As fans of cronuts and cake pops can attest, food trends come and go. So how can you tell which tastes are trending right now?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to discover which local businesses have been most discussed this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Fort Lauderdale 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 on a hot streak this winter.
Del Frisco's Grille
Open since November 2018, this beer bar serving traditional American dishes and internationally inspired fare 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 3.5 percent over the past month, but Del Frisco's Grille saw an 87.2 percent increase, with a slight upward trend from a 3.5-star rating a month ago to four stars today.
It's not the only trending outlier in the breakfast and brunch category: Fuzzy's Taco Shop has seen a 35.5 percent increase in reviews.
Located at 501 E. Las Olas Blvd., Suite 150, in downtown Fort Lauderdale, Del Frisco's Grille offers dishes like ahi tuna tacos, cheesesteak egg rolls, and truffle mac and cheese. Yelpers' favorites include braised short rib hash and Southern fried chicken and waffles, both featured on the weekend brunch menu. Fans of the restaurant also rave about its desserts, like Nutella bread pudding with coffee ice cream. (See this spot's full offerings here.)
Sushi Shack
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Colee Hammock's Sushi Shack, the sushi and cocktail bar is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Cocktail Bars" on Yelp increased their review count by a median of 8.2 percent over the past month, Sushi Shack bagged a 35.6 percent increase in reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a strong four-star rating. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining 2 times more reviews than expected based on its past performance.
Open at 1301 E. Las Olas Blvd. since September 2018, Sushi Shack offers Japanese sushi and tapas as well as American classics. Expect a varied menu featuring burgers, steaks and whiskey, as well as nigiri, sashimi, seafood plates and saki. (Check out the menus here.)
Milk Money Bar & Kitchen
Middle River Terrace's Milk Money Bar & Kitchen is also making waves. Open since November 2018 at 815 N.E. 13th St., the cocktail bar and New American kitchen has seen a 13.7 percent bump in reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1.8 percent for all businesses tagged "American (New)" on Yelp.
There's more than one hotspot trending in Fort Lauderdale's New American category: Toast has seen a 10.2 percent increase in reviews, and Good Spirits Fifth & Fed has seen a 10.1 percent bump.
Milk Money Bar & Kitchen's menu boasts a selection of vegetarian options with unexpected flavors — from the crispy Buffalo cauliflower to the Impossible Meatloaf, served with whipped sweet potato, haricot vert, truffled mushroom, and a sweet and spicy veggie-based ketchup glaze. Meat lovers will also find options like beef barbacoa tacos, pork belly bahn mi sandwiches and a classic cheeseburger.
Cocktails, like the Sailor to Pirate, also offer a twist. This rum-based beverage, served inside a treasure box, resembles an Old-Fashioned — until its frozen piña colada cube melts.
Over the past month, it has maintained a strong four-star rating among Yelpers.
