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 discover which restaurants have been on the tips of diners' tongues this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Boston 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.
The Industry
Open since June 2017, this steakhouse, cocktail bar and New American spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Cocktail Bars" on Yelp.
Citywide, cocktail bars saw review counts increase by a median of 2.3 percent over the past month, but The Industry saw an 18.3 percent increase, maintaining a mixed 3.5-star rating throughout. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis review counts increased by more than 1,900 percent.
It's not the only trending outlier in the cocktail bar category: Nahita Cocktails and Cuisine has seen a 25.5 percent increase in reviews.
Located at 750 Adams St. (between Minot and Saranac streets) in South Dorchester, The Industry offers salads, pizzas and entrees. A Sunday Roast is held every Sunday, featuring a three-course meal. (See the full menu here.)
Chickadee
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about South Boston's Chickadee, the cidery and New American and Mediterranean spot is a hot topic, according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp increased their review count by a median of 1.7 percent over the past month, Chickadee bagged a 21.7 percent increase in reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a healthy 4.5-star rating. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining 5.0 times more reviews than expected based on its past performance.
Open at 21 Drydock Ave. since July 31, 2018, Chickadee, named after the state bird of Massachusetts, offers a seasonal menu featuring locally-sourced ingredients. Try the Scotch olives, with Loukaniko sausage, whipped feta and pickled peppers as an appetizer. Follow it up with the Featherbrook Farm chicken, served with cauliflower pilaf, saffron, pine nuts and apricot. (See the full menu here.)
Bootleg Special
South End's Bootleg Special is also making waves. Open since February 2018 at 400 Tremont St. (between Arlington and Appleton streets), the tapas bar and Cajun/Creole spot, which offers seafood and more, has seen a 15.9 percent bump in reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of one percent for all businesses tagged "Seafood" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis review counts increased by more than 120 percent. Over the past month, it's maintained a solid four-star rating among Yelpers.
Bootleg Special offers a menu built around shared dishes and seafood boils. Try the Bootleg Special, which includes lobster, shrimp, crawfish, mussels, clams, corn on the cob, potatoes and andouille sausage. Complement your meal with a craft cocktail like the Cucumber Collins or the Bootleg Hurricane. A brunch menu is also offered. (Read more about it here.)
