2 Harlem Restaurants Make Michelin List Of Best Cheap Eats

HARLEM, NY — Two restaurants in Harlem and another two right nearby have earned a spot on Michelin's new list of the nation's best affordable eateries.

The food guide will release its prestigious list of starred restaurants later this week. On Tuesday, though, Michelin published its annual Bib Gourmands: a list of restaurants where one can enjoy an appetizer, entrée and a glass of wine or dessert for under $40 — before tip and tax.

The 131 New York City-area restaurants on the list include two establishments in Harlem, plus two just south of the neighborhood. Here they are:

Oso (1618 Amsterdam Ave., near West 140th Street)

This Mexican restaurant in Hamilton Heights opened in 2016, directly across from the City College campus. Michelin writers praise Oso's "simple" interior, complete with wood tables, a Dia de los Muertos mural and a small bar where customers can see cooks pressing tortillas and grilling food inside the kitchen.

Oso specializes in Mexico City-style street food, featuring tacos and antojitos and more original dishes including braised octopus tostadas, braised chicken and salsa verde enchiladas — and for dessert, churros with chocolate and cinnamon-caramel sauces. (Oso was founded by Matthew Trebek, son of the late Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek.)

Jin Ramen (3183 Broadway, south of West 125th Street)

Michelin has high praise for this West Harlem establishment, calling it the "best ramen above 59th Street." While its interior is nothing special — and the shop itself is somewhat hidden beneath the escalator to the 125th Street train station — its food is first-rate, Michelin raves.

Highlights include the pan-fried gyoza and ramen that comes in in miso, shoyu, shio and tonkotsu flavors.

Two more restaurants on the Michelin list were just past Harlem's southern border:

Miss Mamie's Spoonbread Too (366 West 110th St., near Morningside Drive)

This longtime Southern spot just west of Central Park is technically within the bounds of the Upper West Side, but many may consider it part of Harlem for the time-honored soul food it dishes out.

Spoonbread Too serves classics like meatloaf, Louisiana catfish and baked turkey wings, says Michelin. A "sampler" includes deep-fried shrimp, beef short ribs, fried chicken and cornbread stuffing, while desserts include chocolate layer cake, sweet potato pie and red velvet cakes.

Atlas Kitchen (258 West 109th St., off Broadway)

A contemporary Chinese restaurant, Atlas serves spicy Hunan-style dishes as well as American-Chinese classics. Standouts include the winter melon soup, sliced eel in chili oil, Hunan-style fried rice and fried rice balls for dessert, Michelin writes.

Here's the full list of 2021 NYC Michelin Bib Gourmands.

Patch reporter Gus Saltonstall contributed.