As fans of cronuts and cake pops can attest, food trends come and go. So how can you tell which tastes are trending at this very moment?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to uncover which restaurants have been on the tips of diners' tongues this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Seattle businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on the 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 extra cool this summer.
Coltiva: Pizzeria E Barra
Open since October 2018, this Italian spot, which offers pizza, beer, wine and more, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Italian" on Yelp.
Citywide, Italian spots saw a median 2.7% increase in new reviews over the past month, but Coltiva: Pizzeria e Barra saw a 40.5% increase, with a slight downward trend from a 4.5-star rating a month ago to four stars today. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, Coltiva: Pizzeria e Barra's review count increased by more than 300%.
It's not the only trending outlier in the Italian category: Fiasco has seen a 37% increase in reviews.
Located at 350 First Ave. West (between Thomas and Harrison streets) in Queen Anne, Coltiva: Pizzeria e Barra serves up specialty pizzas like fennel sausage, fig and prosciutto, sun-dried tomato and goat cheese and more.
Agave Cocina & Tequila
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about West Seattle's Agave Cocina & Tequila, the cocktail bar and Mexican spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Cocktail Bars" on Yelp saw a median 2.5% increase in new reviews over the past month, Agave Cocina & Tequila bagged a 30.3% increase in new reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a mixed 3.5-star rating.
Open at 4725 42nd Ave. SW (between Alaska and Edmunds streets) since May, Agave Cocina & Tequila offers tequila flights, margaritas, red sangria, mojitos and additional cocktails, paired alongside Mexican cuisine like ceviche, tacos, enchiladas and more.
The Shambles
Roosevelt's The Shambles is also making waves. Open since January 2018 at 7777 15th Ave. NE (between 80th and 77th streets), the New American spot and beer bar has seen a 12.1% bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1.6% for all businesses tagged "American (New)" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, The Shambles' review count increased by more than 380%.
The Shambles offers small plates like oysters, steak tartare, house-made jerky and more, as well as larger entrees like a braised duck sandwich, a variety of pastas and dry-aged pork chops. Over the past month, it's maintained a sound 4.5-star rating among Yelpers.
Shake Shack
Belltown's Shake Shack is the city's buzziest traditional American spot by the numbers.
The well-established traditional American spot and fast-food chain, which offers burgers and more, opened at 2115 Westlake Ave. (between Blanchard Street and Ninth Avenue) in October 2018. It increased its new review count by 9.9% over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 1.2% for the Yelp category "American (Traditional)." while maintaining a mixed 3.5-star rating on Yelp.
It's not the only trending outlier in the traditional American category: Red Robin Gourmet Burgers has seen a 3.4% increase in reviews.
Shake Shack offers burgers, cheese fries, milkshakes, chicken sandwiches, hot dogs and more.
Hood Famous Café + Bar
The International District's Hood Famous Café + Bar is currently on the upswing in the cafe category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "Cafes" on Yelp saw a median 1.6% increase in new reviews over the past month, this cafe and Filipino spot, which offers coffee, desserts and more, increased its new reviews by 25.4%—and kept its rating consistent at 4.5 stars.
Open for business in The Publix at 504 Fifth Ave. South, Suite 107A (between King and Jefferson streets) since February 2019, the business offers ube-centered baked goods, espresso drinks, lattes, and more.
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.
