Restaurants & Bars

3 Bay Area Restaurants Make 'Affordable' Bib Gourmand Ranking

A whopping 151 California restaurants made the Bib Gourmand list for affordability — and three Bay Area eateries made it for the first time.

Since 1997, the Bib Gourmand has ranked restaurants by considering a price limit, which varies from country to country, depending on the cost of living. The quality metric, however, remains the same.
Since 1997, the Bib Gourmand has ranked restaurants by considering a price limit, which varies from country to country, depending on the cost of living. The quality metric, however, remains the same. (Shutterstock)

BAY AREA, CA — While Michelin is known for recommending well known and high-heeled fine dining establishments, the Bib Gourmand list recognizes affordability as well as quality.

Since 1997, the list has ranked restaurants by considering a price limit, which varies from country to country, depending on the cost of living. The quality metric, however, remains the same.

This year, the list has recognized 141 California restaurants on the affordable list, but the names will not be released until Dec. 5.

Find out what's happening in San Franciscowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

On Tuesday, the Michelin Guide released the names of the newest honorees to make the list and three Bay Area eateries made the list for the first time.

Across the rest of the state, 12 more honorees were named. The 15 newly recognized restaurants will join dozens more across the state next week when the full list is published.

Find out what's happening in San Franciscowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Here are the Bay Area restaurants that will join the affordability list:

1. Jo's Modern Thai - Oakland

This family-owned restaurant in Oakland's Laurel district pays tribute to the Isaan region of northeastern Thailand.

"The menu here displays the bold, balanced flavors typical of Thai cuisine, but isn’t overly concerned with hewing to tradition. That approach is exemplified in dishes like a take on drunken noodles, which features smoky barbecue brisket, or a pork burger seasoned to resemble the complex herbaceous flavors of laab," Michelin inspectors wrote.

2. Good Good Culture Club - San Francisco

This family-owned eatery serves Southeast Asian cuisine in San Francisco's Mission District.

"The vibrantly flavorful cooking here highlights Southeast Asian flavors and unique Californian expressions in dishes like a signature adobo-glazed fried chicken wing stuffed with garlic rice," according to Michelin.

3. Hilda and Jesse - North Beach/San Francisco

Hilda and Jesse, owned Kristina Liedags Compton and Rachel Sillcocks, has been dubbed as one of the area's most "fun and charming restaurants, taking the luxury of brunch to new heights," according to Resy.

"You’ll find no basic benedicts here, but rather an assortment of original, ingredient-driven dishes that change with the seasons, and even sweet standbys like pancakes and French toast are whimsically reimagined," Michelin wrote.


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