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 local businesses have been most discussed 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 poised to start summer off strong.
Tender Greens
Open since December 2018, this New American spot, which offers salads, sandwiches and more, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp. It has several other locations.
Citywide, New American spots saw a median 1.9 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, but Tender Greens saw a 50 percent increase, with a slight upward trend from a 2.5-star rating a month ago to three stars today. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis Tender Greens' review count increased by more than 370 percent.
Located at 100 Huntington Ave., Suite K006A in Back Bay, Tender Greens offers plates like fried chicken with mashed potatoes and baby greens. Sandwiches include the caprese with mozzarella, roasted tomatoes, arugula and aioli on a ciabatta roll. Complement your meal with a soft drink, a local craft brew or a glass of wine.
ReelHouse Restaurant
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about East Boston's ReelHouse Restaurant, the well-established New American spot, which offers seafood and more, is a hot topic, according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Seafood" on Yelp saw a median 1.1 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, ReelHouse Restaurant bagged a 4.9 percent increase in new reviews within that timeframe, with a slight upward trend from a three-star rating a month ago to its current 3.5 stars. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining 2.8 times more reviews than expected based on its past performance.
Open at 6 New St. (between Sumner and Maverick streets) since April 2017, ReelHouse Restaurant offers a globally inspired menu, handcrafted cocktails and harbor views. Start with the oysters of the day, the clam ceviche, a bowl of clam and corn chowder or a salad. Entrees include the New England-Style Clam Bake, with local clams, mussels, chorizo, marble potatoes and corn in an aromatic lobster broth. Add a half lobster for an additional cost. Top it off with the Skinny Jeans cocktail, made with Tito's handmade vodka, coconut water, cucumber, mint, agave and lime.
Terra
Back Bay's Terra is also making waves. Open since April 2017 at 800 Boylston St. (between Gloucester and Fairfield streets), the bar and Italian spot has seen a 5.4 percent bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1.6 percent for all businesses tagged "Bars" on Yelp. Over the past month, the restaurant has maintained a mixed 3.5-star rating among Yelpers
Terra offers and extensive menu, featuring meats and vegetables on skewers, a variety of pasta and risotto dishes and more. Can't decide? The chef will curate his own selection for you. Plus a portion of each sale benefits Lovin’ Spoonfuls food charity.
SRV
Back Bay's SRV is the city's buzziest Italian spot by the numbers.
The popular wine bar and Italian spot, which opened at 569 Columbus Ave. (between Wellington and Springfield streets) in January 2016, increased its new review count by 4.2 percent over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 2.8 percent for the Yelp category "Italian." It outperformed the previous month by gaining 4.7 times more reviews than expected based on past performance.
SRV is short for "Serene Republic of Venice," and the business offers house-made pastas and small plates in a casual environment. Try the Lady Viola cocktail with your meal. It's made with Reyka vodka, bergamot, violette, chickpea aquafaba and lemon.
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.
