Want the scoop on Philadelphia's buzziest local spots?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to analyze which local businesses have been on the tips of diners' tongues this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Philadelphia 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 hot this spring.
La Roca
Open since March 2018, this bar and Mexican spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Bars" on Yelp.
Citywide, bars saw a median 2.7 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, but La Roca saw an 11.4 percent increase, maintaining a mixed 3.5-star rating throughout. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, La Roca's review count increased by more than 200 percent.
Located at 4161 Main St. in Manayunk, La Roca offers all your Mexican favorites, like tacos, burritos and bowls. It also offers burgers, served with your choice of fries or Mexican corn. Top it off with a strawberry basil margarita.
Oh Brother Philly
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Old City's Oh Brother Philly, the spot to score cheesesteaks, burgers and sandwiches is a hot topic, according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Sandwiches" on Yelp saw a median 1.5 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, Oh Brother Philly bagged an 11.1 percent increase in new reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a strong 4.5-star rating. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining 1.5 times more reviews than expected based on its past performance.
Open at 206 Market St. since May 2018, Oh Brother Philly offers chili lime fries, garnished with cilantro and spring onions, along with Sriracha mayonnaise. Pair those with the Jalapacamole Burger, served with guacamole, pickled onions, pickled jalapeños and melted mozzarella on a brioche bun.
SOMO Manayunk
Manayunk's SOMO Manayunk is also making waves. Open since spring of 2018 at 4311 Main St., the bar and New American and breakfast and brunch spot has seen a 6.6 percent bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1.8 percent for all businesses tagged "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, SOMO Manayunk's review count increased by more than 200 percent.
There's more than one hotspot trending in Philadelphia's breakfast and brunch category: Le Pain Quotidien has seen a 4.6 percent increase in reviews.
SOMO Manayunk offers starters like roasted Brussels sprouts, chicken wings, meatballs and fried calamari. Larger plates include mushroom pappardelle and lobster and shrimp macaroni and cheese. Over the past month, it's maintained a sound four-star rating among Yelpers.The business also has a location in South Philadelphia.
Sandler's On 9th
Washington Square's Sandler's On 9th is the city's buzziest New American spot by the numbers.
The restaurant, which opened at 834 Chestnut St. in June 2018, increased its new review count by nine percent over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 1.8 percent for the Yelp category "American (New)."
Sandler's On 9th offers breakfast dishes, such as avocado toast, omelettes and sandwiches. Try the Train Wreck, featuring pork roll, eggs, American cheese and long hot peppers on a kaiser roll, served with home fries. The all-day menu includes Snyder's Honey Mustard and Onion Pretzels-crusted chicken and a barbecued duck quesadilla.
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.
