As fans of cronuts and cake pops can attest, food trends come and go. So how can you tell which tastes are trending right this minute?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to discover which eateries 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 this autumn.
The White Bull Tavern
Open since January, this bar and New American spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp.
Citywide, New American spots saw review counts increase by a median of 2.1 percent over the past month, but The White Bull Tavern saw a 35.3 percent increase, maintaining a mixed three-star rating throughout.
Located at 1 Union St. next to Faneuil Hall, The White Bull Tavern offers appetizers in cast-iron skillets, pizza, raw oysters and 24 beers on tap, all in a history-themed atmosphere.
Parla
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about North End's Parla, the cocktail bar and Italian spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While restaurants categorized as "Italian" on Yelp increased their review counts by a median of 1.8 percent over the past month, Parla bagged a 5.6 percent increase in reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a solid four-star rating.
There's more that's trending on Boston's Italian scene: BenCotto has seen a 7.7 percent increase in reviews, and Dolce Vita Ristorante and Rabia's have seen 3.4 and 2.6 percent increases, respectively.
Open at 230 Hanover St. (between Cross and Richmond streets) since 2014, Parla offers a modern and local take on Italian food, like Maine lobster ravioli, and innovative cocktails.
Saltie Girl
Back Bay's Saltie Girl is also making waves. Open since 2016 at 281 Dartmouth St., the popular wine bar and seafood restaurant has seen a 4.9 percent bump in reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1.7 percent for all businesses tagged "wine bars" on Yelp.
Saltie Girl offers seafood, from oysters to torched salmon belly, and a thoughtful wine list. Over the past month, it's maintained a solid 4.5-star rating among Yelpers.
