TAMPA, Fla. — Three Tampa restaurants were honored in Florida's first-ever Michelin Guide, not with stars but with a different prestigious award called the Bib Gourmand.
According to the company, the honor — named after Bibendum, the big, white Michelin Man — is "just-as-esteemed" as a Michelin Star but focuses on restaurants with simpler styles of cooking that leave guests with a sense of satisfaction.
And food fanatics across the country still flock to Bib Gourmand restaurants to get a taste of their "exceptionally good food at moderate prices."
Here's a look at the three Tampa restaurants featured in Florida's Michelin Guide.
Ichicoro describes itself as "a mod-casual authentic ramen-ya serving soulful, delicious food and beverages."
The menu features an array of snacks and rice bowls, but ramen is the main attraction. There are also plenty of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options clearly marked on the menu. Michelin inspectors describe the restaurant as a "stylish den" with a "cool, underground edge."
"Expect finely tuned bowls with enticingly springy noodles; savory, full-bodied broths based on chicken or pork (or both); and accouterments that show a bit of personality, as in pork belly chasyu asado or grilled Gulf shrimp," the guide reads.
Each ramen dish is about $15 while the snacks and rice bowls are even less.
Check out the full menu.
Rocca offers Italian fare with Chef Bryce Bonsack’s handmade pasta-focused menu. In addition to the extensive pasta selection, the menu features select meats and fish along with upscale starters and a tableside hand-pulled mozzarella cart.
Michelin inspectors describe the restaurant as a "hip, of-the-moment eatery" where Chef Bonsack’s Italian culinary training shines through with his "classic flavors and scrupulous technique."
Pasta dishes range from $23-29 while the meats and fish boast a higher price tag from $78-135.
Check out the full menu.
Rooster & The Till offers inventive dishes "with elements from SE Asia, Latin America and the Levant," according to the Michelin Guide.
The curated menu features everything from A5 Miyazaki hand rolls to seared foie gras. The restaurant's shareable menu seems to cater to every preference with more than 75% of the menu labeled as vegan, vegetarian or gluten-free.
Michelin inspectors describe Rooster & The Till as "a low-key spot with simple décor" and an aura that is "anything but stuffy."
"...Nothing seems out of place, as in sumac-flecked cauliflower with whipped goat's milk feta and falafel-spiced dukkah. Fried cobia collar with nuoc cham boasts a cultish following," the guide says.
Prices range from $15-75 will some more expensive wine options.
Check out the full menu here.
