

If you’re traveling around the world or eating food at a new restaurant nearby, you might run into names that will trip you up when pronouncing them. You’re not alone if you need help sounding out some food names. 

Italian, French, and Vietnamese foods are some of the hardest to pronounce correctly. You could be missing a syllable or a soft “s” in some food names.

Quizgecko looks at trends in people asking how to pronounce certain food names to give you the top tongue twisters. You might be surprised which ones give people the most trouble.

Searching for Pronunciation Help

The list compiled by Quizgecko uses Google searches for its data. They analyzed the most popular foods next to search phrases that included the names and terms like “how to pronounce (food).”

For some, non-food words like “scissors” and “library” are even tough to pronounce. So, don’t feel bad for looking through this list and discovering you’ve been mispronouncing some of these popular culinary treats. 

1: Croissant

Correct pronunciation: kwah-sahn

Monthly searches: 589,670

2: Worcestershire

Correct pronunciation: wuh-ster-sheer

Monthly searches: 222,890

3: Gyro

Correct pronunciation: yee-roh

Monthly searches: 170,240

4: Pho

Correct pronunciation: fuh

Monthly searches: 90,440

5: Charcuterie

Correct pronunciation: shahr-koo-tuh-ree

Monthly searches: 79,140

6: Gnocchi

Correct pronunciation: nyawk-kee

Monthly searches: 73,080

7: Quinoa

Correct pronunciation: keen-wah

Monthly searches: 69,210

8: Acai

Correct pronunciation: ah-sigh-ee

Monthly searches: 59,930

9: Gruyère

Correct pronunciation: groo-yair

Monthly searches: 38,760

10: Tzatziki

Correct pronunciation: tsah-tsee-kee

Monthly searches: 37,400

11: Macaron

Correct pronunciation: mac-uh-rohn

Monthly searches: 32,230

12: Caprese

Correct pronunciation: cah-prey-zay

Monthly searches: 28,300

13: Brioche

Correct pronunciation: bree-ohsh

Monthly searches: 27,440

14: Chipotle

Correct pronunciation: chi-poht-lay

Monthly searches: 25,270

15: Sriracha

Correct pronunciation: sir-rah-chah

Monthly searches: 24,900

16: Paella

Correct pronunciation: pie-ay-uh

Monthly searches: 21,190

17: Mousse

Correct pronunciation: moos

Monthly searches: 20,760

18: Quiche

Correct pronunciation: keesh

Monthly searches: 20,150

19: Bruschetta

Correct pronunciation: bru-sket-tuh

Monthly searches: 20,120

20: Prosciutto

Correct pronunciation: pro-shoo-toh

Monthly searches: 19,350

21: Beignet

Correct pronunciation: ben-yay

Monthly searches: 19,300

22: Tiramisu

Correct pronunciation: tih-ruh-mee-soo

Monthly searches: 19,300

23: Espresso

Correct pronunciation: es-press-oh

Monthly searches: 14,050

24: Edamame

Correct pronunciation: ed-uh-mah-may

Monthly searches: 13,370

25: Bouillabaisse

Correct pronunciation: boo-yuh-bess

Monthly searches: 8,040

26: Fajita

Correct pronunciation: fah-hee-tuh

Monthly searches: 7,950

27: Poutine

Correct pronunciation: poo-teen

Monthly searches: 6,700

28: Vinaigrette

Correct pronunciation: vin-uh-gret

Monthly searches: 4,250

29: Phyllo

Correct pronunciation: fee-loh

Monthly searches: 2,340

30: Feta

Correct pronunciation: feh-tah

Monthly searches: 2,130

One Pastry’s Surprising History

The number one food on this list has a history you might find surprising. The croissant is known as a French pastry but its origins trace back to Austria. It was supposedly introduced into French cuisine when an Austrian opened a Viennese bakery in Paris in 1838. 

If you’re looking for the best croissants in the world, you can go to Du Pain et des Idées or Blé Sucré in Paris, France. In the U.S., you can find some of the most delectable croissants in New York City at Dominique Ansel Bakery, which is also the birthplace of the “cronut,” the croissant-donut invention. 

Some Tasty Desserts Listed

A handful of dessert names give people the most trouble when it comes to pronunciation, including mousse, tiramisu, and macaron. In the 19th century, mousse, known initially as “mayonnaise de chocolat,” was created by painter Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. 

Tiramisu, on the other hand, has origins that are hard to trace. According to some experts, the dish was popular in Italy for centuries. Others argue that it’s a more recent invention, first appearing in Italian cookbooks in 1968. 

While macarons are known now as a French dessert, the original recipe originally came from Italy. When Catherine de Medici married Henry II of France in 1533, she took with her the recipe for the crispy, layered cookies. In Paris, Ladurée is one of the most popular macaron makers, making 4.3 million of them a year. 

Rise of Trendy Foods

Making Quizgecko’s list are foods that have been massively trendy over the last few years. In 2019, the popularity of charcuterie boards began to rise with one Instagram account making cheese boards the hot new thing. Charcuterie means “cooked flesh” in French, and it’s also the name of shops that have been around since the 1500s that sell items you’ll find on a charcuterie board, like dried sausages and pates.

Also, the trendy “acai” has been making waves recently due to healthy acai bowls and smoothies. On Instagram, 2.9 million posts feature the hashtag of the superfruit. With reports that acai contains high levels of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, which can make for a healthier diet, it is likely acai will continue rising in popularity. 

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