Food trends come and go. So how can you tell which tastes are trending right this minute?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to uncover which local businesses have been in the limelight this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Long Beach 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 extra cool this winter.
Ola Mexican Kitchen
Open since December 2019, this Mexican spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Mexican" on Yelp.
Citywide, Mexican spots saw a median 1.5% increase in new reviews over the past month. Ola Mexican Kitchen only recently appeared on Yelp, but while many new businesses struggle to gain reviews, it has seen strong initial popularity.
It's not the only trending outlier in the Mexican category: Little Vice has seen a 28% increase in reviews.
Located at 6420 Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 230, Ola Mexican Kitchen offers shrimp ceviche, queso fundido, blackened chicken tortilla soup and carnitas tacos. View the menu here.
Ola Mexican Kitchen is open from 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m.–10 p.m. on weekends.
The Grasshopper
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about The Grasshopper, the cocktail bar is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Cocktail Bars" on Yelp saw a median 3% increase in new reviews over the past month, The Grasshopper bagged a 55% increase in new reviews within that time frame, with a slight downward trend from a five-star rating a month ago to its current 4.5 stars.
According to its Yelp page, the establishment is a "Long Beach bar with a vintage vibe that [specializes] in fresh cocktails, cold beers and curated music."
There's more that's trending on Long Beach's cocktail bar scene: Long Beach Tap House has seen a 11.1% increase in reviews.
Open at 136 E. Anaheim St. since November 2019, The Grasshopper features handcrafted cocktails like the signature Grasshopper, with creme de menthe, creme de cacao and coconut milk, or the Green Hornet, with tequila, agave nectar, lime juice and jalapeno.
The Grasshopper is open from 5 p.m.–2 a.m. on Monday-Saturday and 3 p.m.–2 a.m. on Sunday.
Jade Restaurant
Jade Restaurant is also making waves. Open since August 2019 at 6380 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Suite A, the sushi bar and Asian fusion spot has seen a 12.3% bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1.3% for all businesses tagged "Sushi Bars" on Yelp.
There's more than one hotspot trending in Long Beach's sushi bar category: Zenmaru has seen a 1.3% increase in reviews.
Jade Restaurant serves up quail egg nigiri, sashimi salad and spicy ono roll. See what else is on the menu. Over the past month, it's maintained a mixed 3.5-star rating among Yelpers.
Jade Restaurant is open from 3–10 p.m. on Monday-Thursday, 3 p.m.–1 a.m. on Friday, noon–1 a.m. on Saturday and noon–10 p.m. on Sunday.
Philz Coffee
Philz Coffee, a franchise of the notable chain, is currently on the upswing in the breakfast and brunch category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp saw a median 1.4% increase in new reviews over the past month, this breakfast and brunch spot, which offers coffee, tea and more, increased its new reviews by 6.9% — and kept its rating consistent at four stars. Review counts increased by more than 200% on a month-to-month basis.
There's more abuzz in the world of Long Beach breakfast and brunch: Plant Power Fast Food has seen a 7.5% increase in reviews, and Panini Kabob Grill has seen a 6% bump.
Open for business at 4801 E. Second St. since December 2019, Philz Coffee offers almond butter and jam toast, bacon and cheese burrito and jalapeno cheese bagel.
Philz Coffee is open from 6 a.m.–8 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday and 6 a.m.–9 p.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.
