Curious where Denver's insiders are eating and drinking? It's easy to spot lines out the door, but some underlying trends are harder to see.
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to deduce which local businesses have been in the limelight this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Denver 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.
Acova
Open since May of 2018, this New American spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp.
Citywide, New American spots saw a median 2.5 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, but Acova saw a 17 percent increase, maintaining a healthy 4.5-star rating throughout. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis Acova's review count increased by more than 400 percent.
Located at 3651 Navajo St. in Highland, Acova offers appetizers like deviled eggs, white bean nachos, smoke-brined wings and grilled oysters, as well as entrees like the Icelandic cod, lobster mac and cheese and beef short ribs. For dessert, try this spot's apple doughnuts, flourless chocolate torte or berry cobbler. (Check out the menu here.)
Brightmarten Restaurant & Bar
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Belcaro's Brightmarten Restaurant & Bar, the New American bar, breakfast and brunch spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp saw a median 2.4 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, Brightmarten Restaurant & Bar bagged a 16 percent increase in new reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a healthy 4.5-star rating. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining 1.7 times more reviews than expected based on its past performance.
There's more that's trending on Denver's breakfast and brunch scene: Woodgrain Bagels has seen a 11.6 percent increase in reviews.
Open at 730 S. University Blvd. since April 2018, Brightmarten Restaurant & Bar offers casual American fare, including appetizers like its smoked burrata, fried green tomatoes and steak nachos. The menu also includes heartier meals like its cured pork chop, roasted butternut squash risotto and shrimp scampi.
Dog Haus Biergarten
Stapleton's Dog Haus Biergarten is also making waves. Open since October 2017 at 8316 Northfield Blvd., Suite 1610, the bar, which offers burgers, hot dogs and more, has seen a 13.4 percent bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1.7 percent for all businesses tagged "Bars" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis Dog Haus Biergarten's review count increased by more than 180 percent.
There's more than one hotspot trending in Denver's bar category: The Well - Pizza & Bar has seen a 7.7 percent increase in reviews, and Bang Up To The Elephant! has seen a 7.9 percent bump.
Dog Haus Biergarten offers Bavarian grub including 24 rotating craft beers alongside hand-crafted hot dogs, wursts and burgers, which come smothered in a variety of toppings including its haus chili, caramelized onions, pickled jalapeños and more. Vegetarians and vegans can also grab a plant-based Impossible Burger or veggie dog.
Over the past month, it's maintained a superior four-star rating among Yelpers.
This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
