The James Beard Foundation has just announced its 2025 Restaurant and Chef Award nominees—and five Chicago restaurants have officially made the cut.
The nominees and achievement award honorees were announced during a live ceremony at the Conrad Los Angeles, hosted by James Beard Foundation Chief Executive Officer Clare Reichenbach, Choose Chicago Interim CEO Rich Gamble, James Beard Foundation Vice President Dawn Padmore, James Beard Foundation Trustee and Awards Committee Chair Chef Elizabeth Falkner and Hilton Senior Vice President, Global Design, Wellness and Food & Beverage Adam Crocini.
“Today, we are thrilled to announce the 2025 Restaurant and Chef Award nominees and Achievement Award honorees—including our first Impact Award recipients,” Reichenbach says. “These remarkable leaders exemplify our ‘Good Food for Good’ mission through their commitment to excellence, to the evolution of the independent restaurant industry, and our broader food culture. We look forward to celebrating everyone at the 35th anniversary of the James Beard Awards in June.”
Nominees were selected from the foundation’s list of 22 semifinalists, announced on January 22, and winners will be revealed at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 16, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Chef Zachary Engel and Andrés Clavero’s Middle Eastern eatery Galit was nominated for Outstanding Restaurant, while Julia Momosé’s Japanese cocktail bar Kumiko is a finalist for Outstanding Bar. Chef Thai Dang of Vietnamese spot HaiSous, chefs Chris Jung and Erling Wu-Bower of Asian-influenced restaurant Maxwells Trading and chef Noah Sandoval of New American mainstay Oriole are finalists in the Best Chef Great Lakes category.
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the James Beard Awards, regarded among the country’s most prestigious distinctions for talent in the culinary and food media industries. The awards also celebrate each honoree’s dedication to equity, sustainability and cultivating a thriving community for all.
To celebrate this milestone, the 2025 Restaurant and Chef Awards have broadened to encompass three new beverage-centered categories, including Best New Bar, Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service.
Outstanding Restaurant
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Open since 2019, James Beard Award-winning chef Zachary Engel and Andrés Clavero’s Middle Eastern eatery Galit is known for its chef-driven fare crafted with seasonal, localized ingredients. The restaurant’s four-course menu spotlights shareable labneh, falafel mezze, smoked turkey shawarma, spiced date cake and more. 2429 N. Lincoln Ave.
Outstanding Bar
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Nestled in the West Loop’s buzzy dining scene, this Japanese dining bar from acclaimed bartender Julia Momosé offers a tasting menu and a bountiful array of à la carte specialties, with an emphasis on cocktail and spirit pairings. While the lineup changes seasonally, previous creations have spanned sweetbread katsukarē, Arctic char and the Desert Skies daiquiri, crafted with Bacardi Reserva Ocho rum, Kamoizumi Uméshu, Kordell’s Grapefruit Cordial, lime and Angostura bitters. 630 W. Lake St.
Best Chef: Great Lakes
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On a mission to bring the flavors of Vietnam to Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, chef Thai Dang opened HaiSous Vietnamese Kitchen in 2017. Here, chef Dang celebrates his own family recipes (while dishing out iconic street food staples and contemporary cocktails) with fan favorites like crab fried rice, chili-tamarind rice noodles, fried whole fluke and octopus salad. 1800 S. Carpenter St.
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Underscore Hospitality partners Josh Tilden and Erling Wu-Bower are at the helm of this Kinzie Industrial Corridor joint, which has generated major buzz since its 2023 opening. The pair’s ever-evolving menu has highlighted leek-stuffed pappardelle, heritage pork katsu and forbidden rice pudding, accompanied by lychee and vesper martinis, Palomas and other classic libations. 1516 W. Carroll Ave.
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Since executive chef and owner Noah Sandoval opened this contemporary American restaurant in 2016, the fine dining destination has garnered acclaim for its lavish tasting menus and artfully plated culinary creations—which have earned it two Michelin stars and the Jean Banchet Award for Restaurant of the Year. At Oriole, chef Sandoval designs an ever-in-flux selection, which has previously featured foie gras toast, bergamot sorbet and autumn crudités with sablefish belly brandade and Golden Kaluga caviar. 661 W. Walnut St.
The full list of nominees and honorees can be found on the James Beard Foundation website.
See also: The Most Anticipated Chicago Restaurant Openings Of 2025
Photography by: Photo of the James Beard Foundation Leadership Awards by Galdones Photography; all other photos by Eliesa Johnson
