As fans of cronuts and cake pops can attest, food trends come and go. So how can you tell which tastes are trending today?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to discover which eateries have been in the limelight this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Dallas 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.
Nori Handroll Bar
Open since September, this sushi bar and bar, which offers tapas and more, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Bars" on Yelp.
Citywide, bars saw review counts increase by a median of 2.5 percent over the past month, but Nori Handroll Bar saw a 26.6 percent increase, with a slight downward trend from a five-star rating a month ago to 4.5 stars today.
It's not the only trending outlier in the bar category: Doc B's Restaurant + Bar has seen a 15.4 percent increase in reviews, and Bishop Cidercade has seen a 10.1 percent bump.
Located at 2814 Elm St. in Northeast Dallas, Nori Handroll Bar offers signature sushi rolls like the Kyuri (cucumber, crushed sesame seeds), King Salmon (house cured ora king salmon, sesame seeds, chives) and Negihama (yellowtail, scallions and sesame seeds). Or, splurge for meal deals that include three, four, five or six specific hand rolls. (Click here to view the full menu.)
Merchant House
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Oak Lawn's Merchant House, the cocktail bar and New American and breakfast and brunch 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 3 percent over the past month, Merchant House bagged a 19.7 percent increase in reviews within that timeframe, with a slight upward trend from a four-star rating a month ago to its current 4.5 stars. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining 1.5 times more reviews than expected based on its past performance.
Open at 4040 Maple Ave. since September, the Merchant House menu features charcoal poached shrimp salad with radishes, corn, avocado and watercress; roasted chicken phở with jalapeño, mint and basil; and the Miso Eggplant + Seared Tuna Bowl, which includes quinoa, green papaya and purple sweet potato. Don't overlook the shared plate section, which has over 20 items to choose from. Brunch is available from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. on the weekend.
Lekka
Far North's Lekka is also making waves. Open since 2017 at 17606 Preston Road, the well-established cocktail bar and traditional American spot has seen a 5.2 percent bump in reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2.8 percent for all businesses tagged "American (Traditional)" on Yelp. However, on a month-to-month basis review counts increased by more than 1,100 percent.
Lekka, which specializes in handcrafted, original artwork and unique accent pieces designed to enhance and revitalize any home, according to its website, serves salad, Tramezzinis (grilled stuffed pita bread), sandwiches, toasted sarmies, soup and appetizers. As far as drinks, ther's bottomless coffee, espresso and lattes. Over the past month, it's maintained a healthy four-star rating among Yelpers.
Smithy
M Streets's Smithy is the city's buzziest breakfast and brunch spot by the numbers.
The well-established sports bar and New American and breakfast and brunch spot, which opened at 2927 N. Henderson Ave. in April, increased its review count by 9.1 percent over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median review increase of 3 percent for the Yelp category "Breakfast & Brunch." It outperformed the previous month by gaining 3.0 times more reviews than expected based on past performance.
It's not the only trending outlier in the breakfast and brunch category: Snooze, an A.M. Eatery has seen a 15.9 percent increase in reviews.
Smithy, which took over the space formally occupied by a blacksmith, offers lunch, dinner and brunch on the weekend. Start with the crab nachos and then try the short rib that comes with grilled red onion, horseradish root, black cherry demi and crusty french bread, or the sea scallops with salt and pepper crust, cauliflower pearls, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, English peas and marsala jus. The drink menu has fine spirits, local drafts and domestic and imported beer.
