Food trends come and go. So how can you tell which tastes are trending at this very moment?
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 discover which eateries have been seeing especially high review volumes 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 are on a hot streak, right now.
Bulgara
Open since January, this Mediterranean chicken shop is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Mediterranean" on Yelp.
Citywide, Mediterranean spots saw a median 1% increase in new reviews over the past month. Bulgara only recently appeared on Yelp, but while many new businesses struggle to gain reviews, it has seen strong initial popularity.
Located at 279 Columbus Ave. (near Broadway) in Chinatown, Bulgara specializes in wood-roasted rotisserie chicken served in half and whole portions with sides like rice, fries, salad and grilled veggies. Other options at this fast-casual spot include charbroiled lamb, pork belly and beef ribs, and most of Bulagara's meats are available in wrap form, with tzatziki and house green sauce.
Bulgara is open from 11 a.m.–10 p.m. on Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m.–9 p.m. on Sunday.
Nightingale Bar
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Union Square's Nightingale Bar, it's a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Bars" on Yelp saw a median 0.7% increase in new reviews over the past month, Nightingale Bar bagged a 90.9% increase in new reviews within that time frame, maintaining a sound 4.5-star rating.
Nightingale Bar, which opened at 239 Kearny St. in December, is the latest venture from Future Bars, the group behind Bourbon & Branch, Local Edition and Rickhouse, among other establishments. An homage to the "fern bars" of the 1970s, the new spot's interior boasts Tiffany lampshades, quirky wallpaper and, of course, ferns.
The cocktail list at the bi-level bar features a dozen specialty cocktails, including a draft Aperol Spritz, one-of-a-kind creations like the 100% That Bird (made with vodka, agave and Lillet Blanc), and bowls of Disco Punch. Beer and wine are also available, as is a large menu of "mocktails."
Nightingale Bar is open from 2 p.m.–2 a.m. on weekdays and 6 p.m.–2 a.m. on Saturday. (It's closed on Sunday.)
Palette
SoMa's Palette is also making waves. Open since last year in the old LuLu space at 816 Folsom St. (near Fourth Street), the hybrid restaurant and art gallery has seen a 21.3% bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1% for all businesses tagged "American (New)" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, Palette's review count increased by more than 250%.
For more on the faces behind the business, we turned again to Yelp: "A chef by trade and artist by passion, Peter J. Hemsley is the chef-proprietor of Palette. Food is a multifaceted creative medium for Peter — from penning his creations in illustration, watercolor or ink on paper, to his modern interpretation of traditional fare and unique approach to plating — the entire process is a vibrant and evolving exploration."
What's the business known for? "Palette is a dynamic fine-dining restaurant and art gallery in SoMa that playfully explores the relationship between food, art and community. Palette's ever-evolving menu changes with the seasons to serve dishes using the freshest produce possible." — that's according to its Yelp page.
Palette offers elevated small, medium and large plates, as well as a rotating series of tasting menu experiences based on themes like "resolution" and "progression." Over the past month, it's maintained a solid 4.5-star rating among Yelpers.
Palette is open from 5–9 p.m. on Tuesday-Thursday and 5–10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. (It's closed on Monday and Sunday.)
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.
