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 restaurants have been getting outsized attention this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at San Antonio 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 riding a trend this winter.
Snooze, an A.M. Eatery
Open since 2006, this breakfast and brunch spot, which offers coffee, tea, sandwiches and more, 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 2.3 percent over the past month, but Snooze, an A.M. Eatery saw a 31.6 percent increase, with a slight downward trend from a four-star rating a month ago to 3.5 stars today. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis review counts increased by more than 150 percent.
Located at 1305 N. Loop 1604 West, Snooze, an A.M. Eatery, offers sweet and savory breakfast and lunch plates. On the menu, expect to find huevos rancheros, eggs Benedict, specialty pancakes and more. On the drink list, look for coffee, tea and seasonal cocktails.
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about downtown San Antonio's Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., the Southern spot, which offers seafood and more, is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Seafood" on Yelp increased their review count by a median of 3 percent over the past month, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. bagged a 32.4 percent increase in reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a mixed three-star rating. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining 5.5 times more reviews than expected based on its past performance.
There's more that's trending on San Antonio's seafood scene: Pinch Boil House and Bia Bar has seen a 10.1 percent increase in reviews.
Open at 406 Navarro St. since July, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. offers pastas, burgers, greens, ribs and its specialty shrimp. Look for its coconut shrimp served with Cajun marmalade and fries. Thirsty? Check out its hand-crafted cocktails.
Anchor Bar
Anchor Bar is also making waves. Open since 2017 at 4553 N. Loop 1604 West, Suite 1133, in the Ridge Shopping Center, the well-established sports bar and New American spot, which offers chicken wings and more, has seen a 9.2 percent bump in reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2.6 percent for all businesses tagged "American (New)" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis review counts increased by more than 280 percent.
There's more than one hotspot trending in San Antonio's New American category: Maverick has seen a 7.1 percent increase in reviews.
Anchor Bar offers specialty wings with eight signature sauces, chicken fingers, house-made lasagna, pizza, burgers and more. Over the past month, it's seen its Yelp rating improve from four stars to 4.5 stars.
