Want the dirt on Miami's most happening local spots?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to uncover which restaurants have been in the spotlight this month. From oceanfront views to creative cocktails to Latin-New American fusion, here's the scoop on Miami restaurants trending right now.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Miami 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 sizzling hot, right now.
Vista
Open since August, this cocktail bar and Italian spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Cocktail Bars" on Yelp.
Citywide, cocktail bars saw review counts increase by a median of 4.7 percent over the past month, but Vista saw a 32.3 percent increase, maintaining a sound four-star rating throughout.
It's not the only trending outlier in the cocktail bar category: Lost Boy has seen a 30.8 percent increase in reviews, and Crudos Fusion Art has seen a 12 percent bump.
Located at 5020 N.E. Second Ave. in Buena Vista, Vista offers signature cocktails like the gin-based Amalfi Coast or the rum-infused Manigordo with lime, pineapple and chamomile, as well as spirit-free options like the Tiki Oasis with pineapple, strawberry, coconut, spices, lime and soda. (Check out this spot's libations here.)
First Watch
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Flagami's First Watch, the daytime cafe and traditional American spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp increased their review count by a median of 2.8 percent over the past month, First Watch bagged a 55.3 percent increase in reviews within that timeframe, with a slight downward trend from a 4.5-star rating a month ago to its current four stars.
There's more that's trending on Miami's breakfast and brunch scene: Sette Osteria - Wynwood has seen a 19.6 percent increase in reviews.
Open at 5799 N.W. Seventh St. since October, First Watch's menu highlights include avocado toast, lemon ricotta pancakes and the frittata rustica with crimini mushrooms, onions and tomatoes topped off with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. (Check out this spot's offerings here.)
Amara at Paraiso
Amara at Paraiso is also making waves. Open since last January at 3101 N.E. Seventh Ave., the bar, Latin American and New American spot has seen a 10.9 percent bump in reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2.4 percent for all businesses tagged "American (New)" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis review counts increased by more than 250 percent.
There's more than one hotspot trending in Miami's New American category: Three has seen a 11.6 percent increase in reviews, and Le Chick Miami and St. Roch Market Miami have seen 12 and 8.5 percent increases, respectively.
Amara at Paraiso offers highlights such as yuca cheese puffs, short rib empanadas and crispy octopus with smoked paprika aioli. Over the past month, it's maintained a sound four-star rating among Yelpers. (See the full menu here.)
