Michelin’s 2021 Affordable Restaurants List Is Here

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