https://www.eater.com/jbfa/936395/james-beard-awards-2026-semifinalists-chefs-restaurants-jbfaRestaurant and Chef nominees will be announced on Tuesday, March 31, and winners will be announced on Monday, June 15 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago during the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony. Here are the 2026 semifinalists:
Outstanding RestaurateurElizabeth Blau, Blau + Associates (Buddy V’s and Honeysalt), Las Vegas, NV
Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski, Atomic Workshop (The Anchovy Bar, The Progress, and State Bird Provisions), San Francisco, CA
Mike Brown, Bob Gerken, and James Winberg, Travail Collective (Travail Kitchen & Amusements, ie by Travail, and Dream Creamery), Robbinsdale, MN
Frank Callero, Joe Flamm, and Steven Zaleski, Day Off Group (Rose Mary, il Carciofo, and BLVD Steakhouse), Chicago, IL
Rachel Cope, 84 Hospitality (Elisabetta, Gorō Ramen, and Burger Punk), Oklahoma City, OK
Scott Drewno and Danny Lee, Fried Rice Collective (Anju, Chiko, and I Egg You), Washington, D.C.
Brett Evje and Michael Ochsner (PLONK Bozeman, J.W. Heist Steakhouse, and PLONK Missoula), Bozeman, MT
Holly Fox and Adam Weisblatt, Last Word Hospitality (Found Oyster, Rasarumah, and The Copper Room), Los Angeles, CA
Srijith Gopinathan and Ayesha Thapar (Ettan, Copra, and Eylan), Palo Alto, San Francisco, Los Altos, and Menlo Park, CA
Meherwan Irani and Molly Irani, Chai Pani Restaurant Group (Chai Pani and Botiwalla), Asheville, NC
Simon Kim, Gracious Hospitality (COTE, Undercote, and COQODAQ), New York, NY
Tommy Lee (Uncle, Hop Alley, and Molino Chido), Denver, CO
Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski, Link Restaurant Group (Pêche Seafood Grill, Herbsaint, Cochon, and others), New Orleans, LA
Tom Main (Freeland’s and Tinker Street), Indianapolis, IN
Leslie McCrorey Wells (Pizzeria Verità, Trattoria Delia, Sotto Enoteca, and others), Burlington, VT
Peter Merriman (Merriman’s, Monkeypod, and others), O’ahu, Maui, and Big Island, HI
Hugo Ortega and Tracy Vaught, H-Town Restaurant Group (Hugo’s, Xochi, Urbe, and others), Houston, TX
Dana Street (Fore Street, Scales, Standard Baking Co., and others), Portland, ME
Greg Vernick, Vernick Philadelphia (Vernick Food & Drink, Vernick Fish, and Vernick Coffee Bar), Philadelphia, PA
Jennifer Vitagliano and Nicole Vitagliano, Elizabeth Street Hospitality (The Musket Room, Raf’s, and Cafe Zaffri), New York, NY
Outstanding ChefAnn Ahmed, Khâluna, Minneapolis, MN
Charleen Badman, FnB, Scottsdale, AZ
Gilberto Cetina, Holbox, Los Angeles, CA
Diana Davila, Mi Tocaya Antojeria, Chicago, IL
Zachary Engel, Galit, Chicago, IL
Manabu Horiuchi, Katami, Houston, TX
David Kirkland and Ernest Servantes, Burnt Bean Co., Seguin, TX
Gabriel Kreuther, Gabriel Kreuther, New York, NY
Joseph Lenn, J.C. Holdway, Knoxville, TN
Rob McDaniel, Bayonet, Birmingham, AL
Niki Nakayama, n/naka, Los Angeles, CA
Dean Neff, Seabird, Wilmington, NC
Josh Niernberg, Bin 707 Foodbar, Grand Junction, CO
Kwame Onwuachi, Tatiana, New York, NY
Peter Pastan, 2 Amy’s, Washington, D.C.
Missy Robbins, Lilia, Brooklyn, NY
Alex Roberts, Alma, Minneapolis, MN
David Standridge, The Shipwright’s Daughter, Mystic, CT
Michael Tusk, Quince, San Francisco, CA
Aaron Verzosa, Archipelago, Seattle, WA
Outstanding Restaurant presented by Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water
Antico Nuovo, Los Angeles, CA
Bar La Grassa, Minneapolis, MN
Blackbird Kitchen, Bozeman, MT
The Catbird Seat, Nashville, TN
Centrolina, Washington, D.C.
Chubby Fish, Charleston, SC
EL Ideas, Chicago, IL
FarmBar, Tulsa, OK
Foreign Cinema, San Francisco, CA
The Four Horsemen, Brooklyn, NY
Kalaya, Philadelphia, PA
Kasama, Chicago, IL
Le Pigeon, Portland, OR
Mixtli, San Antonio, TX
Nonesuch, Oklahoma City, OK
O Ya, Boston, MA
Oberlin, Providence, RI
Via Carota, New York, NY
Vianda, San Juan, PR
Vicia, St. Louis, MO
Emerging Chef Hector Garate, Palmira Barbecue, Charleston, SC
Anthony Jones, Marcus DC, Washington, D.C.
Steve Joo, Joodooboo, Oakland, CA
Fátima Juárez, Komal, Los Angeles, CA
E.J. Lagasse, Emeril’s, New Orleans, LA
Max Lappé and Jacques Varon, Baso, Houston, TX
Sunny Lee, Sunn’s, New York, NY
Kyle Lussier, The Pines, Grand Rapids, MN
Nicolai Mlodinow, Class Act, Chicago, IL
Ellie Parker, Main Street Provisions, Las Vegas, NV
Rasheeda Purdie, Ramen by Rā, New York, NY
Frankie Ramirez, Amá, Philadelphia, PA
José Olmedo Carles Rojas, Si! Mon, Venice, CA
Vanessa Rose, Mother’s, Milwaukee, WI
Ahmed Suliman, Cafe Suliman, Seattle, WA
Bailey Sullivan, Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio, Chicago, IL
Pao Thampitak, Gaaeng Supper Club, Boston, MA
Adrian Torres, Maximo, West University Place, TX
Bao Tran, Giovedi, Honolulu, HI
Jasmine Watson, Audette, Newport, RI
Best New Restaurant
1033 Omakase, Milwaukee, WI
Agnes and Sherman, Houston, TX
Anacacho Coffee & Cantina, San Antonio, TX
Anjin, Kansas City, MO
Bong, New York, NY
Café Monette, St. Albans, VT
Claudine, Providence, RI
Echelon Kitchen & Bar, Ann Arbor, MI
Emmett, Philadelphia, PA
Evviva, New Orleans, LA
Far-Out, Dallas, TX
The Happy Crane, San Francisco, CA
Indibar, Scottsdale, AZ
Junah, Salt Lake City, UT
Kabawa, New York, NY
Ki, Los Angeles, CA
Kizaki, Denver, CO
Lei, New York, NY
Little Beast Ballard, Seattle, WA
Maison Bar à Vins, Washington, DC
Merci, Charleston, SC
Nadu, Chicago, IL
Nic & Junior’s, Chicago, IL
Peregrine, Raleigh, NC
Robin, St. Louis, MO
ROLi, New Haven, CT
RVR, Venice, CA
Saint Claire, New Orleans, LA
Tamba, Las Vegas, NV
The Wayland Mill, Seattle, WA
Outstanding Bakery
Bánh by Lauren, New York, NY
Born & Bread Bakehouse, Lakeland, FL
The Burque Bakehouse, Albuquerque, NM
Bywater Bakery, New Orleans, LA
Café Dear Leon, Baltimore, MD
Cultured, Sister Bay, WI
Dan The Baker, Columbus, OH
DeLuxe Cakes and Pastries, Iowa City, IA
Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop, Anchorage, AK
Gusto Bread, Long Beach, CA
Librae, New York, NY
The Local General Store, Honolulu, HI
Mercado Sin Nombre, Austin, TX
Niedlov’s Bakery Cafe, Knoxville, TN
Night Moves Bread, South Portland, ME
Poulette Bakeshop, Parker, CO
Starship Bagel, Dallas, TX
Super Secret Ice Cream, Bethlehem, NH
Weltons Tiny Bakeshop, Charleston, SC
Wild Crumb, Bozeman, MT
Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker
Renata Ameni, Birdee, Brooklyn, NY
Neale Asato, Asato Family Shop, Honolulu, HI
Susan Bae, Moon Rabbit, Washington, D.C.
Youssef Boudarine, J’adore Pastry, Indianapolis, IN
Tavel Bristol-Joseph, Nicosi, San Antonio, TX
Monique Feybesse and Paul Feybesse, Tarts de Feybesse, Oakland, CA
Monica Glass, Verveine Cafe & Bakery, Cambridge, MA
Maggie Huff, Lucia, Dallas, TX
Courtney Kenyon-Snider, Obélix, Chicago, IL
Helen Jo Leach, The Town Company, Kansas City, MO
Eunji Lee, Lysée, New York, NY
Justine MacNeil, Fiore, Philadelphia, PA
Claudia Martinez, Bar ANA, Atlanta, GA
Kimberly Mcintosh, MILKFISH Bakeshop, Las Vegas, NV
Lucia Merino, Lucia Patisserie, San Juan, PR
Oscar Ortega, Atelier Ortega, Jackson Hole, WY
Whitney Stancil, Cuvée at Chatham Inn, Chatham, MA
Emily Thompson, The Wolf’s Tailor, Denver, CO
Christina Wood, Temple Pastries, Seattle, WA
Hannah Ziskin, Quarter Sheets, Los Angeles, CA
Outstanding HospitalityAmmatoli, Long Beach, CA
Ansots Basque Chorizos & Catering, Boise, ID
Aria, Atlanta, GA
Barley Swine, Austin, TX
Bottega, Birmingham, AL
Bresca, Washington, D.C.
Cosme, New York, NY
Daisies, Chicago, IL
House of Prime Rib, San Francisco, CA
Joan’s in the Park, St. Paul, MN
Louie, Clayton, MO
Mallorca, Cleveland, OH
Ostra, Boston, MA
Providence, Los Angeles, CA
Red Hook Tavern, Brooklyn, NY
Restaurant Olivia, Denver, CO
Sofreh, Brooklyn, NY
State Road, Martha’s Vineyard, MA
Tailor, Nashville, TN
Tutka Bay Lodge, Homer, AK
Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
Ada’s Wine Bar, Las Vegas, NV
Amara at Paraiso, Miami, FL
Apteka, Pittsburgh, PA
Brasero, Chicago, IL
Caruso’s, Montecito, CA
Chambers, New York, NY
Coquine, Portland, OR
F.L.X. Table, Geneva, NY
Field & Main, Marshall, VA
Kalimotxo, Austin, TX
Kato, Los Angeles, CA
Le Bouillon, Omaha, NE
Le Caviste, Seattle, WA
One Legged Magpie, Red Lodge, MT
The Port of Call, Mystic, CT
The Progress, San Francisco, CA
Stems and Skins, Charleston, SC
Sway Brewing & Blending, Baileys Harbor, WI
Taconeta, El Paso, TX
Talulla, Cambridge, MA
Outstanding BarAldo Sohm Wine Bar, New York, NY
Ayahuasca Cantina, Dallas, TX
Bow & Arrow Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM
Double Chicken Please, New York, NY
Drastic Measures, Shawnee, KS
Graft Wine Shop & Wine Bar, Charleston, SC
Highball, Phoenix, AZ
Hopleaf Bar, Chicago, IL
Lady Jane, Denver, CO
Lovers Bar at Friday Saturday Sunday, Philadelphia, PA
The Mothership, Milwaukee, WI
Onyx Coffee Lab, Rogers, AR
Post Office Place, Salt Lake City, UT
Realm of the 52 Remedies, San Diego, CA
Roquette, Seattle, WA
Scotch Lodge, Portland, OR
Smuggler’s Cove, San Francisco, CA
Spoke Wine Bar, Somerville, MA
Watch Hill Proper, Prospect, KY
Wild Child Wines, Lafayette, LA
Best New BarAlmanac, Philadelphia, PA
Bar Bucce, Miami, FL
Bar Chenin, Detroit, MI
Bar Please!, Boise, ID
Bar Snack, New York, NY
Clemente Bar, New York, NY
The Contrary, Des Moines, IA
Daisy, Los Angeles, CA
Daydream Rum Bar, Albuquerque, NM
The Elbow Room, Vancouver, WA
Later Bye, Oklahoma City, OK
Lee’s, Houston, TX
Loma, Providence, RI
Lucky Star, Atlanta, GA
Madeira Park, Atlanta, GA
Nocturno, Las Vegas, NV
Pink Flamingo, Baltimore, MD
Public Parking, Madison, WI
The Valley Club, San Francisco, CA
Van Atta, Telluride, CO
Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)Zak Baker, Ca’Lucchenzo, Wauwatosa, WI
Nick Bognar, Sado, Pavilion, St. Louis, MO
Kasey Lee Cooke, Mint Mark, Madison, WI
Philip Day, Root Food + Wine, Augusta, MO
Shigeyuki Furukawa, Kado No Mise, Minneapolis, MN
Nick Hanke and Phil Shires, Masao, Des Moines, IA
Alex Henry, El Molino del Sureste, St. Louis, MO
Camillia Hjortnaes and Erik Hjortnaes, Hjem A.M., Custer, SD
Lisa Kirkpatrick and Paul Zerkel, Goodkind, Milwaukee, WI
Johnny Leach, The Town Company, Kansas City, MO
Adam Marty, Ellinor, Appleton, WI
Zach Midgett, Casa Bovina, Lincoln, NE
