The coveted Michelin Guide will announce new Texas winners on Oct. 28. Before the big day, have you been able to try restaurants that made the Michelin guide last year yet?! Although the guide often recognizes more luxurious and fine-dining establishments, some more affordable Houston restaurants received what’s known as the Bib Gourmand. This award recognizes restaurants that offer the customer the best value for their money. So, which Bib Gourmand restaurants in Houston should you add to your list?
Nam Giao
Have you been to this delicious Vietnamese restaurant in Spring Branch? The Michelin Guide recommends a variety of their dishes, including their steamed rice cakes, pork and shrimp crystal cakes, and their banh khoai, a crispy rice pancake topped with beansprouts, shrimp and fresh herbs. Still have room for more? Try their grilled flank steak served with vermicelli, known as Vietnamese noodles.
Blood Brothers BBQ
The Michelin Guide celebrates how Blood Brothers BBQ honors Houston’s diversity by melding together Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean flavors with good old Texas barbecue. There are so many dishes to try, including their watermelon salad, brisket fried rice, and their smoked char siu banh mi. But my mouth is drooling at this dish: fried bao soaked with honey, which includes pork belly topped with hot mustard and water spinach.
Nobie’s
As a pasta girl at heart, I was thrilled that the Michelin Guide highlighted one of my favorite restaurants in Houston. This beloved Montrose restaurant serves up a variety of tasty plates. My favorites are the nonno’s pasta, made with tagliatelle, bolognese, and parmesan, and their olive oil cake. The Michelin Guide recommends their dilly milk bread and their fried quail stuffed with German potato salad. Nobie’s also bakes pies daily, and apparently their banana bread pie with whipped honey mousse is to die for.
Truth BBQ
The City Cast Houston team can vouch for this Michelin Guide pick because we thoroughly enjoyed our lunch there last year. After our trip, I went back for another visit with my parents on the Fourth of July, where we devoured their brisket, mac and cheese, and tater tot casserole. The Michelin Guide also highlighted their smoked pork ribs, house-made sausages, and corn pudding.
Rosie Cannonball
If you’re a pasta and pizza fan, then you should also add this Michelin Guide pick to your list. The guide highlighted their spectacular wine list, focaccia di recco filled with robiola cheese and mortadella, and, of course, their pasta and pizza dishes. My favorites: the cacio e pepe pizza or their cavatelli alla bolognese. For dessert, the Michelin Guide recommends their honey cake with crème fraîche gelato. Yum yum!
