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 uncover which eateries have been in the spotlight 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 sizzling hot, right now.
Meat the Ball
Open since March, this Italian spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Italian" on Yelp.
Citywide, Italian spots saw a median 1.8 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, but Meat the Ball saw a staggering 112.5 percent increase, with a slight downward trend from a 4.5-star rating a month ago to four stars today.
Located at 2502 E. Camelback Road, Suite 148, Meat the Ball offers 10 varieties of homemade meatballs, as well as pasta and salads. It also has a full drink menu, with beer, wine and cocktails. (See the full menu here.)
El Charro Hipster Bar & Cafe
Central City's El Charro Hipster Bar & Cafe is also making waves. Open since summer of 2018 at 1325 Grand Ave., the beer bar and breakfast and brunch spot — which offers coffee, tea and more — has seen a 14.3 percent bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1.9 percent for all businesses tagged "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, El Charro Hipster Bar & Cafe's review count increased by more than 170 percent.
El Charro Hipster Bar & Cafe offers Mexican food and empanadas, with plenty of vegan and gluten-free options. Over the past month, it's maintained a sterling five-star rating among Yelpers.
Los Taquitos Arcadia
Camelback East's Los Taquitos Arcadia is the city's buzziest Mexican spot by the numbers.
The Mexican spot, which opened at 3176 E. Indian School Road last fall, increased its new review count by 18.9 percent over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 1.9 percent for the Yelp category "Mexican."
It's not the only trending outlier in the Mexican category: Cocina Madrigal has seen a 13.7 percent increase in reviews.
This new location of the local chain offers more of what Los Taquitos is known for: Mexican-style street food in a casual setting.
Mimi Forno Italiano
Laveen's Mimi Forno Italiano is currently on the upswing in the pizza category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "Pizza" on Yelp saw a median 1.8 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, this Italian spot, which offers pizza and more, increased its by 7.9 percent — and kept its rating consistent at 4.5 stars.
Open for business at 3624 W. Baseline Road, Suite 174, since October, the business serves up authentic Italian favorites and Neapolitan pizza. (See the full menu here.)
Angel's Trumpet Ale House
Is Camelback East's Angel's Trumpet Ale House on your radar? According to Yelp review data, the gastropub and New American spot is seeing plenty of action.
While businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp increased their median new review counts by 2 percent over the past month, Angel's Trumpet Ale House nabbed a 12.4 percent increase in reviews within that time frame, maintaining a healthy four-star rating.
Located at 2339 N. 44th St., this new location of the popular downtown gastropub serves up plenty of craft beer, as well as small plates, sandwiches and flatbreads.
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.
