Unsure where Austin's in-the-know crowd is 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 analyze which local businesses have been on the tips of diners' tongues this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Austin 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 worth exploring this summer.
Kerbey Lane Cafe
Open since April, this bar and traditional American and Tex-Mex spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Bars" on Yelp.
Citywide, bars saw a median 1.8 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, but Kerbey Lane Cafe saw a 12.5 percent increase, maintaining a mixed three-star rating throughout. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis Kerbey Lane Cafe's review count increased by more than 160 percent.
Located at 2200 Aldrich St., Suite 100, in RMMA, Kerbey Lane Cafe offers edamame hummus on toast, bacon-wrapped meatloaf, vegan queso and fried avocado tacos on grain-free tortillas, as well as gluten-free, paleo and keto-friendly items.
The Funkadelic
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about The Funkadelic, the popular breakfast and brunch spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp saw a median 2.8 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, The Funkadelic bagged a 6.5 percent increase in new reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a healthy 4.5-star rating. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining 2.1 times more reviews than expected based on its past performance.
There's more that's trending on Austin's breakfast and brunch scene: Geraldine's has seen a 4 percent increase in reviews.
Open at 4715 S. Lamar Blvd., Suite 101-A, since February 2018, The Funkadelic's eclectic menu offers tacos, tortas, a barbecue brisket sandwich and churros Belgian waffles with horchata whipped cream.
Gabriela's Downtown
Central East Austin's Gabriela's Downtown is also making waves. Open since February 2018 at 900 E. Seventh St., the popular cocktail bar and Mexican spot has seen a 7.3 percent bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2.2 percent for all businesses tagged "Mexican" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis Gabriela's Downtown's review count increased by more than 200 percent.
Gabriela's Downtown offers offers margaritas and mezcal cocktails. Its modern Mexican menu includes Aguachil shrimp and ceviche micheladas, tacos with beer-battered shrimp and shredded chicken tinga. Over the past month, it's maintained a convincing four-star rating among Yelpers.
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.
