Best Served Hot: September 28–October 3, 2025

Hello and welcome!

I’m Rachel Cunliffe, food blog designer and data scientist. Welcome to the first issue of Best Served Hot, a weekly snapshot of trends across the top 2,000 food blogs, plus ideas you can use.

Each edition blends trend analysis with fresh new insights you won’t find anywhere else. The reports are run at the end of each week and published every Sunday, so you’re always seeing the latest data.

I use “top 2,000” to refer to sites running Raptive ads and focused mainly on food recipes rather than lifestyle content or cocktail-only sites. The exact number changes from week to week; this week it’s 2,065.

If you know someone who’d enjoy these behind-the-scenes trends, please share this Substack. Word of mouth is the best way to help this become a sustainable venture.

What would you like me to explore next about these top food blogs? Your questions will help shape upcoming issues, and I look forward to exploring more with you in the weeks ahead.

Thank you so much for your support.