New York's Tasty Hidden Gems Revealed! 21 New NYC Restaurants Earn 'Bib Gourmand' Status in MICHELIN Guide New York City 2011

NEW YORK, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- With its full list of New York restaurants – including the famed Michelin stars – planned for Oct. 6, MICHELIN announced today that 21 New York City restaurants will be added to the MICHELIN Guide New York City 2011 in the "Bib Gourmand" category. Bib Gourmand restaurants are also known as "Inspectors' Favorites for Good Value." They are restaurants serving two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for $40 or less (tax and gratuity not included).

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MICHELIN Inspectors work tirelessly throughout the year to analyze restaurants in a given city, regularly eating two or more meals per day, every day, always under the cloak of anonymity. MICHELIN's restaurant inspection process has been refined over the course of more than 100 years.  Earning one, two or three MICHELIN stars rates as one of the highest honors a chef can earn.

Yet at the end of each investigative process, MICHELIN inspectors also designate the restaurants they feel deliver the most value to consumers. These are Bib Gourmands. They are an ideal resource for consumers looking for the perfect meal at a reasonable price. For everyday New Yorkers, Bib Gourmand restaurants represent the best hidden culinary value that the city has to offer. Introduced in 1997, Bib Gourmand restaurants are identified by a red symbol depicting the head of the Michelin Man.  

In total, there are 95 Bib Gourmand restaurants in New York City. A full list of Bib Gourmand restaurants can be found here: www.facebook.com/MichelinGuides.

The Bib Gourmand selection includes:

(* denotes new selection for 2011)

"The MICHELIN guides are created for everyone. Our inspectors eat anonymously everywhere, every day, and our guides reflect that collective intelligence," says Jean-Luc Naret, director of the MICHELIN guides.  "If you live or if you visit in New York, you need to know not only which restaurants are the world's best, but which restaurants deliver the best value? What is the best option on a Friday night in my neighborhood? We believe that the Michelin Guide 2011 demonstrates why New York City ranks among the world's finest culinary destinations, with something for every palate at every price."

To celebrate its sixth year in New York, readers can start enjoying the MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmands in advance of the Oct. 7 on-sale date. The selection for New York can be found online at www.facebook.com/MichelinGuides. MICHELIN inspectors also share insider secrets via Twitter at @MichelinGuideNY and can be seen in a video interview for the first time ever online.

Thanks to a rigorous selection process that is applied independently and consistently around the 23 countries by the MICHELIN Guide, the MICHELIN Guide has become an international benchmark in gourmet dining. The selection is made by anonymous, professional inspectors who are Michelin employees and is based on the same working methods in all countries. They pay all their bills in full. This guarantees a total independence of the guide regarding the hospitality industry.

While the MICHELIN Guide is known around the world for its famous stars, these restaurants account for just ten percent of the selection. With more than one million copies sold in approximately 100 countries, the MICHELIN Guide has always built its success on the diversity of its selection, especially on small establishments offering a high-quality dining experience at an affordable price. Hence the popularity and importance of the Bib Gourmand or "Inspectors' Favorites for Good Value" category and the Under $25 category – both increased in number of offerings in the 2011 edition.  Moreover, inclusion in the MICHELIN Guide is, in itself, synonymous with quality, since only the best establishments in each comfort and price category are featured in the Guide.

Present in North America since late 2005, the MICHELIN Guide New York City 2011 goes on sale Thursday, Oct. 7 at $18.99.  

Enhancing mobility is not only the mission of the MICHELIN Group but also of the MICHELIN Guide, which was created to assist travelers —and motorists in particular— by making their journeys more enjoyable. Now representing 23 countries and three continents, the collection of 26 MICHELIN Guides includes more than 45,000 addresses. In North America, MICHELIN Guides for New York City and San Francisco, Bay Area & Wine Country are available.  A new Michelin guide Chicago will be launched mid-November. The MICHELIN Guide to Hong Kong and Macao was introduced in December 2008. A new MICHELIN Guide was also recently launched in Japan, covering Kyoto and Osaka. For more information, visit www.michelinguide.com.

SOURCE Michelin North America