Unsure where San Antonio's insiders are 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 and SafeGraph, a dataset of commercial points of interest and their visitor patterns, to analyze which eateries have been on the tips of diners' tongues this month.
To find out who made the list, we first looked at San Antonio 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. Then we analyzed foot traffic data from SafeGraph to validate the trends.
Read on to see which spots are sizzling hot this autumn.
First Watch
Open since 2017, this traditional American cafe, part of a nationwide chain, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp.
Citywide, breakfast and brunch spots saw a median 2.3% increase in new reviews over the past month, but First Watch saw an 11.7% increase, maintaining a mixed 3.5-star rating throughout. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, First Watch's review count increased by more than 470%.
It's not the only trending outlier in the breakfast and brunch category: Aldaco's Stone Oak has seen a 1.7% increase in reviews, and Snooze, An A.M. Eatery and CommonWealth Coffeehouse & Bakery have seen 10.3% and 9.2% increases, respectively.
Located at 700 E. Sonterra Blvd., Suite 314, First Watch serves breakfast, brunch and lunch, with highlights such as omelets, pancakes, quinoa bowls, salads and sandwiches. Check out the full menu here.
First Watch is open from 7 a.m.–2:30 p.m. daily.
Pharm Table
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about downtown San Antonio's Pharm Table, the well-established New American cafe and vegetarian spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp saw a median 1.4% increase in new reviews over the past month, Pharm Table bagged a 3.7% increase in new reviews within that time frame, maintaining a superior 4.5-star rating. According to SafeGraph foot traffic data, visits to Pharm Table increased by 28% in the past month.
Open at 106 Auditorium Circle since 2015, Pharm Table offers organic, health-conscious soups, salads and sandwiches, as well as quinoa bowls, Peruvian ceviche, bone broth and tacos. The cafe has a BYOB policy and a pet-friendly patio.
Pharm Table is open from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. daily. According to SafeGraph, foot traffic is heaviest at 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m., and on Saturdays and Fridays, with a slowdown on Thursdays.
Viola's Ventanas
Viola's Ventanas is also making waves. Open at 9660 Westover Hills since 2013, the popular Mexican and Tex-Mex spot has seen a 2.9% increase in new reviews over the last month — matching that of all businesses tagged "Mexican" on Yelp — but it's seen a 46% increase in visits over the same time frame, according to SafeGraph's foot traffic data.
Viola's Ventanas offers a full menu that features classic Tex-Mex cuisine, such as nachos, tamales, empanadas, chalupas, fajitas, enchiladas and more, and you can check out the cocktail menu here. Over the past month, it's maintained a mixed three-star rating among Yelpers. Catering services are also available.
Viola's Ventanas is open from 11 a.m.–10 p.m. on Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.–11 p.m. on Friday, 9 a.m.–11 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m.–10 p.m. on Sunday. According to SafeGraph, it's usually busiest at 6 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., and people visit Viola's Ventanas most on Saturdays and Fridays, so go on Tuesdays if you want to avoid the rush.
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.
