As fans of cronuts and cake pops can attest, food trends come and go. So how can you tell which tastes are trending at this very moment?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to uncover which eateries have been on the tips of diners' tongues this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Washington 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, and tracked businesses that consistently increased their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.
Read on to see which spots are sizzling hot, right now.
The Smith
With locations in Washington and New York City, The Smith is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp.
Citywide in D.C., breakfast and brunch spots saw review counts increase by a median of 2.3 percent over the past month, but The Smith saw a 16.9 percent increase, maintaining a mixed 3.5-star rating throughout.
Located at 1314 U St. NW (between North 13th and North 14th streets) in the U Street Corridor, The Smith offers pizza, sandwiches, salads, a raw bar and more. Menus for brunch, lunch and dinner can be found here.
Stable DC
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Capitol Hill's Stable DC, the well-established cocktail bar and modern European spot 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 3 percent over the past month, Stable DC bagged a 13 percent increase in reviews within that time frame, maintaining a superior 4.5-star rating. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining three times more reviews than expected based on its past performance.
Open at 1324 H St. NE (between North 13th Street and North Linden Court) since 2017, Stable DC specializes in Swiss cuisine including dishes such as veal Zurich style, chicken vol en vent, cheese fondue and raclette. Pair your meal with a Schnapsicle, a frozen treat made with Schnaps, fruit and wine.
Bresca
The U Street Corridor's Bresca is the city's buzziest New American spot by the numbers.
Bresca, located at 1906 14th St. NW (between North Wallach Place and North T Street), increased its review count by 14.9 percent over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median review increase of 2.3 percent for the Yelp category "New American." It outperformed the previous month by gaining 1.7 times more reviews than expected based on past performance.
Bresca offers chicken, fish, duck and more. Review the full menu here.
Farmbird
Capitol Hill's Farmbird is currently on the upswing in the traditional American category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "American Traditional" on Yelp increased review counts by a median of 1.9 percent over the past month, this chicken shop increased its count by 8.4 percent — and kept its rating consistent at five stars.
Located at 625A H St. NE (between North Seventh and North Sixth streets), Farmbird specializes in chicken and serves lunch and dinner daily. See the menu here.
Flavio Restaurant
This popular wine bar and Italian spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Italian" on Yelp.
Citywide, businesses tagged "Italian" saw review counts increase by a median of 2.4 percent over the past month, but Flavio Restaurant saw a 7.8 percent increase, maintaining a solid four-star rating throughout.
Located at 1073 31st St. NW (between North Canal Street and Blues Alley) in Georgetown, Flavio Restaurant offers Italian cuisine including dishes such as chicken Parmesan and veal Milanese along with a variety of pasta. The spot also features seafood and steak on its dinner menu.
