Tire company Michelin announced its list of 2016 Bib Gourmand winners this morning (the announcement of starred restaurants is slated to come next week). The Bib Gourmand designation goes to excellent restaurants that offer two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for less than $40 (minus tax and tip), and as usual, there are some odd inclusions and omissions.
Ten new restaurants made the list this year, five of which we gave four stars to here at Time Out (The Angry Crab, Bohemian House, Dove's, mfk. and Yusho), and one that we bestowed with three stars (The Duck Inn).
The Angry Crab
Bohemian House
Dove's Luncheonette
The Duck Inn
Luella's Southern Kitchen
mfk.
MingHin
Sabri Nihari
Via Lima
Yusho
Forty-eight restaurants returned to this list this year, and Azzurra, Browntrout and Nightwood closed since last year, so they're off, while Dusek's, Gather, Homestyle Taste, Kurah, Lao Hunan, Mixteco Grill, Parachute and Paramount Room didn't return either. There's a chance that these could be upgraded to starred restaurants, though only Parachute seems a likely candidate for a star (and give them a star! They deserve it.)
Arami
A10
Au Cheval
Avec
Balena
Beatrix
bellyQ
Belly Shack
Carriage House
Ceres' Table
Chilam Balam
County Barbeque
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 Thai
Two
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Wood
At first glance, this is a great list of restaurants, and I'd be pretty happy dining at them tonight. But at many of them, staying below the $40 price point for two dishes and wine seems like a rather difficult challenge. And I think Michelin continues to miss great, affordable options—think Pleasant House Bakery in Bridgeport, Vera in the West Loop, Baker Miller in Lincoln Square, Cellar Door Provisions in Logan Square and Irazu in Bucktown—all of which would fit nicely on the Bib Gourmand list.