11 affordable Michelin restaurants in New York City have been revealed for the 2023 list

Food, drink

by Ben Cost

Think of it as a Michelin star in terms of affordability.

Enjoying an affordable gourmet meal in New York City may seem like a paradox in light of rising inflation.

Fortunately, before dropping its official list of stars, the Michelin Guide has unveiled 11 new NYC Bib Gourmand restaurants — affordable eateries.

For starters, Bib Gourmand restaurants are defined as “good service for incredible value,” according to the Michelin Guide.

This “good value,” according to the guide, equates to $50 for two courses and a drink or dessert not including tax and tip. Depending on the eater.

The price was $40 for a decade until the authorities raised it to $49 to adjust for inflation (and perhaps to ensure that McDonald’s would never make its now $18 Big Mac).

However, unlike more affordable pizzerias and other budget options, Bib Gourmands’ 11 new restaurants in the Big Apple promise to offer “innovative cuisine that celebrates rich cultural traditions under the lens of gastronomy.”

Notable entries include quaint Crown Heights diner Agi’s Counter, vegan restaurant Superiority Burger, and KRU, which serves century-old Thai classics refracted through a 2023 lens.

As The Post reported, diners were waiting hours for hours to get their hands on quinoa-based plant-based patties at Superiority Burger over the summer.

There’s also C as in Charlie’s, a Korean barbecue restaurant by chef Eric Jaeho Cho that features culinary fusions like “Seolesbury steak” with calbi sauce and Gruyère grits.

The 11 new additions are:

• 8282 – Cuisine: Korean
• Aggie Counter – Kitchen: Creative
• Alta Calidad – Cuisine: Mexican
• C as in Charlie – Cuisine: Fusion
• Mars Cafe – Cuisine: Contemporary
• Flora – Cuisine: Italian
• KRU – Cuisine: Thai
• Peppercorn Station – Cuisine: Chinese
• Potluck Club – Cuisine: Chinese
• Pranakhon – Cuisine: Thai
• Superiority Burger – Cuisine: Vegetarian

These affordable restaurants complement the 102 New York City restaurants that made this year’s Bib Gourmands list (which also includes Bibs from years past).

The full list of bibs will be released on November 7 along with the actual 2023 Michelin stars.

While certainly a boon for gourmets on a budget, Bib Gourmands are often viewed as an engagement award for chefs because it signals that said restaurant is out of contention for a Michelin star.