Bib Gourmands, Ignoring Inflation and Identity Crisis

Good food and good value come at a price, but why are so many of Ireland's restaurants overlooked in Michelin's Bib Gourmand category?

Here’s a secret: when we travel we use the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand category as a guiding light in terms of restaurant bookings. Their website is super handy, pinpointing by area, filtering restaurants by distinction and offering each a succinct one-paragraph overview plus price point indication. One particular map to find hidden treasure using this method is London. You could eat fabulously for over a week, lunch and dinner every single day, solely visiting Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded restaurants in central London. Everything from Taiwanese-inspired Bao and Levantine-North African The Barbary to supreme pasta at Padella and Mediterranean small plates down sarf at Peckham Cellars as well as old esteemed hands like St. John Bread & Wine and Brasserie Zédel. There’s 35 of them across Greater London and it’s such an eclectic, exciting and delicious collection of restaurants that won’t break the bank.

We’re writing this just days before this year’s UK and Ireland stars are announced and in the week just gone only three new Bib Gourmands were announced across the entire island of Ireland. Only one among them in the Republic of Ireland. Something’s coming back up that we’ve chewed over for a few years –– has Michelin lost its way with the Bib Gourmand accolade? And if the answer is no, then why is Ireland so overlooked at this level?

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October 2019, Ireland was the belle of the ball at the Michelin Guide 2020 reveal. Four new one-starred restaurants (The Muddler’s Club in Belfast, The Oak Room at Adare Manor, Bastion in Kinsale and Variety Jones in Dublin) plus a pair of two-stars, Jordan Bailey’s Aimsir straight in with the double and The Greenhouse (at the time with Mickael Viljanen at the helm) at long last ascending from a single. A nice spread across the land, particularly when considering in the wider context of the five new Bib Gourmand spots announced the week prior: Uno Mas, Thyme, Circa (now RIP), Balloo House (de-listed), and Land To Sea. It was a ripe year where Ireland came into its own and the Guide’s inspectors clearly spreading themselves a little wider than previously observed.

But it was bittersweet, too, because at the same time blessed Bibs were doled out to new additions they were rescinded from current holders. Nine axed in one fell swoop, including six in Dublin: Craft, Bastible (later one Michelin-starred), Delahunt, Forest & Marcy, Etto and The Pig's Ear, plus a further three –– James Street Bar + Grill in Belfast, Fontana in Holywood and The Copper Hen in Waterford (now closed).

It was speculated at the time, at least for the slew of Dublin deletions, that this was potentially signalling ascending to one ‘star’ level in a restructuring of how Michelin observed Ireland’s dining landscape. However, what transpired is they were demoted, as such, to bare, entry-level Michelin ‘Plate’ status, which remarks good cooking but neither commends good value nor a standard high enough to be classed within the ‘star’ system. Aside from Bastible later ascending to one-star and other closures none of these Bibs have been re-instated. One has to wonder why, for example, was Etto demoted to Plate when its sister restaurant Uno Mas was awarded at the same time, and retains to this day? Likewise, why would Courthouse in Carrickmacross retain a Bib several years on the trot yet it’s - very similar - sister site Square in Dundalk still omitted?

The year prior, in September 2018, five new Bibs were awarded (Cleneghans in Moira, Tartare in Galway, Brownes in Tuam, Dillons in Timoleague and Clanbrassil House in Dublin). Yet not a single one retains the level today, mainly due to closures but also due to star chefs - like Danni Barry and Grainne O’Keefe - departing particular kitchens.

2020’s declaration was pushed to early 2021, where four more were added who all still retain (Spitalfields in Dublin, Goldie in Cork, Table Forty One in Gorey and Volpe Nera in Blackrock) and continuing the trend for spring declarations, in 2022 three were added who all still retain: Éan in Galway, Everett’s in Waterford and Cush in East Cork.

Some have gripped the accolade tightly, like crown jewels, over several years: Kai in Galway, The Chart House in Dingle, 1826 in Adare and Pichet in Dublin, as well as some which still sort-of fly under the radar: Sha-Roe Bistro in Carlow, Aldridge Lodge in Wexford and Carrickmacross’ Courthouse. In Northern Ireland many have endured stoically: both Home and Deanes at Queens in Belfast, Noble in Holywood and Wine & Brine in Moira.

Right now there are 25 Bib Gourmands across the island of Ireland (19 in the south and 6 in the north). Though rumblings abound that four or five of these are actually not being retained for 2023. Michelin announced new Bibs this week alongside a run-down of current holders but several seemed to have been removed, however this statement was quickly withdrawn and deleted –– those speculated to have already lost the Bib are still currently listed on the official site at the time of writing.

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What *is* a Bib Gourmand?

First introduced in 1997 and named after Bibendum, the Michelin Man mascot, Bib Gourmand is a recognition of an establishment that’s serving good, high quality food at moderate/affordable prices. The Michelin Group explains that it’s awarded to “friendly” places with a “simpler style of cooking, recognizable (sic) and easy-to-eat, leaving you with a sense of satisfaction at having eaten so well at such a reasonable price”. It’s not quite a star, but they caution that it’s “not a consolation prize” elaborating that “inspectors are searching for the same high quality, wherever they happen to be in the world… but there’s no set formula for a ‘Bib’ restaurant – they are all unique and can vary greatly from one place to the next”. The official website divulges that their inspectors spend as much time seeking out starred spots as they do for Guide and Bib Gourmand potential.

But, really, it’s all about money. For 25 years Bib criteria has lingered on the basis of a three-course meal falling under a certain monetary figure, depending on the local cost of living. The actual figure is not in the public domain as far as we’re aware and we don’t know many in the media who are assured of what it is. Most claim to know without the means to substantiate it. There’s where the issue may lie –– many, ourselves included, are wondering how in-tune the Michelin Group and its inspectors are to inflation, the rising cost of living, ingredients and multi crises hitting hospitality at once?

It’s no secret that the last five years have been some of the most difficult to operate in hospitality with a healthy profit, happy staff and loyal custom. With effectively everything increasing cost-wise, restaurants are mostly unable to absorb increases so need to pass this on to the consumer resulting in price hikes and menu changes. But the clincher is: if Michelin is only awarding three or four Bib Gourmands a year for the last three years in a row, what does that say about Ireland? What does that tell us about their observation of our dining landscape? Is there a lack of good value where quality dishes are concerned? Are there not enough new openings? Why does there seem to be more deletions and demotions at this level than ascents?

So where is missing?