Food trends come and go. So how can you tell which tastes are trending right now?

We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to discover which local businesses have been on the tips of diners' tongues this month.

To find out who made the list, we looked at New York City 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.

Au Cheval Diner

Open since March, this diner is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Diners" on Yelp.

Citywide, diners saw a median 1.3 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, but Au Cheval Diner saw a 64.3 percent increase, maintaining a strong four-star rating throughout.

Located at 33 Cortlandt Alley (between Walker and Canal streets) in Chinatown, Au Cheval Diner is the first New York City location of the incredibly popular Chicago burger spot, which built its reputation on its signature bacon cheeseburger topped with a fried egg à cheval. 

Handsome Rice

Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Midtown's Handsome Rice, the Korean spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.

While businesses categorized as "Korean" on Yelp saw a median 2.3 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, Handsome Rice bagged a 36.4 percent increase in new reviews within that time frame, maintaining a solid 4.5-star rating. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining 12 times more reviews than expected, based on its past performance.

Open at 133 E. 31st St. (between South Park and Lexington avenues) since November 2018, Handsome Rice offers casual Korean favorites, like bulgogi and bibimbap, in a cozy, counter-service setting. (See the full menu here.) 

Wayan

Nolita's Wayan is also making waves. Open since February at 20 Spring St. (between Mott and Elizabeth streets), the event space and Indonesian and French eatery has seen a 40 percent bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1.4 percent for all businesses tagged "French" on Yelp.

There's more than one hot spot trending in New York City's French category: Le Prive has seen a 18.9 percent increase in reviews.

According to its website, Wayan offers "Indonesian cuisine with a modern French flair, in a sleek space warmed by teak paneling, lush plants and whitewashed brick." Over the past month, Wayan has maintained a convincing four-star rating among Yelpers.

519

SoHo's 519 is the city's buzziest cocktail bar by the numbers.

The cocktail bar and Mediterranean spot, which opened at 519 Broome St. (between Thompson and Sullivan streets) in the fall of 2018, increased its new review count by 38.7 percent over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 2.5 percent for the Yelp category "Cocktail Bars." It outperformed the previous month by gaining four times more reviews than expected based on past performance.

519 offers a wide variety of specialty cocktails, like the spicy Dirty Dirty and Absinthe Lemonade. There are also small plates, like dumplings and mussels, for drinkers with an appetite. 

Seppe Pizza Bar

Open since December, this cocktail bar and Italian spot, which offers pizza and more, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Italian" on Yelp.

Citywide, businesses tagged "Italian" saw a median 1.8 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, but Seppe Pizza Bar saw a 35.9 percent increase, maintaining a strong 4.5-star rating throughout. It gained 12 times more reviews than expected, based on past performance, significantly outperforming the previous month.

There's more than one place trending in New York City's Italian category: Barca has seen a 35.1 percent increase in reviews.

Located at 3 Navy Pier Court in Stapleton, Staten Island, Seppe Pizza Bar offers Italian favorites, like pasta, chicken Milanese and homemade pizza.

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.