The Michelin Guide announced the recipients of its 2019 Bib Gourmand awards for Chicago, and a record 58 restaurants were honored, up from 54 last year and 52 the year before that.
Nine restaurants received Bib Gourmands for the first time: DaGuan Noodle, in Chinatown; Daisies, the Logan Square pasta specialist; Jade Court, the Chinese restaurant in University Village; Lonesome Rose, an all-day Mexican restaurant in Logan Square; Marisol, the sister restaurant to Lula Cafe (a repeat Bib winner) tucked inside the Museum of Contemporary Art; Pacific Standard Time, the west-coast-focused River North restaurant led by Erling Wu-Bower; Passerotto, the modern Korean newcomer in Andersonville; Pizzeria Bebu, a highly regarded Lincoln Park pizzeria; and Proxi, the international street-food restaurant in the West Loop.
Five previous Bib Gourmand recipients were deleted. These include Green Zebra and Jaipur, both of which closed this year. Luella’s Southern Kitchen, Maude’s Liquor Bar and The Publican also were knocked off.
Losing a Bib isn’t always a snub, however; from time to time, Michelin has promoted previous Bib winners to one-star status. Whether that’s the case with any of the three stricken restaurants won’t be known until Sept. 26, when Michelin announces its star awards.
Receiving a Bib Gourmand precludes the possibility of receiving a Michelin star, so it’s possible Bib recipients such as Avec, Fat Rice, Frontera Grill and Pacific Standard Time will view their recognition with mixed emotions.
The Michelin Guide Chicago, which will list star-awarded restaurants, Bib Gourmand designees and many more restaurants and hotels, will go on sale in bookstores Sept. 28.
Twitter @PhilVettel
The complete Bib Gourmand list:
Avec
bellyQ
Bohemian House
The Bristol
Ceres’ Table
Chilam Balam
Cumin
DaGuan Noodle (new)
Daisies (new)
DeColores
Dos Urban Cantina
Dove’s Luncheonette
The Duck Inn
Fat Rice
Frontera Grill
Giant
Gilt Bar
Girl & the Goat
GT Fish & Oyster
HaiSous
Han 202
Herb
Hopleaf
Jade Court (new)
Jam
Jin Thai
Kai Zan
Lonesome Rose (new)
Longman & Eagle
Lula Cafe
Mana Food Bar
Mango Pickle
Marisol (new)
mfk
MingHin
Mi Tocaya
Mott St.
Nana
Pacific Standard Time (new)
Passerotto (new)
Pizzeria Bebu (new)
Pleasant House Pub
Proxi (new)
The Purple Pig
Quiote
Sabri Nihari
San Soo Gab San
Smoque BBQ
Sol de Mexico
Sushi Dokku
Table, Donkey and Stick
True Food Kitchen
Two
Untitled Supper Club
Wood
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