LINCOLN SQUARE — In just its first year of operation, Gather restaurant has nabbed a coveted Bib Gourmand from Michelin, one of only 59 Chicago restaurants to receive the honor.
The Bib Gourmand is awarded to restaurants that deliver "good cuisine at a reasonable price." The list is considered a guide for "a city’s residents, who regularly dine in neighborhood restaurants," according to Michelin.
That's exactly what David Breo, Gather's co-owner and general manager was aiming for with the restaurant, right down to its name.
"We wanted to convey that we were here for the community to come together and share great wine and food," Breo told DNAinfo Chicago when Gather, 4539 N. Lincoln Ave., opened in late 2012.
With Charlie Trotter alum Ken Carter in the kitchen, the focus is on "great ingredients, handled well, that taste delicious," said Breo.
A number of area restaurants are returning members of the Bib Gourmand club.
North Center's Browntrout, 4111 N. Lincoln Ave., with its locally sourced, sustainable cuisine, has become a perennial Michelin favorite.
Other repeats from 2013: Lincoln Square's Opart Thai House, 4658 N. Western Ave.; Irving Park's Smoque BBQ, 3800 N. Pulaski Road; and Spacca Napoli, 1769 W. Sunnyside Ave., serving up authentic Neapolitan pizza in the heart of Ravenswood.
Not all the news was good. Dropping off the list in 2014: Los Nopales, 4544 N. Western Ave.
