Philadelphia landed seven finalists at the 2026 James Beard Awards, often called the Oscars of the food world, with winners set to be announced tonight at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The nominations cap a banner stretch for the city's dining scene, which earned its first Michelin stars in November 2025, and this year's finalists span Thai cooking, Levantine flavors, Afrocentric fine dining, and Italian pastry.
The James Beard Awards have recognized excellence in food and hospitality since 1991, named for chef James Beard, the Oregon-born "dean of American cookery" who wrote more than 20 cookbooks and opened a Greenwich Village cooking school that influenced generations of chefs, including Julia Child.
Here's who's representing Philadelphia this year.
Kalaya, Outstanding Restaurant Chef and owner Chutatip "Nok" Suntaranon's Fishtown Thai restaurant is a finalist for the second year in a row, her fourth Beard nomination overall. She already won Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic in 2023, and when she heard the news this time, she said she cried, then quickly turned the moment outward, saying the recognition belongs to Philadelphia, not just her kitchen.
Emmett, Best New Restaurant Chef Evan Snyder opened this Olde Kensington spot in January 2025, blending Levantine cooking with French, Italian, and North African influences. Signature dishes include a wagyu tartare rye tartlet and a 21-day dry-aged duck. Emmett also landed on Esquire's Best New Restaurants list last year, the only Philadelphia restaurant to make the cut.
The Lovers Bar at Friday Saturday Sunday, Outstanding Bar Husband-and-wife owners Chad and Hanna Williams turned this Rittenhouse institution into a Michelin-starred destination after taking it over in 2015. The ground-floor cocktail counter, known for its Fibonacci sequence drink menu, earned the bar its second Beard nomination three years after the restaurant itself won Outstanding Restaurant. Hanna Williams said she was "completely shocked" to be back in the running so soon.
Jesse Ito, Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic The chef and co-owner of Royal Sushi & Izakaya in Queen Village picked up his ninth Beard nomination this year. He also runs Royal Izakaya and the newly opened dancerobot.
Amanda Shulman, Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic Shulman's Her Place Supper Club, a 24-seat Center City tasting room blending French, Italian, and Jewish influences, was one of the city's first Michelin-starred restaurants. This marks her fourth Beard nomination.
Omar Tate and Cybille St. Aude-Tate, Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic The husband-and-wife team behind Honeysuckle earned their second Beard nomination for their North Philadelphia restaurant. What started as pop-up dinners blending poetry, food, and music has grown into a tasting menu experience built around Black diaspora foodways, local Black farmers, and Indigenous ingredients.
Justine MacNeil, Outstanding Pastry or Baker MacNeil runs Fiore in Fishtown with husband and chef Ed Crochet, turning out award-winning gelato and Italian pastries alongside his handmade pasta. She previously served as executive pastry chef at Del Posto in New York.
Also in the running Several other Philadelphia names made the Beard semifinalist list but didn't advance to finalist status, including restaurateur Greg Vernick for his restaurant group (Vernick Food & Drink, Vernick Fish, Vernick Coffee Bar, and Emilia), Amá's Frankie Ramirez for Emerging Chef, and Almanac, the cocktail bar above Ogawa in Old City, for Best New Bar.
Whether or not Philadelphia comes home with a trophy tonight, the nominations highlight a restaurant scene that keeps punching above its weight on the national stage. Check back for full results from the ceremony.
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