Wondering 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 uncover which restaurants have been getting a notable uptick in attention 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 have the momentum heading into back-to-school season.
Hookah Buzz
Open since January 2017, this popular hookah bar and lounge, which offers coffee, tea and more, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Coffee & Tea" on Yelp.
Citywide, coffee and tea spots saw a median 3.4% increase in new reviews over the past month, but Hookah Buzz saw an 18.5% increase, maintaining a convincing 4.5-star rating throughout. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, Hookah Buzz's review count increased by more than 600%.
Located at 11657 Research Blvd., Suite 106, Hookah Buzz offers dozens of hookah flavors to choose from, and the lounge/cafe also serves Turkish coffee and tea, smoothies, wraps, veggie trays and other snacks.
Me So Poké
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Me So Poké, the sushi bar, which offers poke, açaí bowls and more, is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Sushi Bars" on Yelp saw a median 2.3% increase in new reviews over the past month, Me So Poké bagged a 19.6% increase in new reviews within that time frame, maintaining a superior 4.5-star rating.
There's more that's trending on Austin's sushi bar scene: Sweet Chive has seen a 14.1% increase in reviews, and KOBE Japanese Steakhouse has seen a 3.4% bump.
Open since March at 1700 W. Parmer Lane, Suite 240, Me So Poké offers a handful of signature poke bowls, but the eatery encourages customers to build their own. For drinks, Me So Poké serves horchata, iced green tea and strawberry or cucumber lemonade.
First Watch
First Watch is currently on the upswing in the breakfast and brunch category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp saw a median 2.4% increase in new reviews over the past month, this traditional American cafe, part of a chain of casual breakfast and lunch spots, increased its new reviews by 6.2% — and kept its rating consistent at four stars. Review counts increased by more than 240% on a month-to-month basis.
Open for business at 14005 N. US Highway 183 since July 2017, the restaurant offers a large menu of classic breakfast foods, such as omelets, pancakes and oatmeal, lunch options, like salads, sandwiches and wraps, and seasonal specialties.
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.
