As fans of cronuts and cake pops can attest, food trends come and go. So how can you tell which tastes are trending right now?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to uncover which eateries have been most discussed this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at New Orleans 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, right now.
Parran's Poboys
Open since May 2018, this Italian-Creolw spot, which offers sandwiches, seafood and more, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Seafood" on Yelp.
Citywide, seafood spots saw a median 1.6% increase in new reviews over the past month, but Parran's Poboys saw a 75% increase, maintaining a mixed 3.5-star rating throughout. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, Parran's Poboys's review count increased by more than 600%.
Situated at 4920 Prytania St. in Uptown (one of the restaurant's three locations), Parran's Poboys offers more than just a wide selection of po'boys. Burgers, fried seafood plates, gumbo and Italian fare, such as pizza and pastas, are also on the menu.
TM Breads & Pastries
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about the Central Business District's TM Breads & Pastries, the bakery, which offers coffee, tea, sandwiches and more, is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Sandwiches" on Yelp saw a median 1.3% increase in new reviews over the past month, TM Breads & Pastries bagged an 18% increase in new reviews within that time frame, maintaining a sterling five-star rating. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining 1.8 times more reviews than expected based on its past performance.
Open at 335 Baronne St. since July 2018, TM Breads & Pastries specializes in making fresh-baked artisan breads and pastries, such as muffins and biscuits, using local ingredients and traditional methods. The eatery also serves salads, sandwiches and coffee/tea drinks.
Emeril's New Orleans
The Lower Garden District's Emeril's New Orleans is also making waves. Open since 2005 at 800 Tchoupitoulas St., the popular New American and Cajun/Creole spot, which offers seafood and more, has seen a 1.2% bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1.6% for all businesses tagged "Cajun/Creole" on Yelp.
There's more than one hot spot trending in New Orleans's Cajun/Creole category: Melba's has seen a 2.7% increase in reviews, and Landry's Seafood House has seen a 7.6% bump.
Emeril's New Orleans offers lunch and dinner, with highlights being lobster fettuccine, sweet barbecued salmon, andouille sausage and sugar cane-lacquered duck. There's also a full bar that serves beer, wine and handcrafted cocktails. Over the past month, it's maintained a superior 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.
