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The 2021 Michelin Bib Gourmands are here, marking the Red Guide’s return to New York City as the COVID-stricken hospitality industry slowly continues the process of rebuilding itself. The famously anonymous inspectors, who did not issue ratings last year during the height of the pandemic, will drop their more prestigious starred selections on Thursday. Today, however, the guide unveiled 131 standout dining options on the more affordable side of the culinary spectrum, 30 of which are newcomers to the list.
Among this year’s biggest additions to the Bibs are Thai Diner, the all-day Southeast Asian-American spot from the team that used to run Uncle Boons; Nami Nori, the popular Greenwich Village temaki restaurant; Xilonen, the vegetable-forward Greenpoint Mexican venue by chef Alan Delgado and the Oxomoco crew; Winner, chef Daniel Eddy’s Park Slope cafe; For All Things Good, the heralded Bed-Stuy masa spot; Rangoon, chef Myo Moe’s Burmese spot in Prospect Heights; and Bolero, a modern Vietnamese restaurant in Williamsburg.
These are all restaurants where diners can, in the eyes of the Michelin inspectors, order two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for under $40. The Bibs, considered a serious accolade among some chefs and observers, are deemed a consolation prize by others, as these venues will be ineligible for stars this year.
Or put more bluntly, we now know that a solid bunch of the year’s most heralded, ambitious, and accessible new restaurants won’t earn stars in 2021.
Historically, Michelin’s starred selections tend to skew toward fancier and more expensive European, Korean, or Japanese restaurants, though in years past certain Southeast Asian and Indian spots have earned stars. Ann Redding and Matt Danzer of Thai Diner used to hold a star for Uncle Boons, which closed last year; it was the city’s only Michelin-starred Thai spot at the time.
The inspectors have never awarded a star to a pizzeria or a barbecue restaurant, two of the city’s quintessential dining styles.
As is always the case, actually spending under $40 would be quite difficult at a number of these places, particularly Nami Nori, where a hand roll dinner for one plus a drink can easily run over $80 and tax and tip.
Other new Bib entrants include Claudy’s Kitchen, a Bronx Peruvian spot; Forsythia, a Roman restaurant on the Lower East Side; Gentle Perch, a Korean spot in Williamsburg, and Cardamom, a Goan-leaning venue in Sunnyside.
Following is the full list of Bibs:
The 2021 Bib Gourmands for New York City
Alley 41
Amelie
Ammazzacaffè
Angel (New)
Atla
Atlas Kitchen
Badageoni Georgian Kitchen (New)
Bar Primi
Beatstro
Bellwether
Bohemian Spirit
Bolero (New)
Boro6 Wine Bar (New)
Bunker
Burrata (New)
Café Alaia
Café China
Caleta 111 Cevicheria (New)
Cardamom (New)
Chavela’s (New)
Cho Dang Gol
Chuan Tian Xia
Claudy’s Kitchen (New)
Congee Village
Convivium Osteria
Cotenna
Dim Sum Go Go
DOMODOMO
Don Antonio by Starita
Double Zero
Dubrovnik
East Harbor Seafood Palace
El Molcajete
Enoteca Maria
Enzo’s
For All Things Good (New)
Forsythia (New)
Gentle Perch (New)
Georgian Cuisine
Glasserie
Gordo’s Cantina (New)
Gregory’s 26 Corner Taverna
Haenyeo
Hahm Ji Bach
Hangawi
Hanon (New)
Hao Noodle and Tea
High Street on Hudson
Hometown Bar-B-Que
Hunan Bistro
Hupo (New)
J.G. Melon
Jin Ramen
Katz’s
Khe-Yo
Klein’s Wine Cellar
Kubeh
Kung Fu Little Steamed Buns Ramen
La Cueva Fonda (New)
La Morada
Legend of Taste
Little Alley
Llama Inn
Luzzo’s
Macelleria Italian Steakhouse (New)
Maison Yaki
MáLà Project
Mao Mao (New)
Maria Restaurant
Mar’s
Memories of Shanghai
Mexicosina
Mile End
Miss Ada
Miss Mamie’s Spoonbread Too
Momofuku Noodle Bar
Nami Nori (New)
Norma Gastronomia Siciliana
Nyonya
Olmsted
Oso
Pata Cafe
Phayul (New)
Pierozek (New)
Pinch Chinese
Prune
Purple Yam
RaaSa
Rafele Rye (New)
Rangoon (New)
Roberta’s
Rubirosa
Ruffian
Runner & Stone
Russ & Daughters Cafe
Sagara
Saint Julivert Fisherie
Samwon Garden BBQ (New)
San Matteo
SaRanRom Thai (New)
Shalom Japan
Shiraz Kitchen
Sip Sak
Soba-Ya
Somtum Der
Southern Table
Speedy Romeo
Spy C Cuisine
Suyo Gastrofusion
Sweet Yummy House
Tanoreen
Thai Diner (New)
The Cookery
Tomiño
Tonchin
Tong Sam Gyup Goo Yi
Tra Di Noi
Tredici Social (New)
Turkish Kitchen
Ugly Baby
Una Pizza Napoletana
Van Đa
Via Vai (New)
Vinum
West New Malaysia
Winner (New)
Win Son
Xilonen (New)
Xixa
Zero Otto Nove
21 Greenpoint