Top 10 Restaurants of 2009: Twin Cities

This hip Northeast restaurant takes inspired, sustainable fare to a whole new level, making it accessible, affordable and decadent dishes for under $20. The walls are decorated with local artists; the bar is dotted with neighborhood; and the service and menu are dedicated to creating community.

Sea Change offers a welcome change of pace--and plenty of unique seafood dishes--to the Minneapolis restaurant landscape. The dining room is open and inviting, offering up a vast landscape for people watching and admiring chefs as they whip up colorful sea-inspired creations.

This Uptown cafe dedicated to sustainable food, community and local farmers has been around for a few years, but in the last year or so its influence can be felt all over. Common Roots focuses on scratch-made, all-natural, fair-trade and organic fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner crowds, and many small cafes and restaurants are following Common Roots? lead, purchasing mostly locally sourced, sustainable goods.

Chef Tim McKee, a James Beard nominee for best chef of 2008, consistently wins raves for his French-inspired menu, offering up multi-course meals dedicated to culinary arts and sensory indulgence. In other words, if you're looking for the best dining experience this side of Manhattan, La Belle Vie offers it in spades.

This laid-back but lively Northeast joint sometimes has a waiting list as long as an ocean sail. That's because this fish `n? chips pub is the real deal, offering up classic fish and chips, a killer beer and wine list and Irish breakfasts on Saturdays and Sundays that are sure to keep Irish eyes and their wannabes smiling.

This pretense-free deli-restaurant never forgets about the adults under all its kid-friendly fun. Beer and wine are always on offer--and at a good price to boot. And the menu itself is hip and grown-up, too: Unique and must-try twists on classic deli sandwiches include the pot roast on ciabatta and the Nutella and banana.

Chef Scott Pampuch is as dedicated to artful, delicious cuisine as he is community and sustainability. His award-winning dishes at this small but totally cozy South Minneapolis restaurant use only the finest and freshest ingredients and serve as the perfect conversation starters about cooking, community and the benefits of togetherness.

The celeb restaurateurs behind La Grassa know a thing or two about fusing styles and menus. Featuring unique small plates and half or whole entrees, as well as an extensive wine list, La Grassa also brings an affordable decadence to the North Loop.

This South Minneapolis Nepalese restaurant made the list this year for offering consistently delicious dishes featuring traditional spices--such as tumeric, cumin, ginger, cilantro, black peppers and more--that border on divine. Everything here, from the veggie dishes to the curry dishes to the daal, is prepared with perfection in mind.

Featuring breakfast, lunch and dinner fare, all with natural ingredients, the Birchwood Cafe is a consistent winner for its dedication to preparation, presentation and taste. Be sure to get a dessert, like the key lime pie, to wash down that delicious, chef-prepared prepared turkey burger.