2026 James Beard Award Finalists

The James Beard Foundation has officially unveiled its 2026 award finalists, narrowing this year’s long list down to a final group of contenders. The shortlist is a little light on local talent, so consider it a good excuse to plan a few road trips to check out nearby nominees.

In the race for Best Chef: Northeast (covering all six New England states), the lineup includes David DiStasi of Materia Ristorante in Bantam, CT, Evan Hennessey of Stages in Dover, NH, Thomas Takashi Cooke of Izakaya Minato in Portland, ME, Paul Trombly of Fancy’s in Burlington, VT and Derek Wagner of Nicks on Broadway in Providence, RI. 

On the national stage, nominees from around these parts include Bethlehem, New Hampshire’s Super Secret Ice Cream for Outstanding Bakery, Dana Street of Portland’s Fore Street (as well as Scales, Street & Co. and Standard Baking Co.) for Outstanding Restaurateur and David Standridge of The Shipwright’s Daughter in Mystic, CT for Outstanding Chef.

The beverage and hospitality categories had a few nods for regional faves like LOMA in Providence, which is in the running for Best New Bar, and The Port of Call in Mystic, CT, which is vying for top honors in the Outstanding Wine & Other Beverages Program category.

Winners will be announced at the James Beard Awards ceremony at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on Monday, June 15th. Stay tuned for updates as the season continues and check out the full list of nominees here.