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 analyze which restaurants have been on the tips of diners' tongues 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 getting plenty of attention this spring.
Tocaya
Open since 2016, this Mexican spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Mexican" on Yelp.
Citywide, Mexican spots saw a median 2.7 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, but Tocaya saw a 19.5 percent increase, maintaining a healthy 4.5-star rating throughout.
Tocaya is a chain with one location in Scottsdale and 12 others across Southern California. This outpost, located at 7012 E. Greenway Parkway, Suite 100 in Paradise Valley, offers "modern Mexican" cuisine using locally-sourced, natural and sustainable ingredients when available.
On the menu, look for salads, bowls, tacos, burritos and more. Try the mushroom and jalapeno quesalita (house-made corn tortillas with sautéed mushrooms, onions, cilantro, chopped jalapeños, and a side of roasted tomato salsa) or the fajita del rey bowl (sautéed peppers and onions, cilantro lime rice, black beans, vegan chipotle crema, guacamole and pico de gallo.)
The current spring seasonal menu features coconut, with selections like churro bites and coco-pina margaritas. (Find the entire menu here.)
Taphouse Kitchen
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Paradise Valley's Taphouse Kitchen, the New American spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp saw a median 1.9 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, Taphouse Kitchen bagged a 13.6 percent increase in new reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a mixed 3.5-star rating.
Taphouse Kitchen has one other location in nearby Scottsdale. Open at 3131 E. Shea Blvd. since 2014, the Phoenix location offers menu items (beef, chicken, seafood, pizza, salads) that are paired with a wine or a pint on tap.
Menu favorites include Taphouse Sliders (Creek Stone beef, brioche bun, sauce béarnaise and smoked gouda [paired with Stella Artois or Troublemaker red blend],) pan seared salmon (organic Scottish salmon, warm baby kale, organic arugula and hydrocress, lemon, fennel and red chimichurri [paired with Oak Creek Nut Brown Ale or Angeline Sauvignon blanc) and rock shrimp pasta (penne pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, asparagus, pine nuts, fontina cream). (Find the rest of the menu here.)
Squarz Bakery & Cafe
Paradise Valley's Squarz Bakery & Cafe is also making waves. Open since 2018 at 13802 N. Scottsdale Road, the bakery and cafe, which offers coffee and tea and more, has seen an 18.3 percent bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2.8 percent for all businesses tagged "Coffee & Tea" on Yelp.
Squarz Bakery & Cafe has one other outpost in nearby Tempe. The cafe offers all natural, made-from-scratch meat pies, salads, soups and baked goods.
Savory favorites include the avocado and egg sandwich, the caramelized onion, bacon and brie croissant, as well as the shepherd's pie. For those with a sweet tooth, Yelpers recommend ordering the red velvet croissant or a cinnamon roll.
The bakery also hosts live music weekly. Over the past month, Squarz Bakery & Cafe has maintained a convincing 4.5-star rating among Yelpers. (Find the full menu here.)
Little Rituals
Central City's Little Rituals is the city's buzziest cocktail bar by the numbers.
The cocktail bar and lounge, which opened at 132 S. Central Ave., Floor 4 in January, increased its new review count by 37.9 percent over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 4.9 percent for the Yelp category "cocktail bars."
Little Rituals, located on the fourth floor of the Courtyard Marriott, offers wine, beer, cocktails, small bites and desserts. Order a stout with your "Millionaire’s Bacon Board," which comes with candied shoulder bacon, nutella, peanut butter mousse, smoked bleu strawberry basil jam, pickled grapes, bananas foster and grilled noble. (Check out the entire menu here.)
Pizza A Metro
Encanto's popular Pizza A Metro is currently on the upswing in the Italian category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "Italian" on Yelp saw a median 2.5 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, this Italian spot, which offers pizza and more, increased its by 4.2 percent—and kept its rating consistent at 4.5 stars. Review counts increased by more than 380 percent on a month-to-month basis.
Open for business at 2336 W. Thomas Road since 2008, the business offers homemade pasta, fresh seafood and wood-fired pizza. Yelpers recommend the shrimp romantica with vodka sauce, as well as the spaghetti bolognese and margherita pizza. (Explore the menu here.)
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.
