Want the scoop on Austin's most talked-about local spots?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to uncover which local businesses have been on the tips of diners' tongues this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Austin 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 have the momentum heading into summer.
40 North
Open since 2014, this spot to score pizza, salads and sandwiches is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Sandwiches" on Yelp.
Citywide, sandwich spots saw a median 2.5 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, but 40 North saw a 7.5 percent increase, maintaining a solid 4.5-star rating throughout. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, 40 North's review count increased by more than 250 percent.
It's not the only trending outlier in the sandwich category: Ceviche7 has seen a 4.4 percent increase in reviews.
Located at 900 W. 10th St. in downtown Austin, 40 North offers Neapolitan pizzas with toppings like eggplant, pepperoni, mushroom and dandelion, plus salads, sandwiches, happy hour specials and more.
Kerbey Lane Cafe
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about RMMA's Kerbey Lane Cafe, the bar and traditional American and Tex-Mex spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Bars" on Yelp saw a median 1.9 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, Kerbey Lane Cafe - Mueller bagged a 15.2 percent increase in new reviews within that timeframe, with a slight downward trend from a 3.5-star rating a month ago to its current three stars.
Kerbey Lane Cafe has been in business since 1980 and now has eight locations including 2200 Aldrich St., Suite 100. The restaurant offers fried avocado tacos, pancakes, queso and more.
Baby Acapulco
Zilker's Baby Acapulco is also making waves. Open since 1980 at 1628 Barton Springs Road, the well-established Mexican spot has seen a 7.3 percent bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2.1 percent for all businesses tagged "Mexican" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis Baby Acapulco's review count increased by more than 430 percent.
Baby Acapulco offers chips and salsa, margaritas, tortilla soup and more. Over the past month, it's maintained a mixed 3.5-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.
