I kind of forget that City Pages is now owned by the Star Tribune, but it seems to have kept the same editorial vibe as before. I always have liked reading the annual Best of the Twin Cities issue, which you can vote for here (until March 26). Here are a few of my recommendations:

• Best Place to Buy Art Supplies – Wet Paint on Grand (at least according to my very artsy daughter).
• Best Movie Theater – Riverview Theater. All of the nominees are solid, but this one is still my favorite.
• Best Casino – Mystic Lake. It really is in a class by itself (for Minnesota).
• Best Festival – Minnesota State Fair (don’t really consider it a festival, but whatever). See also: Best Place to People-Watch
• Best Public Park – Minnehaha Park and Falls. I wish I was riding my bike there right now.
• Best BBQ – Q Fanatic. Need to get back to the one in Minneapolis soon.
• Best Breakfast – Keys Cafe & Bakery. Really just the one on Raymond, though.
• Best Brunch – Martina. I like others just as much (if not more), but this wins out of those five.
• Best Burger (Classic) – Parlour out of that list, but Saint Dinette’s burger blows all of them away.
• Best Chinese Restaurant – Rainbow Chinese. I need to go there more often.
• Best Cocktails – Marvel Bar. Still the best, in a town full of great places to drink.
• Best Diner – Hi-Lo Diner. Another strong category – we are blessed with many fine diners.
• Best Distillery – Tattersall Distilling. Those guys rock.
• Best Dive Bar – Bull’s Horn. Go Team Amy and Doug.
• Best Fried Chicken – Revival. This is a very, very tough category with many fine options.
• Best Fries – Barbette. Long time champ retains my title (for that type of fries, anyways).
• Best Ice Cream – Grand Ole Creamery. Sweet Cream Forever.
• Best Italian Restaurant – Mucci’s Italian. Chef Chris and Sarge rule.
• Best Lunch – Cecil’s Deli. Home of my all-time favorite sandwich.
• Best Mexican Restaurant – Pajarito. Need to go here more often too.
• Best New Restaurant – In Bloom. Lots of good options, but gotta stay true to my Saint Paul roots.
• Best Pizza – Punch Pizza (at least out of those five)
• Best Restaurant Minneapolis – Restaurant Alma. So much has changed, but Alma still holds strong.
• Best Restaurant St. Paul – Saint Dinette. The default was always Meritage, but the times are a-changin’
• Best State Fair Food – Pronto Pup. NEVER CORN DOGS.
• Best Steak – Murray’s Steakhouse. Although you can’t wrong at any of these.

Skipping all of the the music options, as I don’t know what to think of the local scene these days. Rock the vote, yo.