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 analyze which restaurants have been on the tips of diners' tongues this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at San Jose 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 this winter.
Bobaholics
Open since November, this bubble tea shop is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Coffee & Tea" on Yelp.
Citywide, coffee and tea spots saw review counts increase by a median of 4.3 percent over the past month, but Bobaholics saw a 71 percent increase, maintaining a strong four-star rating throughout.
It's not the only trending outlier in the coffee and tea category: Sharetea has seen a 10.8 percent increase in reviews.
Located at 1055 E. Brokaw Road, Suite 40 in North Valley, Bobaholics offers snacks like popcorn chicken, fish balls and potstickers, alongside an array of specialty drinks, including the Hulk Smash — a mix of honeydew and matcha with your choice of tea, milk tea, smoothie or icy.
Customers may also customize their drinks by following a four-step process to choose size, mix, flavor and toppings like aloe vera. (Check it out here.)
Curry Pizza House
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Evergreen East's Curry Pizza House, the fusion pizza spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Pizza" on Yelp increased their review count by a median of 2.1 percent over the past month, Curry Pizza House bagged a 17.6 percent increase in reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a solid 4.5-star rating. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining 3.0 times more reviews than expected based on its past performance.
There's more that's trending on San Jose's pizza scene: the Rose Garden outlet of national chain Mountain Mike's Pizza has seen a 11 percent increase in reviews.
Open at 4035 Evergreen Village Square, Suite 10 since last May, Curry Pizza House offers desi-style premium pizzas, including the Chili Paneer, which is topped with curry sauce, bell peppers, diced tomatoes, red onion, masala paneer, green onions and cilantro. Customers can also munch on smaller bites like hot wings and garlic sticks. View the full menu here.
Benedicts Café & Bar
Cambrian Park's Benedicts Café & Bar is the city's buzziest traditional American spot by the numbers.
The cocktail bar traditional American breakfast and brunch spot, which opened at 5365 Camden Ave. in April, increased its review count by 8.5 percent over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median review increase of 1.7 percent for the Yelp category "American (Traditional)."
It's not the only trending outlier in the traditional American category: Mesquite and Oak has seen an 8 percent increase in reviews.
Benedicts Café & Bar serves local American fare like the Chicken Waffle Benedict, which comes with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce, and the Monte Soreno Frittata, an Italian-style omelet made with minced peppers, Italian sausage, mushrooms, tomatoes and mozzarella. Take a look at the menu.
Goku Korean BBQ and Hot Pot
Also in Cambrian Park, Goku Korean BBQ and Hot Pot is currently on the upswing in the Korean category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "Korean" on Yelp increased review counts by a median of 3.2 percent over the past month, this Korean spot, which offers barbecue and hot pot, increased its by 16.2 percent—and kept its rating consistent at four stars. Review counts increased by more than 180 percent on a month-to-month basis.
Open for business at 3085 Meridian Ave. since June, the restaurant offers an Asian-fusion dining experience that serves up all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue or hot pot, in which meat is cooked in a simmering pot of soup-based stock. Meat choices include beef, pork, chicken and seafood, including baby octopus and spicy calamari. (Check out the full menu here.)
Mingle's Mango
Open since February, this well-established Asian fusion, dim sum and Szechuan spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Asian Fusion" on Yelp.
Citywide, businesses tagged "Asian Fusion" saw review counts increase by a median of 1.8 percent over the past month, but Mingle's Mango saw a 7.4 percent increase, maintaining a strong four-star rating throughout.
Nestled within a strip mall at 5278 Monterey Highway, Suite D in Edenvale, Mingle's Mango serves up dishes that integrate Western and Chinese flavors. The menu includes steamed buns, stuffed with your choice of pork, shrimp or lamb, and green onion pancakes.
