Unfortunately, I was not entirely satisfied with what the guide purported to be the best of Wellington’s affordable eateries.
I have been to three out of the four restaurants that got a Bib in Wellington: 1154 Pastaria, Hummingbird and Indian Alley.
The meals have been good but I’ve never salivated at the thought of eating their food or had an over-the-top enthusiastic yarn about the menu with my friends.
(My colleague Ethan Manera has been to Cicio Cacio, the fourth restaurant that got a Bib, and assures me it is more than deserving.)
To me, a restaurant that makes its way into the Michelin Guide should be a conversation starter and a reason to take a detour – that is, after all, why the guide exists.
Many online punters and food content creators agreed with me: there were many deserving restaurants that missed out on the Bib, for reasons unknown to us.
A Taste of Home is a hole-in-the-wall noodle bar in the capital. Photo / A Taste of Home
A Taste Of Home
The eatery I most wanted to see receive a Bib Gourmand was A Taste of Home.
The hole-in-the-wall-esque noodle bar on Vivian St would be a well-kept secret if it were not for Wellingtonians everywhere raving about it.
A Taste Of Home is most famous for its fresh and luscious hand-pulled noodles, which you can order either in a delicious chicken broth ($16) or tossed in chilli oil, peanuts and vegetables ($15).
It focuses on executing a small number of dishes to a high quality, with its current menu comprising nine mains, three sides and two sweet treats.
The mere prospect of ordering dinner from A Taste of Home gets me inexplicably excited because I know the quality will be high, the price will be low and the flavours will put other comparable joints to shame.
Newcomers should be warned – their wait times can be long and anything above a “mild” on their spice scale is not for the weak.
KC Cafe owner and chef Michael Chan. Photo / Wellington NZ
KC Cafe
If A Taste of Home’s menu is careful and controlled, KC Cafe’s menu is a burgeoning behemoth and one I would have loved to be awarded a Bib.
The Cantonese-leaning Chinese eatery sits near the end of Courtenay Place and is nothing short of a local legend.
The portion sizes are generous and the restaurant is always buzzing with people.
It offers more than 160 items, which could be a challenge for a Michelin inspector to properly evaluate, but add to its charm.
Its most popular dishes include crispy pork on rice ($24), mapo tofu ($24) and anything with duck in it.
KC Cafe has a dedicated fanbase that enjoys eating its way through all of its offerings, with many of them posting on social media about the restaurant being “robbed” of a Bib.
I and my undying love for its crispy squid ($21) have to agree.
KC Cafe is a popular Chinese restaurant in central Wellington. Photo / Wellington NZ
Well-known Wellington foodies weigh in
I checked in with some local food content creators to see what restaurants they wished got a Bib Gourmand.
Alice Pornsirichaivatana from @eatoclock has been reviewing food in the capital since 2015.
Her pick for a Bib was the newly-opened Apapacho, a Mexican joint on Ghuznee St that hones in on homey, traditional dishes.
“They prove that incredible food doesn’t have to be expensive, just authentic, welcoming and consistently delicious.”
Bryer Oden from @healthsensation hosts an ongoing series called “Cheap CBD Lunches” and regularly posts about affordable food in Wellington.
She wanted to see bistro The Ram get a Bib for its “perfect blend of Wellingtonian chic with homeliness and comfort”.
“They have a real knack at elevating universally loved classics in a way that makes your dining experience feel intentional and refined, yet underground and unpretentious at the same time.”
Tim Yamat from @titty.eats also wanted to see KC Cafe make the Bib list, while Sherlene Ho from @yumyumwelly shouted out Forbidden City in Lower Hutt.
Janhavi Gosavi is a Wellington-based journalist for the New Zealand Herald who covers news in the capital.