Yelp Names Women-Owned Businesses as “Ones to Watch” in 2021

To view the women-owned “One’s to Watch” for 2022, please click here.

Millions of people turn to Yelp every day to make spending decisions, and users have contributed millions of reviews on almost every type of local business, from restaurants to nail salons to furniture stores. We recognize that consumers want to champion businesses that align with their values and spend their hard earned money with businesses they care about, like women-owned businesses. Consumer interest in women-owned businesses was up 2,739% in 2020, compared to 2019, and review mentions of women-owned businesses was up 76% for the same time period.

We’re celebrating Women’s History Month this March by sharing a list of

standout female-owned businesses on our platform. Since its launch in 2019, more than 280,000 businesses have adopted our women-owned attribute. These businesses run the gamut of shopping and dining experiences across the United States. You’ll find businesses like Marvel Cake, a California cake shop known for their custom confections, and Semicolon, a Chicago bookstore where Yelpers love the book selection, art and store puppy. Whether you’re looking for delicious takeout from a female-led restaurant, an independent bookstore to support or inspiration for your next manicure, our list of great female-run businesses has got you covered. Looking for home decor inspiration? Check out the home & decor businesses to watch here!

Businesses listed below are organized alphabetically by city and state. 

Beauty

• Glow Blow Bar – Phoenix, AZ
• Beautybyblair – Sherman Oaks, CA
• Kitchen Nail Bar – Sunnyvale, CA
• Brow Contour Capitol Hill – Washington DC
• Radiant Skin – Zionsville, IN
• Topcoat – Baltimore, MD
• Buttercup Soaperie – Ellicott City, MD
• Face Foundrié – Minneapolis, MN
• Gloss Brooklyn – Brooklyn, NY
• Chillhouse Soho – New York, NY
• Beautiful Me – Austin, TX
• Chicness Nails – Austin, TX
• The Brow Project – Dallas, TX
• Waxology – Everett, WA
• Nula La Nail Studio – Milwaukee, WI

Methodology: In order to identify women-owned beauty businesses to watch across the U.S., Yelp’s data science team started by using our data to find a list of businesses with the woman-owned business attribute in the Beauty category.” From the candidate businesses, we narrowed the list down through weighing a variety of factors, including a national presence, recent inclusion in Yelp Collections, average rating and review counts. Finally, we used human curation to identify trendsetting businesses in the beauty space.

Food

• Crust Brothers Pizza – Scottsdale, AZ
• Koi Poke – Scottsdale, AZ
• Marvel Cake – Campbell, CA
• Grace and Honey Cakes – Costa Mesa, CA
• CC’s Macarons and Desserts – Lakewood, CA
• CocoaBerry Cake Co – Placentia, CA
• Pure Water Health – San Diego, CA
• Soup Du Jour – San Diego, CA
• DH Cake Studio – Union City, CA
• ZOMO Asian + American Eatery – Englewood, CO
• Baan Siam– Washington, DC
• Masala Mantra – The Indian Bistro – Cape Coral, FL
• Bodrum Mediterranean Kitchen – Jacksonville, FL
• German Knodle – Saint Petersburg, FL
• Xtreme Tacos – Seminole Heights – Tampa, FL
• Himalayan Kitchen – Smyrna, GA
• Olay’s Thai Lao Cuisine – Honolulu, HI
• Asadoras Argentina Burgers – Oswego, IL
• Luna Empanada Shop – Chicago, IL
• 3 in 1 Restaurant – Indianapolis, IN
• Craft Beer Cellar Belmont – Belmont, MA
• 168 Asian Burritos – Olney, MD
• Vested Coffee – Kansas City, MO
• Balkan Treat Box – Webster Groves, MO
• Odeh’s Mediterranean Kitchen – High Point, NC
• La Finca Bowls – Albuquerque, NM
• Humboldt Sweets – Henderson, NV
• Garden Grill – Las Vegas, NV
• Ras Plant Based – Brooklyn, NY
• First Village Coffee – Ossining, NY
• Näna Good Eats – Whitestone, NY
• Donna’s Delicious Dozen – Columbus, OH
• Malka – Portland, OR
• Supernova Vegan – Portland, OR
• Jayd Bun – South Kingstown, RI
• The Cupcake Bar – Austin, TX
• 1618 Asian Fusion – Austin, TX
• Scoop and Score – Cedar Park, TX
• The Aussie Grind – Frisco, TX
• The Gypsy Poet – Houston, TX
• The Cuppo Coffee & Tea – Jersey Village, TX
• That’s My Dog – Katy, TX
• Comfort Cafe – San Antonio – San Antonio, TX
• Coolgreens Southlake –  Southlake, TX
• Fillings & Emulsions– Provo, UT
• Tasty Doux – Kent, WA
• Hangry Panda: Teriyaki, Street Eats & Bubble Tea– Seattle, WA
• Bella Goose Coffee – Wisconsin Dells, WI
• Bellas Bistro – Saratoga, WY
• Happy Cafe – Virginia Beach, VA

Methodology: We selected businesses with the women-owned attribute that either have shown increases in average ratings and review counts in 2020 compared to 2019, or opened since the start of 2019. Then we ranked these businesses using a combination of average rating and review counts. Finally, we limited the list to two businesses per metro area for geographic diversity.

Bookstores:

• Moe’s Books – Berkeley, CA
• The Bookworm – Camarillo, CA 
• Reparations Bookstore – Los Angeles, CA 
• J Crawford’s Books – Sacramento, CA 
• Semicolon Bookstore – Chicago, IL 
• Sandman Books – Punta Gorda, FL 
• Papercuts JP – Boston, MA 
• Cream & Amber – Hopkins, MN 
• Books are Magic – Brooklyn, NY 
• The Lit Bar – Bronx, NY 
• Book Club – New York, NY 
• Flyleaf Books – Chapel Hill, NC 
• Fabled Bookshop & Cafe – Waco, TX 
• Marissa’s Books – Salt Lake City, UT 

Methodology: In order to identify women-owned bookstores to watch across the U.S., Yelp’s data science team started by using our data to find a list of businesses with the woman-owned business attribute in the “bookstores” category. From the candidate businesses, we narrowed the list down through weighing a variety of factors, including a national presence and recent inclusion in Yelp Collections. 

At Yelp, we’ll be supporting, celebrating, and honoring our women employees, local women-owned businesses, and women that have shaped history and modern society all month long. Behind The Review will feature stories of female business owners .

Share your favorite women-owned businesses with us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @Yelp!