Patti Ann's
Best Of the North Metro
Northern Minneapolis / Saint Paul Twin Cities Metro Area
Mostly centered around Blaine, Coon Rapids, and Spring Lake Park,
but also includes Ham Lake, Andover, Anoka, Circle Pines, Lexington, Lino Lakes, Centerville, Fridley, Mounds View, Arden Hills, Shoreview and some other nearby cities as well.

Welcome!  People are always asking me about the best places in my neighborhood and the surrounding area.  So I thought I'd have a little fun and put together my "best bets" for the north metro.  However, I do not guarantee or provide any type of warranty for any services or products listed here.  The opinions stated here are purely my own and are intended for entertainment purposes only:

Restaurants:
     Fast Food:
        Culver's on highway 65.  Say hello to Michelle and Paul for me!  Their fried chicken is the
        absolute best and they have a nice selection of things you don't find just anywhere; like a
        pork tenderloin sandwich or pot roast dinner.
     Chinese / Take Out:
        Guang Zhou in Spring Lake Park on Highway 65 just north of County Road 10, next to
         Nicklow's.  Great chinese food for a very reasonable price and they have a unique way
         of serving their lunch special "buffet"!
     Breakfast: We have a Tie!
        The Red Ox in Ham Lake at Constance and Highway 65.  I know, it doesn't look like much,
        but it is a good old fashioned down home roadside kind of place with a wide variety of stick
        to your ribs kind of food.  Good and plenty of it!
        Backroads Restaurant in Nowthen on Viking Blvd just west of Nowthen Blvd.  There is
        some really good cooking going on in here!  Their Eggs Benedict is my favorite.
     Soup / Sandwich:
        Panera, in Spring Lake Park on Springbrook Drive just across from the Northtown Mall.  Try
        their Southwestern Tortilla Soup. Yum!
     Seafood / Dinner:
        The Vineyard, in Anoka on Highway 10 at Thurston.  They have a LARGE menu and it always
        takes me a long time to choose!  And yes, their famous "The Salad" is great!
     Greek / Dinner:
        Nicklows, in Blaine on Highway 65 at County Road 10.  They have great dinner deals and I
        love their liver and onions!  They have very good fried shrimp, gyros, and lamb too; just
        don't go there for breakfast.
     Dim Sum (Special Chinese "Brunch") / Chinese Dinner:
        Mai Village in downtown Saint Paul on University Ave (corner of University and Western) the
        absolute best Dim Sum in the Twin Cities.  Great atmosphere too.  Lots of carved wood, koi
        pond and other nice touches.  Dim Sum is served on Saturdays and Sundays between
        10:30 am and 2:00pm only.  Don't miss it!  Their regular menu is served all the time and that
        is really good too!

Auto Repair:
Midas in Fridley on University Ave.  They do good work and the one time I had a problem, they fixed it for free, no questions asked.  Anyone can make a mistake, its what they do to correct the error that counts the most!

Groceries:
Bob's Produce Ranch in Fridley on University.  Fantastic meats for both their quality and their low price.  Watch for their sales.  Great produce and bakery items too! 

Gardening:
Bob's Produce Ranch in Fridley on University again!  Although it looks as if they may not have their gardening center this open year.  Their grower retired and it may take some time to find one that is just as good and as inexpensive as their old grower was.  I hope they do!
In 2nd Place / Backup: Mickman's in Ham Lake.  They can be a little high priced on garden tools, hoses, and accessories, but they do have a wide variety of ornamental and flowering plants and trees.  They could do better on their selection of vegetables plants, but they do have a few types that are hard to find elsewhere.

Gas Stations:
There are several that are usually the lowest in their area: the Costco (members only) in Coon Rapids on Northdale near Highway 10 & Main Street (Riverdale area), the Showboat in Fridley on East River Road, the Go Gas in Fridley on Highway 65, the Clark in Anoka on Highway 10, and the University Stop in Blaine at the very north end of University Ave (just a little south of the high school).  Also check out: http://www.twincitiesgasprices.com/ 

Fun things to Do:
The Centerville Lake Beach at the Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Regional Park in Lino Lakes off of County Road 14 (also called Main Street or even Centerville Road) and south of I-35.  A nice sandy beach where you can go swimming and have fun in the sun!  They even have a changing house with restrooms!

Real Estate Services, Buying and Selling:
Why Patti Ann Kasper, GRI of EXIT Realty Executives of course!
Let me be your Strategic Real Estate Expert.  I provide professional real estate services for home buyers, sellers, national relocations, and investors in Blaine, Coon Rapids, Spring Lake Park, Andover, Ham Lake, Lino Lakes, and the surrounding North Twin Cities Metro area including Minneapolis and Saint Paul in Minnesota.  Patti Ann Kasper is a National Real Estate Stimulus Program Participant  All buyers will receive a Cash Bonus After Closing of 2% of the final sale price up to a maximum of $10,000 when you hire Patti Ann Kasper  to exclusively represent you in your next real estate purchase!  SOLD in 39 Days Guaranteed!  Or you'll receive up a 2% cash bonus up to a maximum of $10,000 After Closing when you sign an exclusive full service contract with Patti Ann Kasper to list your home.