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 discover which local businesses have been getting extra notice this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Honolulu 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, right now.
Pokeway
Open since June 2018, this Hawaiian eatery, which offers poke, seafood and more, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Seafood" on Yelp.
Citywide, seafood spots saw a median 1.9% increase in new reviews over the past month, but Pokeway saw a 47.4% increase, maintaining a solid 4.5-star rating throughout. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, Pokeway's review count increased by more than 600%.
It's not the only trending outlier in the seafood category: Kirin Restaurant has seen a 12.6% increase in reviews, and Maile's Thai at Ward and Zigu have seen 9 and 12.2% increases, respectively.
Located at 801 Kaheka St. in Ala Moana-Kakaako, Pokeway offers customizable poke bowls with a choice of size, base, protein, toppings and sauce. Not sure what to put in your bowl? Check out an array of different house favorite bowls on the menu.
Allegrini Mozzarella
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Ala Moana-Kakaako's Allegrini Mozzarella, the Italian spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Italian" on Yelp saw a median 2% increase in new reviews over the past month, Allegrini Mozzarella bagged a 19.2% increase in new reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a terrific five-star rating.
Open at 333 Ward Ave., Stall 27, Ohana Hale Marketplace since October 2018, Allegrini Mozzarella offers appetizers (artichoke, tomatoes, capers), pizza crepes, pasta dishes and hot panini sandwiches.
Shorefyre
Waikiki's Shorefyre is also making waves. Open since January at 2330 Kalakaua Ave., Suite 396, the New American restaurant has seen a 17.1% bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1.7% for all businesses tagged "American (New)" on Yelp.
There's more than one hot spot trending in Honolulu's New American category: Liko's Tap & Table has seen a 13.3% increase in reviews.
Shorefyre offers a variety of different fare, from grilled chicken and steak dinners to acai bowls and freshly caught ahi tuna. Check out the business' website here for a full line of unique offerings. Over the past month, it's seen its Yelp rating tick down from 3.5 stars to three stars.
Tane Vegan Izakaya
McCully-Moiliili's Tane Vegan Izakaya is currently on the upswing in the sushi bar category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "Sushi Bars" on Yelp saw a median 2.6% increase in new reviews over the past month, this sushi bar, izakaya and vegan spot increased its new reviews by 28.4%—and kept its rating consistent at 4.5 stars.
Open for business at 2065 S. Beretania St. since March, the business offers a completely plant-based menu including ramen noodles, braised small plates called nimono, fried tempura, classic sushi rolls and nigiri. Check out the menu here.
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.
