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Tinned fish is officially chic—and taking Raleigh by storm.
Hot take: Tinned fish is no longer just a can of StarKist tuna. Once a pantry staple, colorful artist-driven packaging has elevated the humble tin to a luxury snack taking over grocery store shelves, wine bars and restaurant menus across the U.S.
Long a foodie fixture in places like Portugal and Spain, European conservas—aka high-quality artisan-preserved seafood—first launched into the ether as the “it” appetizer in 2023, fueled in part by TikTok and a hashtag that racked up ~100 million views under “#tinnedfish.” Raleigh has only recently started catching up.
The potential delay? The briny flavor can be tough to tackle for more conservative palates. But, now, the city’s offerings are quickly expanding—from the likes of The Hippo Wine Bar and Figulina to State of Beer and Weaver Street Market.
Co-owner Katie O’Kane of The Hippo links the rise to the city’s fast uncorking thirst for wine. “Raleigh is such a big beer town with so many incredible local breweries,” she says—“and tinned fish is usually associated with wine,” thanks to its natural acidity against the richness of tinned fish. “People are getting curious about it as it becomes more widely available and talked about.”
While sardines and anchovies remain go-tos, O’Kane recs mackerel and tuna for newbies. Sauces and spices—like mustard, tomato or fennel—soften that robust fishiness and make the snack more approachable. At The Hippo, you’ll find mackerel in mustard sauce, sardines in tomato sauce, and a lemon and fennel tuna. Dram Fenton dishes its artisan cans on charcuterie boards, complete with crackers, bread, dips, nuts and pickled accouterments. And State of Beer rotates Italian classics alongside innovative Fishwife recipes like smoked rainbow trout with red chimichurri, or albacore tuna in spicy olive oil.
“You bet we love tinned fish at SOB!” chimes co-owner Chris Powers. “We started carrying it to promote a more casual option.” So don’t be afraid to test the waters and crack open a can of something new—you may just find your new favorite snack.
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