IAC announced today the acquisition of Seattle-based Urbanspoon. Urbanspoon is a leading online local restaurant guide that aggregates restaurant reviews from across the web, from newspapers and professional food critics to bloggers and diners. In addition, Urbanspoon is one of the iPhone’s leading apps with its shake-and-find-a-restaurant interface.

This blog, foodieindisguise.com, has been an active participant on Urbanspoon since we started last October.

IAC manages more than 35 leading and diversified Internet businesses across 40 countries. IAC owns brands such as Ask.com, Citysearch, Evite, iWon, Zwinky, Match.com, Chemisry.com, ShoeBuy.com and gifts.com.

Urbanspoon will remain in Seattle and will report to Jay Herratti who manages IAC brands like Citysearch, Evite and InsiderPages.

“With a dedicated and comprehensive focus on restaurants, Urbanspoon is a pioneer in the online and mobile space with a truly unique, innovative and consumer-friendly product,” said Jay Herratti, CEO of Citysearch. “Aggregating content from across the web and blending it with distinctive features including a polling system to rank restaurants, Urbanspoon is expanding the realm of what’s possible for consumers when it comes to finding local content on the web.”

This aquisition will expand Urbanspoon’s reach and will help develop new products while retaining their brand. Ethan Lowry, co-founder of Urbansoon said “IAC is a leader in the local space and we are excited to be a part of its family.”