It’s Michelin season! As a preview to the big stars that will be announced next week, the restaurant rating guide has announced their 2016 Bay Area Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand Awards.
In total 17 Wine Country Restaurants were tapped, with newcomers Diavola (finally), La Perla (wow–meaning we have TWO Peruvian restaurants in Santa Rosa that are winners) and Ramen Gaijin (yay!).
Falling off the list: Hotbox Grill, which shuttered, C Casa, La Salette, The Girl and the Fig and Willi’s Wine Bar.
It’s a huge feather in the caps of moderately-priced restaurants (ie: the ones most of us can actually afford) and a definite pathway to the stars. Bib Gourmands are NOT eligible for stars.
“Moishe and I are just honored to be in such great company and want to thank our crew, present and past for all the hard work this past year. The real challenge now is improving and staying on this list for the years to come,” said Chef Matthew Williams of Ramen Gaijin.
This year’s 2016 Bib Gourmand winners for Wine Country include:
Backyard (Forestville)
Bistro Jeanty (Yountville)
Bistro 29 (Santa Rosa)
Chalkboard (Healdsburg)
Cook (St. Helena)
Glen Ellen Star (Glen Ellen)
Grace’s Table (Napa)
La Perla, Santa Rosa (new)
Monti’s Rotisserie (Santa Rosa)
Oenotri (Napa)
Ramen Gaijin, Sebastopol (NEW!)
Redd Wood (Yountville)
Risibisi (Petaluma)
Sazon (Santa Rosa)
Scopa (Healdsburg)
The Farmer & The Fox (St. Helena)