Unsure where New York City's insiders are eating and drinking? It's easy to spot lines out the door, but some underlying trends are harder to see.
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to deduce which NYC eateries have been seeing especially high review volumes 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 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 this summer.
Blue Bottle Coffee
Open since September 2017, this coffee and tea spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Coffee & Tea" on Yelp.
Citywide, coffee and tea spots saw a median 2.6% increase in new reviews over the past month, but Blue Bottle Coffee saw a 73.2% increase, maintaining a healthy 4.5-star rating throughout. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, Blue Bottle Coffee's review count increased by more than 430%.
Located at 150 Greenwich St. in the Financial District, this location of the California-based chain — with cafes across the United States and parts of Asia — serves Blue Bottle coffee in a selection of roasts and blends. Stop in for a pour over, an espresso drink or Japanese-style cold brew. There are pastries and snacks, too.
Dariush Persian Cuisine
Brooklyn Heights' Dariush Persian Cuisine is the city's buzziest Mediterranean spot by the numbers.
The gastropub, Mediterranean and Iranian spot, which opened at 132 Montague St. in November 2018, increased its new review count by 58.1% over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 2.5% for the Yelp category "Mediterranean." It outperformed the previous month by gaining 2.6 times more reviews than expected based on past performance.
Dariush Persian Cuisine offers small plates and entrees featuring farm-to-table ingredients, like kebabs, lamb shank and borani — a traditional Persian spinach dip made with yogurt and cinnamon. This restaurant also offers a full drink list and daily happy hour specials.
Savvy Bistro and Bar
Crown Heights' Savvy Bistro and Bar is currently on the upswing in the bar category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "Bars" on Yelp saw a median 2.5% increase in new reviews over the past month, this bar and Caribbean spot increased its new reviews by 30.2% — with its Yelp rating declining slightly from 4.5 stars to four stars. Review counts increased by more than 650% on a month-to-month basis.
There's more abuzz in the world of New York City bars: Masala King has seen a 18.2% increase in reviews.
Open for business at 710 Nostrand Ave. since September 2018, this bar and restaurant serves an array of specialty cocktails and a full menu of Caribbean-inspired gastropub fare. Try the crab sliders with Cajun aioli, jerk chicken spring rolls and mango shrimp. On the weekends, Savvy Bistro and Bar also offers brunch.
The Butcher's Daughter
Open since summer 2018, this breakfast and brunch spot, which offers juices, smoothies and salads, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Salad" on Yelp.
Citywide, businesses tagged "Salad" saw a median 2.5% increase in new reviews over the past month, but The Butcher's Daughter saw a 19% increase, maintaining a mixed 3.5-star rating throughout. It gained 34 times more reviews than expected based on past performance, significantly outperforming the previous month.
Located at 271 Metropolitan Ave. (between Driggs Avenue and Roebling Street) in Williamsburg, this location of the regional chain — with cafes and juice bars in West Village, Nolita and Los Angeles — serves breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes that emphasize veggies and plant-based ingredients. Stop in for a breakfast bowl, an Impossible burger or a spicy kale Caesar salad. There are juices, smoothies and cocktails, too.
Wayla
Is the Lower East Side's Wayla on your radar? According to Yelp review data, the Thai spot is seeing plenty of action.
While businesses categorized as "Thai" on Yelp increased their media new review count by 2.7% over the past month, Wayla nabbed a 79.4% increase in reviews within that time frame, with a modest downward trend from a five-star rating a month ago to its current 4.5 stars.
Located at 100 Forsyth St. (between Broome and Grand streets), Wayla offers elevated Thai dishes, from its curry of the day to stir-fried noodle platters. Don't miss the weekend brunch specials, like the Sai Oua Platter, with homemade Thai sausage, fried eggs and papaya salad.
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.
