Almost Michelin, but incredibly good: these are the Bib Gourmands of 2021
Michelin presented the new Bib Gourmands of 2021 on Monday, March 9. At these restaurants, you get almost-Michelin dining, but it’s still incredibly good. And they prove that luxury and gastronomic dining don’t have to be expensive: here, you can enjoy a fantastic three-course dinner for less than forty euros. This year, there are also several lovely newcomers.
When it comes to cuisine, the Michelin Guide has two types of distinctions. The famous and highly coveted Michelin stars stand for exceptional quality in the kitchen. The level below that is represented by the Bib Gourmands.
Bib Gourmands
The Bib Gourmands — derived from Bibendum, the name of the famous Michelin Man — have been part of the Michelin Guide since 1955. So it is not a star, but — to quote the guide itself: ‘certainly not a consolation prize either’. Bib Gourmands are awarded to restaurants that offer high quality at a reasonable price. In other words: a very good three-course menu, excluding drinks, for a maximum of 39 euros. According to Michelin, every award-winning restaurant guarantees ‘an irresistible balance between price, quality and pleasure.’
Initially, these restaurants were marked in the guide with a red R. Since 1997, this has been replaced by the cheerful Bib Gourmand symbol: an image of the Michelin Man licking his lips. A restaurant cannot have both a star and a Bib Gourmand.
The Dutch Michelin stars for 2021 will be announced on March 29.
New Bib Gourmands
This year, 13 restaurants in the Netherlands received a new Bib Gourmand from Michelin. These restaurants are not only favourites of the Bib Gourmand taste testers, but are also favourite spots of many star chefs! An idea for your next restaurant visit?
City  | Restaurant name |
| Amsterdam | Fa. Pekelhaaring |
| Amsterdam | Umami by Han |
| Blaricum | Bistrôt Chapeau |
| Blaricum | Rust Wat |
| Breskens | Escobar |
| ’s Hertogenbosch | Citrus |
| Hilversum | Chef aan de Werf |
| Leeuwarden | Élevé |
| Maastricht | Prix de Rome |
| Nijmegen | Bistrobar Berlin |
| Oisterwijk | Alma Bodega |
| Rotterdam | Vineum |
| Rotterdam | Gastrobar Ster |
The complete list of Dutch Bib Gourmands
| City | Restaurant name |
| Almelo | Ledeboer |
| Almere | Brasserie Bakboord |
| Amersfoort | De Aubergerie |
| Amstelveen | Kronenburg |
| Amstelveen | De Jonge Dikkert |
| Amsterdam | Umami by Han (new) |
| Amsterdam | Tempo Doeloe |
| Amsterdam | Serre |
| Amsterdam | Scheepskameel |
| Amsterdam | Rijsel |
| Amsterdam | Oud-Zuid |
| Amsterdam | Jean & Marie |
| Amsterdam | Fa. Pekelhaaring (new) |
| Amsterdam | Elkaar |
| Amsterdam | Café Caron |
| Amsterdam | Brasserie van Baerle |
| Amsterdam | Arles |
| Amsterdam | A-Fusion |
| Andelst | Kromhout |
| Apeldoorn | Twenty2 |
| Arnhem | The Green Rose |
| Assen | Bij Jaap |
| Beek | De Lindeboom New Style |
| Beetsterzwaag | Bistro Nijeholt |
| Berg en Dal | Puur M |
| Bergen | ’t Parkje |
| Bilthoven | Brasserie Le Nord |
| Blaricum | Rust Wat (new) |
| Blaricum | Bistrôt Chapeau (new) |
| Borculo | Bistro De Olliemölle |
| Borne | Dorset |
| Breda | Salon de Provence |
| Breskens | Escobar (new) |
| Bussum | Faulk |
| Castricum | Le Moulin |
| Dalfsen | Herberg de Witte Gans |
| Delft | Le Vieux Jean |
| Den Haag | Tapisco |
| Den Haag | Restaurant ñ |
| Den Haag | Publique |
| Den Haag | Oogst |
| Den Haag | Basaal |
| Den Helder | C’est la Vie |
| Deventer | Bouwkunde |
| Doetinchem | Raedthuys |
| Doetinchem | Lev Foodbar |
| Druten | Old Skool |
| Echt | Hof van Herstal |
| Eersel | Promessa |
| Eindhoven | Valenzia by Zarzo |
| Eindhoven | Umami by Han |
| Eindhoven | Doyy |
| Elsloo | Kasteel Elsloo |
| Gouda | Jean Marie |
| Groningen | Bistro ’t Gerecht |
| Hapert | Divino |
| Heemstede | Red Orchids |
| Heerlen | Mijn Streek |
| Hellendoorn | De Uitkijk |
| Hilversum | Spandershoeve |
| Hilversum | Chef aan de Werf (new) |
| Hoeven | Pouwe |
| Holten | Hoog Holten |
| Kaag | Tante Kee |
| Lattrop | Landgoed de Holtweijde |
| Leeuwarden | Élevé (new) |
| Leidschendam | Bij Erik |
| Linschoten | Bij Mette |
| Lisserbroek | Het Oude Dykhuys |
| Maartensdijk | Zilt & Zoet |
| Maastricht | Umami by Han |
| Maastricht | Prix de Rome (new) |
| Maastricht | Novo |
| Maastricht | L’Auberge |
| Maastricht | Harry’s |
| Maastricht | Danyel |
| Meerssen | Gaar |
| Meppel | Sukade |
| Middelharnis | Brasserie ’t Vingerling |
| Montfoort | De Schans |
| Muiden | De Doelen |
| Nederweert | Diverso |
| Nijmegen | Witlof |
| Nijmegen | Bistrobar Berlin (new) |
| Nijmegen | Bistro Flores |
| Noordeloos | Bistro |
| Noorden | De Watergeus |
| Noordwijk aan Zee | Onder de Linde |
| Nootdorp | Calva |
| Oegstgeest | Suzie en Van Aken |
| Oirschot | La Fleurie |
| Oisterwijk | Alma Bodega (new) |
| Ossendrecht | Jagersrust |
| Otterlo | Cèpes |
| Oude Wetering | Plantage 87 |
| Oudendijk | La Mère Ann |
| Overloon | Boompjes |
| Papendrecht | Bistro De Ertepeller |
| Renkum | Gastrobar De Oude Post |
| Rhenen | Het Oude Gemeentehuis |
| Rotterdam | Vineum (new) |
| Rotterdam | Umami by Han |
| Rotterdam | The Park |
| Rotterdam | Kwiezien |
| Rotterdam | In den Rustwat |
| Rotterdam | Huson |
| Rotterdam | Gym & Gin |
| Rotterdam | Gastrobar Ster (new) |
| Rotterdam | Asian Glories |
| Ruurlo | De Tuinkamer |
| ‘s-Hertogenbosch | Auberge de Veste |
| ’s Hertogenbosch | Citrus (new) |
| Simpelveld | Bellevue |
| Sint-Oedenrode | De Beleving |
| Sittard | Silvester’s |
| Sleeuwijk | Barsserie BovendeRivieren |
| Sneek | Le Petit Bistro |
| Steenbergen | In de Oude Stempel |
| Steenwijk | Bovenmeester |
| Stevensweert | Herberg Stadt Stevenswaert |
| Texel (Den Burg) | Vincent Eilandkeuken |
| Tilburg | Hofstede De Blaak |
| Tilburg | De Houtloods |
| Tilburg | Brasserie Kok Verhoeven |
| Tubbergen | Droste’s |
| Uitgeest | Klaas |
| Utrecht | Héron |
| Veere | De Camperveerse Toren |
| Velp | De Watermolen |
| Venlo | Brasserie Valuas |
| Venray | De Beejekurf |
| Vijlen | Uit de Kunst |
| Voorschoten | De Knip |
| Wamel | De Weeghbrug |
| Weidum | WeidumerHout |
| Wervershoof | Oxalis |
| Zwolle | Coperto Resobar |
Image: Prix de Rome, Maastricht
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