See the 2026 James Beard semifinalists of New England

Food News

Every New England state was represented across the 14 James Beard Award categories.

The James Beard Foundation announced its 2026 semifinalists in restaurant and chef categories on Wednesday, the initial list of nominees from the most prestigious award for American restaurants.

All New England states were represented across all 14 James Beard Award categories. 

This semifinalist list will narrow on March 31, when the James Beard Foundation announces the finalist nominations. Picked from that list are the winners come June 15 during a gala in Chicago. 

How did each state in our region fare this year? See the 2026 semifinalists in New England below:

Outstanding Restaurateur

• Leslie McCrorey Wells, Pizzeria Verità, Trattoria Delia, Sotto Enoteca, and others, Burlington, VT
• Dana Street, Fore Street, Scales, Standard Baking Co., and others, Portland, ME

Outstanding Chef

• David Standridge, The Shipwright’s Daughter, Mystic, CT

Outstanding Restaurant

• O Ya, Boston, MA
• Oberlin, Providence, RI

Emerging Chef

• Pao Thampitak, Gaaeng Supper Club, Boston, MA
• Jasmine Watson, Audette, Newport, RI

Best New Restaurant

• Café Monette, St. Albans, VT
• Claudine, Providence, RI
• ROLi, New Haven, CT

Outstanding Bakery

• Night Moves Bread, South Portland, ME
• Super Secret Ice Cream, Bethlehem, NH

Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker

• Monica Glass, Verveine Cafe & Bakery, Cambridge, MA
• Whitney Stancil, Cuvée at Chatham Inn, Chatham, MA

Outstanding Hospitality

• Ostra, Boston, MA
• State Road, Martha’s Vineyard, MA

Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program

• The Port of Call, Mystic, CT
• Talulla, Cambridge, MA

Outstanding Bar

• Spoke Wine Bar, Somerville, MA

Best New Bar

Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service

• Nader Asgari-Tari, Zurito, Boston, MA
• Alyssa Mikiko DiPasquale, The Koji Club, Boston, MA

Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service

• Jesse Hedberg, Club Frills, Providence, RI
• Kate Wise, Juniper Bar, Burlington, VT

Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)

• Tiara Adorno, The Crooked Ram, Manchester, VT
• Jeremy Broucek, Bread & Friends, Portland, ME
• Sāsha Coleman, Comfort Kitchen, Boston, MA
• Amarilys Colón, La Padrona, Boston, MA
• David DiStasi, Materia Ristorante, Bantam, CT
• Luke Fetbroth, Tonino, Boston, MA
• Chris Gould, Central Provisions, Portland, ME
• Evan Hennessey, Stages, Dover, NH
• Bolivar Hilario, Community Table, New Preston, CT
• Sara Jenkins, Nina June, Rockport, ME
• Shi Mei, Lenox Sophia, Boston, MA
• Peter Nguyen, Lê Madeline, Quincy, MA
• Kevin O’Donnell, Giusto, Newport, RI
• Annie Parisi, Jayd Bun, South Kingstown, RI
• Jake Stevens, Leeward, Portland, ME
• Thomas Takashi Cooke, Izakaya Minato, Portland, ME
• Shilimat Tessema, Lalibela Ethiopian Restaurant, New Haven, CT
• Paul Trombly, Fancy’s, Burlington, VT
• Max Vogel, Ondis, Montpelier, VT
• Derek Wagner, Nicks on Broadway, Providence, RI

Katelyn Umholtz

Food and Restaurant Reporter

Katelyn Umholtz covers food and restaurants for Boston.com. Katelyn is also the author of The Dish, a weekly food newsletter.