9. El Meson for sangria and misc. tapas.

Outdoor tables. Hot summer weather. Sangria. El Meson.

8. Blue Sky Creamery for blue moon ice cream.

Blue moon ice cream used to be my standard go-to flavor when growing up in Wisconsin, and it's not universally available. It was nice to be able to pick up a cone after dinner, or after walking around Lake Calhoun.

7. Amazing Thailand for whatever.

As mentioned in a recent post, this place has heart, charming decor, and inconsistent but often excellent Thai food.

6. Chino Latino for happy hour.

Gotta love $3 tortas and cheap Leine's on draft.

5. It's Greek to Me for flaming saganaki.

Saganaki can be overly heavy or greasy, but the stuff at It's Greek to Me is like a light, lemony fondue. Served on pita, it's to die for.

4. Falafel King for gyros and/or falafel.

Earnest, solid interpretations of some of the world's most delicious fast food. Every neighborhood should have at least one decent falafelria / gyro stand.

3. Kitchen Window for conspicuous kitchen consumption.

As witnessed by my various gadgets posts on this blog, I'm a fan of Kitchen Window's expansive and eclectic collection of gear. If Kitchen Window doesn't have something, you probably don't need it. If they DO have something, even if you don't need it, you probably want it.

2. Lucia's To Go for breakfast.

Almond croissants! Budapest nut muffins! Light, delicate crepes! Excellent tea! Lucia's bakery offers a light, painstakingly prepared spread of ever-rotating but always spot-on baked goods that mean it's always a treat, even first thing in the morning.

And finally, coming in at the top spot...

1. Barbette for pretty much everything.

Bruch? Yes. Lunch? Yes. Happy hour? Yes. Dinner, hell yes, light or heavy, casual or fancy, romantic or platonically convivial. This joint is the Swiss Army knife of Minneapolis-St. Paul restaurants. And I liked being within walking distance of it. Dammit.