2026 James Beard Award Semifinalists Announced

Scotch Lodge, Le Pigeon and The Elbow Room are amoung several nominations for bars and restaurants in VanPort.

The James Beard Awards® presented by Capital One represent the pinnacle of culinary recognition in the US. Since their inception in 1990, the Restaurant and Chef Awards have made icons out of the nation’s top restaurant and bar professionals. Today, these semifinalists join a constellation of James Beard Award–recognized leaders who collectively embody the breadth of American culinary excellence.

Restaurant and Chef nominees will be announced on Tuesday, March 31, and winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony on Monday, June 15, 2026 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Here are the James Beard Award semifinalists in VanPort for 2026:

Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program: Coquine, Portland, OR
Outstanding Bar: Scotch Lodge, Portland, OR
Best New Bar: The Elbow Room, Vancouver, WA
Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service: Joel Gunderson, Heavenly Creatures, Portland, OR
Best Chef Northwest:
Kristen Murray, Måurice, Portland, OR
Thomas Pisha-Duffly, Gado Gado, Portland, OR
Ryan Roadhouse, Nodoguro, Portland, OR
Outstanding Restaurant presented by Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water: Le Pigeon, Portland, OR

The complete list can be found here: https://www.jamesbeard.org/stories/james-beard-award-semifinalists-2026

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