We're closing in on the big update announcement for the 2018 Bay Area Michelin Guide, and that means first we get the teaser of this year's Bib Gourmand honorees. Last year the list saw the addition of 11 new restaurants around the Bay, but this year's additions are fewer the stalwart, anonymous inspectors only deigned to add four newcomers. As you may know, the Bib Gourmand honor is sort of a consolation prize for restaurants putting out good food consistently at a typically lower price point. Their guidepost, which oddly hasn't changed in a decade despite extreme restaurant-price inflation, is that you should be able to have two courses and a glass of wine, or dessert, for $40, before tax and tip. (This is actually quite a tall order at some of these places and may require you to choose the two least expensive dishes on the menu and get a half-glass of wine to come in under that budget, case in point: A16, Oenotri, and Kokkari, where your "first course" had better be olives.)
Nonetheless, this list of 67 restaurants spread across the Bay Area reads like a best-of when it comes to bang for your buck, and some of these places could arguably be due for a Michelin star.
This year's new additions are Oakland's Brown Sugar Kitchen, San Mateo's Pausa, one-year-old Mexican spot Playa in Mill Valley, and Michael Bauer and Cecilia Chang-endorsed Royal Feast in Millbrae.
The unfortunate losses this year who have been dropped from the list are Bistro Jeanty, Bistro 29, Evvia, FIVE, La Costanera, Le Garage, and Zola. (Mason Pacific and Bar Tartine also dropped off because they closed.)
Stay tuned for the full guide update and any new star honorees next Thursday, October 12. (Just as a predictor, the party for honorees this year is happening at Meadowood's new spinoff The Charter Oak in St. Helena, which seems like a shoe-in for a star.)
2018 Bib Gourmand Picks for the Bay Area
1601 Bar & Kitchen, San Francisco
‘āina, San Francisco
Anchor Oyster Bar, San Francisco
A16, San Francisco
Backyard, Forestville
Bistro Aix, San Francisco
Bravas, Healdsburg
Brown Sugar Kitchen, Oakland
Bywater (The), Los Gatos
Chalkboard, Healdsburg
Chapeau!, San Francisco
China Village, Albany
Comal, Berkeley
Cook St. Helena
Coqueta, San Francisco
Corso, Berkeley
Cotogna, San Francisco
Delfina, San Francisco
Del Popolo, San Francisco
Diavola, Geyserville
Dosa, San Francisco
Farmhouse Kitchen Thai, San Francisco
Farmstead, St. Helena
Glen Ellen Star, Glen Ellen
Grace’s Table, Napa
Great China, Berkeley
Hong Kong Lounge II, San Francisco
Insalata's, San Anselmo
Ippuku, Berkeley
Izakaya Rintaro, San Francisco
Kappou Gomi, San Francisco
Kokkari Estiatorio, San Francisco
Lai Hong Lounge, San Francisco
Michel Bistro, Oakland
Millennium, Berkeley
Monti's Rotisserie, Santa Rosa
M.Y. China, San Francisco
Nopalito, San Francisco
Oenotri, Napa
Okane, San Francisco
Orchard City Kitchen, Campbell
Pausa, San Mateo
Playa, Mill Valley
Poggio, Sausalito
Ramen Gaijin, Sebastopol
Redd Wood, Yountville
Risibisi, Petaluma
Royal Feast, Millbrae
SHED Café, Healdsburg
Sichuan Home, San Francisco
Sir and Star, Olema
Sociale, San Francisco
Starbelly, San Francisco
Sushi Ran, Sausalito
Tacos Sinaloa, Berkeley
Thai House, Danville
Trestle, San Francisco
Tsubasa, San Francisco
Two Birds/One Stone, St. Helena
Vesta, Redwood City
Village Sake, Fairfax
wonderful, Millbrae
Wood Tavern, Oakland
Yank Sing, San Francisco
Yuzuki, San Francisco
Zero Zero, San Francisco
Z & Y, San Francisco
