The official list of 2026 James Beard Award semifinalists landed in January, and Texas put in a strong showing with more than 51 semifinalist recognitions across cities statewide. Houston led with roughly 12 semifinalists, Dallas-Fort Worth had about eight, San Antonio had around seven, and a mix of other cities including El Paso, Denton, Seguin, Arlington, and Marfa contributed to the total. Austin itself earned nine semifinalist nods, one of the strongest showings among Texas cities this year.

The James Beard Awards have become a benchmark for culinary excellence in the United States since they were established in 1990, with the first awards presented in 1991. Often likened to the Oscars of the food world, the awards celebrate chefs, restaurateurs, hospitality professionals, and others who shape American food culture with innovation, quality, leadership, and consistency.

With more than 400 semifinalists named nationwide for 2026 across dozens of categories, the semifinals reflect deep competition before finalists are chosen and winners are revealed at the Awards ceremony in Chicago on June 15, 2026.

See the Full 2026 Nominations

The James Beard Awards were founded by the James Beard Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to celebrating, supporting, and elevating food professionals and food culture across the United States. Since the first awards were given in 1991, the program has expanded to include multiple categories such as Outstanding Chef, Best New Restaurant, Outstanding Hospitality, beverage categories, leadership awards, and more.

Each year, regional and national voting committees made up of chefs, restaurateurs, journalists, educators, and other industry professionals select semifinalists. A smaller group of finalists is then determined in the spring, and winners are celebrated at the awards gala in June. Reaching the semifinalist level alone is widely regarded as a major career milestone.

A nomination typically reflects a combination of:

Below are the Austin restaurants and chefs honored this year, with deeper context about their cuisine, history, and what makes each stand out.

Category: Outstanding Bakery
Cuisine: Mexican bakery and café focused on heirloom corn and traditional techniques
Address: 408 N Pleasant Valley Rd, Austin, TX 78702
Website | Instagram

Mercado Sin Nombre began as a pop-up in 2020 opening its brick-and-mortar location in 2024 focused on heirloom Mexican corn, nixtamalization, house-made pan dulce, and specialty coffee. Its dedication to traditional technique and ingredient integrity earned it a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2025, highlighting exceptional quality at accessible prices. The James Beard semifinalist nomination adds national recognition to a concept deeply rooted in process and cultural heritage.

Category: Outstanding Hospitality
Cuisine: Seasonal tasting menus, Texas-driven
Address: 6555 Burnet Rd (Suite 400), Austin, TX 78757
Website | Instagram

Since opening in 2010 under chef Bryce Gilmore, Barley Swine has helped define Austin’s farm-to-table dining identity with seasonal, tasting-menu-driven cuisine. This year’s nomination highlights hospitality—recognizing service, pacing, consistency, and team culture. Barley Swine and its related concepts (including Odd Duck and Sour Duck Market) have been influential in shaping Austin’s fine dining evolution over more than a decade.

Category: Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service
Nominee: Celia Pellegrini
Cuisine: Coastal Mexican; beverage program leadership
Address: 2113 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722
Website | Instagram

Este blends coastal Mexican cuisine with a thoughtful beverage program emphasizing regional spirits, balanced wine selections, and service-forward execution. Beverage director Celia Pellegrini was recognized for her leadership in shaping this program, underscoring the importance of hospitality and beverage expertise as part of the broader dining experience.

Category: Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
Cuisine: Basque-inspired small plates with an emphasis on wine and drink
Address: 1813 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78702
Website | Instagram

Kalimotxo takes its name from a simple Spanish drink and brings Basque and Iberian influences to Austin’s dining scene. The beverage program—ranging from curated wines to creative cocktails—earned a James Beard nomination, highlighting how serious drink programs are increasingly central to culinary recognition.

Five Austin-based chefs were named semifinalists in the Best Chef: Texas category, underscoring the city’s influence across diverse culinary traditions.

Category: Best Chef: Texas
Chef: Thai Changthong
Cuisine: Thai comfort cuisine with a focus on precision and balance
Address: 4807 Airport Blvd, Austin, TX 78751
Website | Instagram

P Thai’s specializes in Thai classics like khao man gai and noodle dishes executed with discipline and consistency rather than trend chasing. Chef Thai Changthong’s dedication to clarity, balance, and authentic technique earned this semifinalist nod. The First Khao Man Gai ATX and OG Thai Chinese Street Food.

Category: Best Chef: Texas
Chef: Michael Che
Cuisine: Traditional Edomae omakase sushi
Address: 4600 Mueller Blvd #1035, Austin, TX 78723
Website | Instagram

Chef Michael Che’s Tsuke Edomae offers reservation-only omakase rooted in traditional Japanese technique, emphasizing precise sourcing, aging, and temperature control. Its recognition underscores Austin’s presence in fine-dining sushi outside major coastal cities.

Category: Best Chef: Texas
Chef: Ali Clem
Cuisine: Central Texas barbecue
Address: 2401 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702
Website | Instagram

La Barbecue remains a cornerstone of Austin’s barbecue identity. Under pitmaster Ali Clem, the restaurant has earned both longstanding local devotion and national recognition, including retention of a Michelin star, situating traditional smoked meats within broader culinary conversations.

Category: Best Chef: Texas
Chefs: Daniela and Rosa Landaverde
Cuisine: Regional Mexican barbacoa traditions
Address:
2806 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722
1212 W 6th St, Austin, TX 78703
Website | Instagram

Run by sisters Daniela and Rosa Landaverde, La Santa Barbacha elevates regional Mexican barbacoa traditions with a weekend-focused service that draws locals and aficionados alike. The nomination reflects both cultural depth and community connection.

Category: Best Chef: Texas
Chef: Bob Somsith
Cuisine: Laotian cuisine with bold, traditional flavors
Address: 9909 Farm to Market 969 Building 4 Austin, TX 78724
Website | Instagram

Lao’d Bar brings Laotian cuisine to Austin in a casual, flavorful format. Chef Bob Somsith’s approach blends traditional recipes with local sensibilities, earning national attention and advancing representation of Southeast Asian food on the Beard stage.

Beyond Austin, Texas had strong representation across multiple regions:

Houston (approx. 12 semifinalists)
• Hugo Ortega and Tracy Vaught, H-Town Restaurant Group (Outstanding Restaurateur)
• Manabu Horiuchi, Katami (Outstanding Chef)
• Baso (Emerging Chef)
• Maximo (Emerging Chef)
• Agnes and Sherman (Best New Restaurant)
• Lee’s (Best New Bar)
• June Rodil of March (Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service)
• Kristine Nguyen of Bludorn (Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service)
• Ope Amosu, ChòpnBlọk (Best Chef: Texas)
• Kent Domas & Seth Siegel-Gardner, Milton’s (Best Chef: Texas)
• Evelyn Garcia & Henry Lu, Jūn (Best Chef: Texas)
• Shawn Gawle, Camaraderie (Best Chef: Texas)

Dallas-Fort Worth (approx. 8 semifinalists)
• Starship Bagel (Outstanding Bakery)
• Maggie Huff, Lucia (Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker)
• Ayahuasca Cantina (Outstanding Bar)
• Gabe Sanchez, Midnight Rambler (Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service)
• Far-Out (Best New Restaurant)
• Scott Girling, Osteria Il Muro (Best Chef: Texas)
• Patrick Hicks, Smoke’N Ash BBQ (Best Chef: Texas)
• Others from the region

San Antonio (approx. 7+) & Other Texas Cities
• Mixtli (Outstanding Restaurant)
• Anacacho Coffee & Cantina (Best New Restaurant)
• Tavel Bristol-Joseph, Nicosi (Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker)
• Francisco Estrada & Lizzeth Martinez, Naco Mexican (Best Chef: Texas)
• Sue Kim, The Magpie (Best Chef: Texas)
• Emil Oliva, Leche de Tigre (Best Chef: Texas)
• David Kirkland & Ernest Servantes, Burnt Bean Co. (Outstanding Chef)
• Andres Pablos, Accá, El Paso (Best Chef: Texas)
• Gabe & Melissa Padilla, Café Piro, Socorro (Best Chef: Texas)
• Michael Serva, Bordo, Marfa (Best Chef: Texas)
• Finney Walter, The Nicolett, Lubbock (Best Chef: Texas)
• George Watts III, GW’s BBQ Catering Co, San Juan (Best Chef: Texas)

Texas’s semifinalist count—spanning major metro areas and smaller towns alike—underscores the state’s culinary diversity and rising national profile. Austin’s nine nominations put the city in strong company and reflect its depth across multiple dimensions of food culture: traditional cuisine, hospitality leadership, beverage innovation, and cross-cultural representation.

For chefs and restaurants, even semifinalist recognition can substantially raise visibility, drive media interest, and increase reservations. Past winners and finalists often see sustained growth and broader opportunities.

Finalists will be unveiled on March 31, 2026, followed by the awards ceremony in Chicago on June 15, 2026. Regardless of final results, Austin and Texas’s presence on the semifinalist list highlights both restaurants and chefs as meaningful contributors to the American culinary landscape.