Michelin Leaves Spotted Pig Off the 2019 Bib Gourmands

The Michelin Bib Gourmands for 2019 in New York City are here.

Next week the Michelin Guide’s famously anonymous inspectors will unveil their list of starred selections, awarding accomplished venues with one, two, or three stars. But today, the guide reveals its cheap eats list — restaurants where patrons can ostensibly order two courses plus a glass of wine or dessert for $40.

This year’s big addition to the Bibs is Una Pizza Napoletana, the heralded (but not seamless) return of Anthony Mangieri to the New York pie scene. The Lower East Side venue, a collaboration with Contra’s Jeremiah Stone and Fabian Von Hauske, “offers starters and desserts showing just as much refinement as the pizzas themselves,” Michelin said in a release. Worth noting: Despite the fact that Una has lowered some of its pizza prices, many diners will spend much more than $40 per person there.

Fans of Mangieri might be disappointed by the inclusion of Una, as the Bib designation means it will be ineligible for a full star. Michelin has never awarded a star to a pizzeria, barbecue spot, or ramen joint in the U.S.

In other major news, the appearance of La Vara on the Bibs means it has been knocked off the starred selections, where it has remained for the past few years. La Vara, from Alex Raij and Eder Montero, serves food inspired by the Sephardic and Moorish traditions of Spain and has long been considered one of the city’s best Iberian restaurants.

Jessie Jacobson/Eater

The Spotted Pig, the West Village gastropub that held a star for over a decade, was demoted in 2016. This year, it has been removed from the Bibs, signaling a further downgrade — unless it returns to the starred selections, which is unlikely. Ken Friedman, the owner, has been the subject of multiple sexual misconduct allegations.

This is Michelin’s first New York guide since the #MeToo movement rocked the hospitality world, with dozens of women coming forward to report workplace abuse and intimidation. But while Michelin leaves the Spotted Pig off the Bibs, Lupa, Mario Batali’s Greenwich Village Roman spot, remains on it. Batali, who has also been the subject of sexual misconduct reports, is in the process of divesting from all of his restaurants.

Among the other prominent new additions to the Bibs are Ugly Baby, the incendiary Thai spot in Carroll Gardens, Georgian Dream Cafe, which serves molten khachapuri in Bay Ridge, Lil’ Gem, a Lebanese restaurant on the Lower East Side, and Tang Hot Pot, which lets patrons cook USDA Prime ribeye in bubbling Sichuan broths.

Diners and critics will continue to wonder what Michelin doesn’t see in Olmsted, Greg Baxtrom’s acclaimed and experimental spot in Prospect Heights, which remains on the Bibs, and off the starred selections, for yet another year. The same could be said of Atla, the trendy all-day Mexican spot by Daniela Soto-Innes and Enrique Olvera. Both venues, incidentally, bring up the question of cheap eats pricing; one can easily spend over $80 per person at either.

One last note — two restaurants included on the list are in fact closed: Salt & Bone Steakhouse, by the team behind Bareburger, and Arharn Thai, both in Astoria. Salt & Bone will reportedly reopen as a delivery-only restaurant.

All in all there were 27 new additions to this year’s Bibs. See below for the full list.

The 2019 Bib Gourmands for New York City

Achilles Heel

Alley 41 (new)

Alta Calidad

Amelie (new)

Angkor

Atla

Atoboy

Baker & Co.

Bar Primi

Bellwether (new)

Bunker

Buttermilk Channel

Casa del Chef Bistro

Cervo’s (new)

Cho Dang Gol

ChouChou

Ciccio

Congee Village

Convivium Osteria (new)

Cotenna

Da Xi Sichuan (new)

Dim Sum Go Go

DOMODOMO

Don Antonio by Starita

Donostia

Double Zero

Dumpling Galaxy

East Harbor Seafood Palace

Egg

El Molcajete

Enoteca Maria

Enzo’s (new)

Falansai

The Flower Shop (new)

Frankies 457 Spuntino

Freek’s Mill

Georgian Dream Café (new)

Glady’s

Glasserie

Good Fork (The)

Gran Eléctrica

Gregory’s 26 Corner Taverna

Hahm Ji Bach

HanGawi

Hao Noodle and Tea

Havana Café

High Street on Hudson

HinoMaru Ramen

Hometown Bar-B-Que

Houdini Kitchen Laboratory (new)

Hunan Bistro

Hunan Café

Hwa Yuan (new)

Il Poeta

J.G. Melon

Jin Ramen

J. Restaurant Chez Asta

Katz’s

Khe-Yo

Kiin Thai

Kiki’s

Kubeh (new)

Kung Fu Little Steamed Buns Ramen

La Morada

Land of Plenty

Larb Ubol

La Vara (new)

Lea

Legend of Taste (new)

Lil Gem (new)

Little Alley (new)

Llama Inn

Lupa

Luzzo’s

MáLà Project

Mar’s (new)

Mexicosina

Mile End

Miss Ada

Miss Mamie’s Spoonbread Too

Momofuku Noodle Bar

Momofuku Ssäm Bar

Mu Ramen

New Malaysia

Norma Gastronomia Siciliana

Nyonya

Olmsted

Oso

Paet Rio

Pata Café (new)

Pinch Chinese (new)

Pippali

Prime Meats

Prune

Purple Yam

Ribalta

Rider

Roberta’s

Rubirosa

Runner & Stone

Russ & Daughters Cafe

Salt & Bone Smokehouse (new)

San Matteo

Shalom Japan

Sip Sak

Soba-Ya

Somtum Der

Sottocasa

Speedy Romeo

Sweet Yummy House

Tang Hot Pot (new)

Tanoreen

Tomiño (new)

Tonchin (new)

Tong Sam Gyup Goo Yi

Tra Di Noi

Turkish Kitchen

21 Greenpoint

Ugly Baby (new)

Ulivo

Una Pizza Napoletana (new)

Uva

Vida

Vinegar Hill House

Vinum (new)

Xixa

Zero otto nove

Zoma