On Wednesday the semifinalists for the prestigious American restaurant awards, the 2026 James Beard Awards, were announced. The list includes 17 establishments and professionals from the state of Washington, including restaurants, chefs, bars and bakers. The award is considered one of the most significant in the U.S. hospitality industry.
Two Seattle restaurants drew particular attention with nominations in the top national category “Best New Restaurant.” Little Beast in the historic Ballard neighborhood, known for its craft breweries and trendy seafood restaurants, and The Wayland Mill in bohemian Wallingford, where cozy cafés and family-run restaurants predominate. Both neighborhoods play a key role in Seattle’s dining scene, offering diverse cuisine with an emphasis on local produce, especially seafood and farm-fresh ingredients.
Other notable nominations include Aaron Verzosa of Archipelago (Outstanding Chef) and the bar Roquette (Outstanding Bar). Nominations were not limited to Seattle establishments. The Elbow Room bar in Vancouver, Washington, is up for Best New Bar, and Jordan Koplowitz of Starla's in Bellingham is nominated for Northwest Best Chef. Among the newcomers to the awards are Ahmed Suliman of Cafe Suliman and sibling duo Ty and Trinh Nguyen of Ramie.
The state of Washington is hoping to break its streak of near-misses this year: local restaurants have not won a Beard in five years. Despite strong showings in the nominations, victories could be challenged by increased national competition, particularly from cities like New York and Chicago, as well as possible changes in judging criteria. Seattle and Washington remain influential in the culinary world thanks to local ingredients and talented chefs, but winning a James Beard Award requires a combination of distinctiveness, national impact and timing. The list of finalists will be published March 15, and the winners will be announced at the ceremony in Chicago on June 15.
Based on: 2026 James Beard Awards: 17 WA restaurants and chefs nominated