Michelin announced Thursday that 58 restaurants in Chicago earned its respected Bib Gourmand distinction for 2016.
The Chicago selection features 48 repeat winners and 10 newly named restuarants, which offer a wide array of cuisines and are located in more than 20 neighborhoods around the city.
The Bib Gourmand categorization indicates restaurants with good value and good food (two courses and a glass of wine for $40 or less, tax and tip not included). Restaurants receiving this distinction from Michelin aren’t eligible for the Michelin star designations that will be announced for Chicago on Oct. 27.
This year's list is smaller than previous years, dropping from 59 last year and 69 the year before. In September, Michelin announced the 133 New York City restaurants and on Oct. 20 it released the 74 restaurants in the greater San Francisco area that earned its Bib Gourmand honor.
In what appears to be an omission of note, no restaurants from Chicago's suburbs made the list. This trend may not be new, since suburban restaurants seem to have been snubbed by Michelin starting last year, according to Crain’s Chicago Business.
However, Michelin addresses the idea that the suburbs are being excluded in a statement on its website.
"Michelin’s anonymous inspectors regularly dine across the city of Chicago, as well as in the surrounding suburbs to make their choices for the Bib Gourmands and the other restaurant selections in the MICHELIN Guide Chicago 2016," the statement reads.
Local
The Bib Gourmand selection announcement for Chicago comes five days in advance of Michelin’s most highly acclaimed and prestigious Michelin star designations for the city. For restaurants in both the city and the suburbs that didn’t make the 2016 Bib Gourmand list, it remains to be seen if any of them can still walk away with a Michelin star (or two, or three).
Chicago’s 2016 Bib Gourmand list includes 10 newcomer restaurants:
Angry Crab
Bohemian House
Dove’s Luncheonette
The Duck Inn
MFK
Luella’s Southern Kitchen
MingHin
Sabri Nihari
Via Lima
Yushoo
The 2016 Bib Gourmand Chicago restaurant list also includes 48 repeat winners:
Arami
A10
Au Cheval
Avec
Balena
Beatrix
BellyQ
Belly Shack
Carriage House
Ceres' Table
Chilam Balam
County
Cumin
The Dawson
DeColores
Fat Rice
Frontera Grill
Gilt Bar
Girl & the Goat
Green Zebra
GT Fish & Oyster
Han 202
Herb
Hopleaf
Jaipur
Jam
Jin Thai
Kai Zan
Lao Sze Chuan
Lula Cafe
Mana Food Bar
Maude's Liquor Bar
Mott St.
Nana
The Publican
Pump Room
The Purple Pig
Riccardo Trattoria
Slurping Turtle
Smoque BBQ
Sol de Mexico
Spacca Napoli
Sushi Dokku
Table, Donkey and Stick
TAC Quick
Two
Untitled Supper Club
Wood
