In just two short weeks, the 2026 James Beard Foundation Awards will take place in Chicago from June 13 to 15. The biggest weekend in the culinary world culminates with the Restaurant & Chef Awards on Monday June 15 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. This year, Bon Appétit is the official livestream partner and full award show coverage will be available on the Bon Appétit website.
Bon Appétit’s Best New Restaurants of past years are well-represented across the board: The Catbird Seat in Nashville from the 2012 list for Outstanding Restaurant, Fidel Caballero at Corima from the 2024 list for Best Chef in New York State, and Fátima Juarez at Komal in Los Angeles from the 2025 list for Emerging Chef, among others.
The full list of nominees is below, and we’ve identified any restaurant or chef previously honored as a Best New Restaurant with a 🌟 next to the entry. Keep an eye out for more James Beard Award coverage all weekend long!
2026 James Beard Foundation Award Nominees
Outstanding Restaurateur
Srijith Gopinathan and Ayesha Thapar, Cal-India Collective (Ettan, Copra, Eylan and Little Blue Door), Palo Alto, San Francisco, Menlo Park, Los Altos, CA
Meherwan Irani and Molly Irani, Chai Pani Restaurant Group (Chai Pani and Botiwalla), Asheville, NC
Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski, Link Restaurant Group (Pêche Seafood Grill, Herbsaint, Cochon, and others), New Orleans, LA
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
Outstanding Chef
Gilberto Cetina, Holbox, Los Angeles, CA
Niki Nakayama, n/naka, Los Angeles, CA
Josh Niernberg, Bin 707 Foodbar, Grand Junction, CO
David Standridge, The Shipwright’s Daughter, Mystic, CT
Michael Tusk, Quince, San Francisco, CA
Outstanding Restaurant presented by Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water
🌟 The Catbird Seat, Nashville, TN
The Four Horsemen, Brooklyn, NY
Kalaya, Philadelphia, PA
Mixtli, San Antonio, TX
🌟 Vicia, St. Louis, MO
Emerging Chef presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water
🌟 Fátima Juárez, Komal, Los Angeles, CA
E.J. Lagasse, Emeril’s, New Orleans, LA
Rasheeda Purdie, Ramen by Ra, New York, NY
Bailey Sullivan, Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio, Chicago, IL
Adrian Torres, Maximo, West University Place, TX
Best New Restaurant
1033 Omakase, Milwaukee, WI
Agnes and Sherman, Houston, TX
Anjin, Kansas City, MO
Emmett, Philadelphia, PA
Ki, Los Angeles, CA
Lei, New York, NY
Maison Bar à Vins, Washington, DC
Merci, Charleston, SC
Robin, St. Louis, MO
Tamba, Las Vegas, NV
Outstanding Bakery
Cultured, Sister Bay, WI
Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop, Anchorage, AK
Super Secret Ice Cream, Bethlehem, NH
Weltons Tiny Bakeshop, Charleston, SC
Wild Crumb, Bozeman, MT
Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker
Neale Asato,