Want the scoop on Miami's buzziest local spots?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to deduce which local businesses have been in the limelight this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Miami 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 increased their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.
Read on to see which spots are riding a trend this summer.
Phil’s Café Bistro
Open since January, this cafe, a spot for French fare and brunch is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp.
Citywide, breakfast and brunch spots saw a median 5.8 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, but Phil’s Café Bistro saw an 83.3 percent increase, maintaining a convincing 4.5-star rating throughout. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis Phil’s Café Bistro's review count increased by more than 1,000 percent.
It's not the only trending outlier in the breakfast and brunch category: The Egg Spot has seen a 107.7 percent increase in reviews, and LAID fresh has seen a 64.7 percent bump.
Located at 1401 S.W. 22nd St. in Shenandoah, Phil’s Café Bistro's offerings include the prosciutto sandwich with tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and pesto on ciabatta bread. At dinner, signature dishes include the duck leg confit, steak frites and yellow tail snapper filet. (See the menu here.)
Three
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Three, the wine bar and New American spot, which offers desserts and more, is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp saw a median 1.8 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, Three bagged a 12.6 percent increase in new reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a sound four-star rating. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining 4.2 times more reviews than expected based on its past performance.
Open at 50 N.W. 24th St., Three offers starters like barbecue octopus, burrata salad and steak tartare. Notable entrees include the short rib tostada and braised lamb shoulder. Try the Havana Banana Doughnuts. Yelpers note they arrive with macadamia brittle ice cream and may steal the show at your table.
PEZ
Downtown Miami's PEZ is also making waves. Open since 2018 at 20 W. Flagler St., the cocktail bar and Mexican spot, which offers seafood and more, has seen a 16.3 percent bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2.5 percent for all businesses tagged "Seafood" on Yelp.
PEZ offers offers Tijuana-style Mexican seafood like charcoal-grilled octopus tacos, black mussels in a chorizo broth or a chili stuffed with smoked marlin. Save room for the chocolate custard with graham crackers and red wine ice cream. Over the past month, it's maintained a superior 4.5-star rating among Yelpers.
Cafe La Trova
Little Havana's Cafe La Trova is the city's buzziest cocktail bar by the numbers.
The popular cocktail bar and Cuban spot, which opened at 971 S.W. Eighth St. since January, increased its new review count by 22.4 percent over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 3.4 percent for the Yelp category "Cocktail Bars."
It's not the only trending outlier in the cocktail bar category: The Citadel has seen a 20.4 percent increase in reviews.
Cafe La Trova's menu reflects the city's 1980s Cuban culture with classic Cuban cocktails and signature concoctions—like the Hotel Nacional, combining Plantation pineapple rum, apricot liqueur, and lime and pineapple juice. Also expect plenty of Cuban-style dishes and live music.
Novikov Miami
Downtown Miami's popular Novikov Miami is currently on the upswing in the bar category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "Bars" on Yelp saw a median 4.8 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, this seafood market, bar and Japanese spot increased its new reviews by 11.8 percent—and kept its rating consistent at four stars.
Open for business at 300 S. Biscayne Blvd. since May 2018, the business offers wok dishes, dim sum and sushi. There's also a market display in the restaurant where diners can select from the daily seafood catch and decide how they'd like it prepared.
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.
