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 deduce which eateries have been on the tips of diners' tongues this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Phoenix 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 increase their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.
Read on to see which spots are worth exploring, right now.
Rott N' Grapes
Open since September, this Italian wine bar, breakfast and brunch spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp.
Citywide, breakfast and brunch spots saw review counts increase by a median of 1.9 percent over the past month, but Rott n' Grapes saw a 43.6 percent increase, maintaining a stellar five-star rating throughout.
Located at 1001 N. Third Ave., Suite 1, in Central City, Rott n' Grapes offers a breakfast and lunch menu that features bistro-styled eats and small plates. For brunch, look for its brioche french toast and egg sandwiches. Expect to find charcuterie boards, roasted cauliflower, wild mushroom risotto and a variety of bruschettas for lunch, then wash them down with one of the eatery's specialty cocktails, beers or wines. (Check out the menu here.)
Mimi Forno Italiano
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Laveen's Mimi Forno Italiano, the Italian spot, which offers pizza and more, is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Pizza" on Yelp increased their review count by a median of 2.3 percent over the past month, Mimi Forno Italiano bagged a 46.3 percent increase in reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a healthy 4.5-star rating.
There's more that's trending on Phoenix's pizza scene: Tommy's Place has seen a 4.8 percent increase in reviews.
Open at 3624 W. Baseline Road, Suite 174, since 2016, Mimi Forno Italiano offers Italian pizza, pasta and sandwiches. Start your meal with appetizers like fried calamari, mussels or bruschetta and end with grilled salmon or baked ziti. Traditional Italian desserts are also on the menu.
EarlyBaker
Ahwatukee Foothills' EarlyBaker is also making waves. Open since 2017 at 4025 E. Chandler Blvd., the New American, Mediterranean and Greek spot has seen a 5.4 percent bump in reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1.9 percent for all businesses tagged "American (New)" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis review counts increased by more than 500 percent.
There's more than one hotspot trending in Phoenix's New American category: Native Grill & Wings has seen a 7.6 percent increase in reviews, and Pita Jungle has seen a 5 percent bump.
EarlyBaker offers early morning grub like egg sandwiches, mixed berry crepes and breakfast burritos. For lunch and dinner, try its rice pilaf pocket or lamb chops. Vegan options are also available. (See the menu for yourself here.) Over the past month, it's maintained a sound 4.5-star rating among Yelpers.
