Want the inside word on San Francisco's most happening local spots?
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 deduce which eateries have been most discussed this month.
To find out who made the list, we first looked at San Francisco 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 have the momentum heading into springtime.
The Pub at Ghirardelli Square
Opened in 2009, this well-established pub and restaurant is trending based on local foot traffic data.
While The Pub at Ghirardelli Square stayed on par with the median 0.6% increase in new reviews for traditional American spots on Yelp over the past month, maintaining a mixed 3.5-star rating, the number of visitors to The Pub at Ghirardelli Square more than tripled over the same time frame, according to SafeGraph's foot traffic data.
Here's more about the business from Yelp: "Nestled just below San Francisco's historic Ghirardelli Square and across from iconic Aquatic Park overlooking San Francisco Bay, The Pub offers all the American classics, delicious barbecue and late-night dining. With a wide range of cocktails — including one of the best bloody marys in town — and a great selection of beers, you will never be disappointed with all that The Pub has to offer. The Pub is also available for private events, as well as catering for all occasions."
Located at 851 Beach St., The Pub At Ghirardelli Square also offers a full menu of pub grub and comfort food favorites like burgers, sliders, ribs, wings and more — not to mention views of the bay. On the weekends, the kitchen serves up Southern-style brunch until 2 p.m.
The Pub at Ghirardelli Square is open from noon–10 p.m. on Monday-Thursday, noon–11 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m.–11 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m.–10 p.m. on Sunday (the kitchen closes an hour before the bar). According to SafeGraph, it's usually busiest at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., and people visit The Pub at Ghirardelli Square most on Saturdays and Sundays, with a slowdown on Thursdays.
Matcha Cafe Maiko
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Chinatown's Matcha Cafe Maiko, this outpost of the Hawaiian franchise is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Desserts" on Yelp saw a median 1% increase in new reviews over the past month, Matcha Cafe Maiko appeared on Yelp relatively recently. Many new businesses struggle to gain reviews, but it has seen a surge of interest.
Open at 754 Grant Ave. (at Clay Street) since December, Matcha Cafe Maiko serves up an array of Japanese-inspired ice cream and tea drinks with ingredients imported from Uji, Japan. Stop by for matcha-flavored soft serve, frappes made with hojicha (roasted tea), black sesame lattes and specialty sundaes topped with mochi balls and matcha cakes.
Matcha Cafe Maiko is open from 11 a.m.–7 p.m. on Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m.–9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Fiery Cafe
The Outer Sunset's Fiery Cafe is also making waves. Open since last October at 1316 Noriega St. (between 20th and 21st avenues), the fast-casual sandwich spot has seen an 83.3% bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1.1% for all businesses tagged "Sandwiches" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, Fiery Cafe's review count increased by more than 200%.
Opened by the team behind Parkside's Fiery Hot Pot Buffet, Fiery Cafe specializes in sub sandwiches with an Asian flair, such as Thai basil chicken with red chili and provolone; wagyu beef with kimchi; and pork belly with hoisin aioli. Over the past month, it's seen its Yelp rating improve from four stars to 4.5 stars.
Fiery Cafe is open from noon–7 p.m. on Tuesday-Sunday. (It's closed on Monday.)
Tartine Manufactory
The Mission's well-established Tartine Manufactory is currently on the upswing in the New American category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp saw a median 1.1% increase in new reviews over the past month, this spot increased its new reviews by only 0.8% — and kept its rating consistent at 3.5 stars. However, the business saw visits more than triple over the same time frame, according to SafeGraph's foot traffic data.
Open for business at 595 Alabama St. (at 18th Street) since 2016, Tartine Manufactory is part of the Tartine family of bakeries and cafes, which has outposts around the Bay Area, L.A. and in Seoul, South Korea.
According to Yelp, "Tartine Manufactory is a multi-faceted food and beverage venue featuring a restaurant, cocktails, beer and wine, a bakery and coffee." Its menu features roasted turkey flatbread sandwiches, halibut crudo, steak tartare and more.
Tartine Manufactory is open from 8 a.m.–10 p.m. daily. According to SafeGraph, foot traffic is heaviest at 7 p.m., 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., and on Tuesdays and Sundays, with a slowdown on Wednesdays.
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.
