Food trends come and go. So how can you tell which tastes are trending today?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to analyze which eateries have been on the tips of diners' tongues this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Washington 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 on a hot streak, right now.
Casta's Rum Bar
Open since August, this Cuban bar and restaurant is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Bars" on Yelp.
Citywide, bars saw a median 1.1% increase in new reviews over the past month, but Casta's Rum Bar saw a remarkable 342.9% increase, maintaining a strong four-star rating throughout.
Located at 1121 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Casta's Rum Bar offers a variety of rum-based cocktails, including Cuba Libre — which features cola, lime juice and rum — as well as classic daiquiris and mojitos. It also has a cigar menu. Food options include a Cuban sandwich, empanadas and Cuban chicken soup.
Casta's Rum Bar is open from 4 p.m.–midnight Sunday through Thursday and 4 p.m.–2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Eat Brgz
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Capitol Hill's Eat Brgz, the New American spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp saw a median 1.2% increase in new reviews over the past month, Eat Brgz bagged an impressive 147.8% increase in new reviews within that time frame, with a slight upward trend from a 3.5-star rating a month ago to its current four stars.
There's more that's trending on Washington's New American scene: St. Anselm has seen a 7.1% increase in reviews.
Open at 250 Seventh St. SE since August, Eat Brgz offers build-your-own burgers, starting with the choice of potato bun or house-made cauliflower bun, adding protein and a side, such as french fries or a milkshake.
The burger spot is open from 11 a.m.- 10 p.m. on Tuesday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. on Sunday. (It's closed on Monday).
Rosemarino D'Italia
Dupont Circle's Rosemarino D'Italia is also making waves. Open since May at 1714 Connecticut Ave. NW, it has seen a 114.3% bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1.5% for all businesses tagged "Seafood" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, Rosemarino D'Italia's review count increased by more than 800%.
There's more than one hot spot trending in Washington's seafood category: Slapfish has seen a 35% increase in reviews.
Rosemarino D'Italia, which also has a restaurant in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria, offers locally sourced ingredients. Featured menu items include clams, mussels, shrimp and scallops, as well as mixed seafood with homemade pastas, risotto, salads and soups. Over the past month, it's maintained a strong 4.5-star rating among Yelpers.
The restaurant is open from 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m. on Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.–1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday and 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m. on Sunday.
Piccolina
Downtown Washington's Piccolina is the city's buzziest Italian spot by the numbers.
The Italian cafe and wine bar, which opened at 963 Palmer Alley NW in CityCenterDC in July, increased its new review count by a substantial 110% over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 1.3% for the Yelp category "Italian."
It's not the only trending outlier in the Italian category: Cafe Romeo's has seen a 1.1% increase in reviews.
Piccolina, which features a wood-fired oven, serves breakfast all day. Featured dishes include a pizza dough sandwich with porchetta and a Sicilian flatbread with lamb sausage.
The restaurant is open from 7:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m. daily.
Roy Boys
Last but not least, Roy Boys in Shaw is currently on the upswing in the cocktail bar category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "Cocktail Bars" on Yelp saw a median 2.7% increase in new reviews over the past month, this cocktail bar increased its new reviews by 12.3% — and kept its rating consistent at four stars.
Open for business at 2108 Eighth St. NW since February, Roy Boys features craft cocktails, as well as fried chicken and oysters. On the cocktail menu, you'll find martinis made with gin and oyster brine, and one concoction called the City Newsstand, with bourbon, bitters and cherry liqueur.
Roy Boys is open from 11 a.m.–midnight on Sunday-Tuesday, 11 a.m.–2 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday and 11 a.m.–3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
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.
