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Even the most adventurous of us can get into a rut when it comes to eating out. We have a few restaurants that we like to frequent and even without meaning to, we may be missing out on some great new dining spots. There are some restaurants in the Twin Cities that offer fun and innovative lunch and dinner menus, and their happy hour offerings may be worth a look too. Whether one lives in or is traveling to Minneapolis or St. Paul, there are several ways to find the best places to eat. Wherever one is looking for fine dining restaurants, a little advance planning can uncover some intriguing places to eat.

Often the Internet is where many people will turn for restaurant advice, and rightly so; there are thousands of resources to check online. One great offline source that people have sworn by for years is the Frommer’s Guide. While Frommer’s offers an informative website and popular e-newsletters, they are mainly known for their famous print publications. One of these, Frommer’s USA, reviews sights and destinations in the United States; including some of the best restaurants around the country. Frommer’s recently bought back the print edition rights from Google, so people looking to get Frommer’s famous restaurant information in print will still be able to do so.

Another great place to find fun new restaurants is on Pinterest. Diners can simply search for ‘restaurants’ and enjoy tips on interesting ethnic eateries, 21 Best Kept Secret restaurants, America’s best family-friendly restaurants, and many more. There are even discount coupons that some restaurants post to Pinterest. Whether one wants to dine in New Orleans, Scandinavia or Dubai, Pinterest offers some of the most diverse and detailed restaurant information online.

TripAdvisor is more than a hotel ratings site. This site offers many restaurant ratings that can save people time when they’re looking for a new place to eat. Many of the reviewers on TripAdvisor go into exceptional detail about their experiences; even discussing the wines, ambiance and live entertainment offered at some eateries. TripAdvisor is available as a convenient smartphone or tablet app to make on the go restaurant selection easy.

One of the best ways to find a great place to eat is to read restaurant reviews. While professional journalistic reviews can be found in many local and national newspapers, some of the best reviews are found on Urbanspoon.com. This site offers a wealth of restaurant information searchable by city, neighborhood within the city, cuisine and more. Searchers can start with Urbanspoon’s ‘Talk of the Town’ section, or go right to the ‘Most Popular’ section. With critic, blogger and diner reviews, and tweets right from various restaurants, Urbanspoon offers people a top resource all on one site.

We all desire new dining choices from time to time. With all of the in-depth restaurant reviews on and off line, it’s easy to get some information on the best eateries in any city. Whether one is tired of frequenting the same restaurants, or desires a trendy place to take family or friends, a little research into restaurant review resources can lead to fun new surroundings and cuisine.

Jim Bernard is a restaurant guru and makes recommendations about dinner in Minneapolis. Having a romantic dinner in Restaurant St. Paul and enjoy cruising on Minneapolis River offers the fun you need.