Want the inside word on Boston's most talked-about local spots?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to analyze which restaurants have been most discussed this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Boston 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 getting plenty of attention, right now.
Casarecce
Open since 2019, this Italian spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Italian" on Yelp.
Citywide, Italian spots saw a median 1.9 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, but Casarecce saw an imposing 153.8 percent increase, maintaining a healthy 4.5-star rating throughout.
It's not the only trending outlier in the Italian category: Lucca Bar And Grill has seen a 47.6 percent increase in reviews.
Located at 285 Hanover St. (between Wesley and Lathrop places) in North End, the restaurant offers fried calamari, arancini, pappardelle Bolognese and more. All pasta is made fresh daily.
The Point
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Haymarket's The Point, the well-established sports bar and traditional American spot is a hot topic, according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "American (Traditional)" on Yelp saw a median 1.8 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, The Point bagged a 5.5 percent increase in new reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a mixed 3.5-star rating. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining five times more reviews than expected based on its past performance.
There's more that's trending on Boston's traditional American scene: Wahlburgers has seen a 17.7 percent increase in reviews.
Open at 147 Hanover St. (between Union and Marshall streets) since 2006, The Point offers New England clam chowder, salads, burgers, tacos and more. Daily lunch specials include baked meatloaf on Mondays and spaghetti and meatballs on Tuesdays.
Lobstah On A Roll
Back Bay's Lobstah On A Roll is also making waves. Open since 2017 at 537A Columbus Ave. (between Claremont Park and Worcester Street), the spot to score seafood, soup and sandwiches has seen a 6.8 percent bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1.2 percent for all businesses tagged "Seafood" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, Lobstah On A Roll's review count increased by more than 190 percent. Over the past month, it's maintained a strong 4.5-star rating among Yelpers.
The eatery offers breakfast sandwiches, lobster bisque, a Charles River po'boy and more. Vegetarian offerings, like the One If By Land sandwich, made with roasted red pepper hummus, tomato, bean sprouts and avocado, are also available.
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.
