In the second stage following its Saudi Arabia launch, the Michelin Guide has added two more restaurants to its Bib Gourmand list: Fi Glbak in Riyadh and The Lucky Llama in Jeddah. The additions come as part of a three-stage rollout by Michelin in the Kingdom, with further restaurant announcements scheduled for 15 December. The Bib Gourmand distinction, which identifies establishments offering “good quality food at moderate prices,” complements the Michelin Stars system by recognizing value and culinary accessibility. What Is the Bib Gourmand? For those unfamiliar, the Michelin Guide, originally started by the French tire company Michelin more than a century ago, publishes ratings for restaurants worldwide based on unseen inspections by anonymous reviewers. The top-tier recognition is Michelin Stars, awarded for outstanding cuisine. But Michelin also created the Bib Gourmand award in 1997 to highlight restaurants that are more affordable while still delivering high-quality, thoughtfully prepared meals. Inspectors judge Bib Gourmand candidates not only on the quality of ingredients and cooking techniques, but also on “value for money” and consistency. The symbol for Bib Gourmand is a stylized Bibendum of the Michelin Man licking his lips, an homage…
