Want the dirt on Phoenix's most happening local spots?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to discover which restaurants have been seeing especially high review volumes 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 extra cool, right now.
Rito's Mexican Food
Open since June 2018, this Mexican spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Mexican" on Yelp.
Citywide, Mexican spots saw review counts increase by a median of 2.9 percent over the past month, but Rito's Mexican Food saw a 27.9 percent increase, maintaining a strong 4.5-star rating throughout.
It's not the only trending outlier in the Mexican category: Paz Cantina has seen a 15.5 percent increase in reviews.
Located at 5813 N. 7th St., Suite 135, in Camelback East, Rito's Mexican Food offers starters like gordita quesadillas, cheesy tortillas and guacamole. There's also tostadas, burritos, tacos, enchiladas and sides.
Kovo Modern Mediterranean
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Paradise Valley's Kovo Modern Mediterranean, the cocktail bar and restaurant 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 2.3 percent over the past month, Kovo Modern Mediterranean bagged a 15.8 percent increase in reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a sound 4.5-star rating.
Open at 10625 N. Tatum Blvd., Suite 150, since fall 2018, this modern Mediterranean spot offers lunch, brunch and dinner plates. Expect a variety of bruschetta options, charcuterie boards, pizzas, pastas, grilled meat and seafood dishes, pita sandwiches and more.
Pubblico Italian Eatery
Camelback East's Pubblico Italian Eatery is also making waves. Open since February 2018 at 5813 N. 7th St., the Italian restaurant and bar has seen a 7.8 percent bump in reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2.1 percent for all businesses tagged "Pizza" on Yelp.
Pubblico Italian Eatery offers wood-fired pizzas, pastas, and a selection of meat and seafood plates. There's also a small dessert list, featuring tiramisu and the like. Over the past month, it's maintained a convincing 4.5-star rating among Yelpers.
