Business & Tech
Only 1 Minnesota Restaurant Makes OpenTable Cut for 'Most Scenic' in America
The online restaurant reservation site has named the nation's top 100 most scenic eateries. One is in Minnesota.
What's better than enjoying a great meal? How about enjoying a great meal and a breathtaking view?
OpenTable has just released a ranking of the 100 Most Scenic Restaurants in America for 2016 — one of which is in nearby Forest Lake, Minnesota. Acqua, 8241 North Shore Trail N, is the only restaurant in the state to make the cut.
"Comfortably located on Forest Lake's Northern shore, Acqua offers a warm dining experience with gorgeous lakeside views and unique Italian dishes," the listing says. "With a spacious lakeside patio, elegant bar, and two cozy dining rooms, (it) provides an ideal setting for family, holiday and business get togethers. Acqua combines fresh, high quality, local ingredients, a contemporary culinary sensibility, and a caring, knowledgeable staff to create an elegant evening of dining."
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To arrive at its final list, OpenTable says it examined some 5 million restaurant reviews from more than 20,000 restaurants across the nation.
"Whether they're perched atop a city skyscraper or nestled on a mountainside, this year's winning restaurants provide awe-inspiring views that showcase all the beauty of their surroundings for locals and travelers seeking a front-row seat to a city's natural or manmade splendors," said Caroline Potter, OpenTable chief dining officer. "A dining experience at any of these honorees is the most delicious way to get a true sense of place when vacationing or exploring your own hometown."
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When all was said and done, California claimed top honors with "scenic views" — sweeping up 24 of the 100 spots. Washington claimed 10 spots, while Florida had seven.
"All restaurants with a minimum 'overall' score and number of qualifying reviews were included for consideration," the company says of its methodology. "Qualifying restaurants were then scored and sorted according to the percentage of qualifying reviews for which 'great for outdoor dining' was selected as a special feature."
OpenTable says most of the eateries serve American fare, but seafood is also popular, followed by international options like Asian, French, Latin American, Italian and Peruvian.
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