Iceberg lettuce’s revival has wilted: A salad story – Justin Fox

In a culinary saga spanning decades, the rise and fall of iceberg lettuce stand as a testament to changing tastes and market dynamics. Once hailed as an American staple, its dominance waned amidst the proliferation of gourmet greens. Despite a brief resurgence championed by food luminaries, iceberg's decline persisted, yielding ground to kale and arugula. Now, amidst a cabbage comeback, the lettuce landscape evolves once more, leaving room for new favourites to emerge.

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By Justin Fox

The first two decades of the 21st century saw a revival of culinary interest in iceberg lettuce, an American staple that had lost out to other greens in high-end restaurants and food magazines decades earlier. "Iceberg is making something of a comeback," ventured Julia Reed, a New York Times food writer, in 2003. "The hipsters are reclaiming it," wrote Joanne Latimer in Canadian newsmagazine Maclean's in 2012. "It's time to admit that iceberg is a superior lettuce," instructed Helen Rosner in the New Yorker in 2018.

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