Curious where Boston's insiders are eating and drinking? It's easy to spot lines out the door, but some underlying trends are harder to see.
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to deduce which local businesses have been most discussed this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Boston businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month.
Read on to see which spots are extra cool, right now.
Lobstah On A Roll
Open since November 2017, this spot for seafood, soup and sandwiches is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Seafood" on Yelp.
Citywide, seafood spots saw review counts increase by a median of 1.6 percent over the past month, but Lobstah On A Roll saw a 30.2 percent increase, maintaining a superior 4.5-star rating throughout.
Located at 537A Columbus Ave. in Back Bay, Lobstah On A Roll offers over-sized lobster rolls and other sandwiches, plus chowder and soups.
The Industry
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about South Dorchester's The Industry, the steakhouse and cocktail bar is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Cocktail Bars" on Yelp increased their review counts by a median of 2.8 percent over the past month, The Industry bagged a 16 percent increase in reviews within that timeframe, with a slight downward trend from a four-star rating a month ago to its current 3.5 stars.
The Industry, which expanded its hours in March to serve lunch, is located at 750 Adams St. and offers American and Mediterranean food alongside wine and hand-crafted cocktails.
Rina's Pizzeria & Cafe
North End's Rina's Pizzeria & Cafe is also making waves. Open since 2015 at 371 Hanover St. (between Tileston and Clark streets), the Italian spot has seen a 9.9 percent bump in reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2.2 percent for all businesses tagged "Italian" on Yelp.
Rina's Pizzeria & Cafe offers pizzas, panini and meatballs, plus Italian beer and wine. Over the past month, it's maintained a strong four-star rating among Yelpers.
Vinoteca di Monica
North End's popular Vinoteca di Monica is currently on the upswing in the wine bar category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "Wine Bars" on Yelp increased review counts by a median of 1.4 percent over the past month, this wine bar and Italian spot, which offers seafood and more, increased its count by 3.6 percent — and kept its rating consistent at 3.5 stars.
Established in 1998, the business at 143 Richmond St. offers dozens of wines by the bottle to pair with homemade pasta, fresh seafood and Italian classics.
