One month prior to the announcement of its MICHELIN Stars in Alsace, the MICHELIN Guide is pleased to present the new restaurants in France that have been awarded the Bib Gourmand in its 2023 selection.
Created in 1997, the Bib Gourmand award highlights the restaurants within the MICHELIN Guide restaurant selection that stand out for their quality-price ratio and that offer, at lunchtime and dinner, at least one full menu for a maximum price of about forty euro.
Often considered as the “top tips” from the MICHELIN Guide inspectors, the Bib Gourmand restaurants are much followed and highly appreciated by users of the Guide seeking affordable establishments, without compromising on the quality of the cuisine and the products offered.
The 49 new promotions are located all across France and of these, many are restaurants that give top billing to the regional terroirs, often highlighted through modern, and sometimes creative dishes, that are always extremely tempting and wide-ranging. The new crop also favors establishments with a foreign influence, that do not hesitate in dreaming up brand-new gastronomic fusions.
“The 49 new restaurants joining the Bib Gourmand selection in the MICHELIN Guide France 2023 represent a host of invitations, sent to every foodie, to come and enjoy restaurants that combine meticulous gourmet cuisine with moderate prices. This is an equation that is even more difficult to balance in the current economic context, with a strong commitment by some restaurant owners, who clearly merit being showcased to our users,” commented Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guides. “Finally, the extremely wide diversity of these restaurants, whether in terms of geography or cuisine, demonstrates the overwhelming activity of chefs in France and the enthusiasm of our teams in producing this selection,” Gwendal Poullennec continued.
Among the regions that stand out, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is the most dynamic, and boasts 10 new Bib Gourmand spread over the Rhône (3), Haute-Savoie (2), Loire (2), Haute-Loire (1), Cantal (1) and Isère (1) departments.
In Lyon, Le Zeste Gourmand signs focused market cuisine that is superbly executed, while the restaurants Alebrije and Veronatuti open new culinary horizons. Thus, at Alebrije, the chef Carla Kirsch creates savory combinations between local products and the flavors of her native Mexico – all accompanied by an interesting selection of Mexican wines, tequila and mezcal. Alternatively, Veronatuti invites its guests to cross Italy from north to south, east to west, by bringing together in its menus rare specialties from all over the Boot. In Tournemire, a commune in Cantal with a population of just 130, the inspectors also uncovered La Petite Grange, which offers an unimpeded view over the Doire Valley. Here, chef Olivier Cloteau offers meticulous seasonal cuisine that gives top billing to the region and to the farmers of Cantal – not to mention a few nods to his roots in Charente.
Further south, 9 new restaurants are honored in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region – 3 located in Alpes-Maritimes, 3 in Vaucluse, 2 in Bouches-du-Rhône and 1 in Var. Along these, Rouge, located in the antique district of Nice, just behind the port, is an upbeat wine bar. The menu is made up of dishes to share that pay homage to the Mediterranean, while the drinks menu boasts more than a hundred “living wines”. In Arles, at the Gibolin, chef Arnaud Jourdan, who has also worked at La Chassagnette amongst other places, cooks up gourmet market cuisine with a bistro trend, offered in a friendly and lively setting.
In Occitania, there are no less than 5 new restaurants joining the selection, including 3 alone in the Hérault department. At Sépia in Valras-Plage, chef Yann Nicolas and his partner Isabelle bring to life a small restaurant just a stone’s throw from the beach and delight their guests with joyful and flavorsome cuisine – the inspectors particularly liked the quail roasted with Muscat du Minervois.
In Paris, 5 new restaurants achieve distinctions, including several that come under the heading of exotic cuisine. Thus, at Dune, in the 2nd Arrondissement, Youssef Gastli pays homage to his Tunisian roots. Lastly, Korean cuisine takes pride of place at La Table de Mee, led by chef Hyun Mee Gwon, and also at Kwon, from chef Yung Kwon.
The regions of Normandy, New Aquitaine and Pays de la Loire, have each seen 4 new restaurants awarded the Bib Gourmand. Among these, The Presbytere, in Heugueville-sur-Sienne in the Manche, tells of the love at first sight English chef Edward Delling-Williams had for the former Norman presbytery that he undertook to transform into a delicious locavore gastro-pub. At AHPĒ in Biarritz, chef Idir Fseil signs modern market cuisine with masterful cooking on an open flame or the plancha. In L’Ourse, her pocket bistro in Nantes, chef Céline Mingam offers tasty, modern cuisine.
Six new Bib Gourmand are located in the following three regions: two in Brittany, two in Centre-Val de Loire and two in Grand Est. In Strasbourg, the famous winstub Chez Yvonne-S’Burjerstuewel, recently taken over by restaurant owner Cédric Moulot, joins the MICHELIN Guide with a Bib Gourmand. In Azay-le-Rideau, in his restaurant L’Epine, located in the village’s former school, Sébastien Bruzeau, the chef from the Tours region, creates a seasonal bistronomic menu that offers moderate prices and celebrates local produce and artisans. In Audierne, the Orizhon restaurant, run by the Brazilian chef Camila Seixas and her partner Aurélien Digne in the dining room, plays with the Breton terroir, enhancing it with an exotic touch.
In Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Le Bistronôme, located in Arbois (Jura), and Le Saisonnier, in Roye (Haute-Saône) have both been awarded a Bib Gourmand.
The list of new restauants awarded a Bib Gourmand is available below and can be found in detail on the MICHELIN Guide website and mobile app.
The full selection of Bib Gourmand restaurants for 2023 will be updated in full on March 6, 2023 – the reveal date for the Bib Gourmand restaurants that have maintained their award, been downgraded or withdrawn. You will be able to view this on all the MICHELIN Guide digital platforms, as well as in the print version, which will be released on March 7 in all bookstores.
