We know Houston is a world-class food city, but doesn’t a compliment always mean more when someone else says it? Lately, Houston’s dining scene is getting lots of props. The LA Times recently named Houston the 2026 Top Food City, lauding it as a “culinary powerhouse” and “fiercely independent.” While Michelin's 2024 arrival brought a fresh wave of accolades, the gold standard has long been the James Beard Awards. Since 1991, the Beards have been spotlighting Houston’s culinary elite — a legacy that began in 1992 when Robert Del Grande of Cafe Annie took home the city’s first win.
The James Beard Awards are the highest honors in the American culinary industry, celebrating excellence across restaurants, chefs, books, and journalism. A Beard win is more than just a trophy; it’s a career-defining seal of approval that catapults a local kitchen onto the national stage. The 2026 James Beard Award finalists will be announced on March 31, and the winners on June 15 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
But, drumroll please... Houston’s 2026 semifinalists are:
Best Chef: Texas
ChòpnBlok
Ope Amosu, ChòpnBlok - Recently named one of America’s 50 best restaurants by The New York Times
Kent Domas and Seth Siegel-Gardner, Milton’s - This duo is behind a powerhouse resto whose sister bar, Lee's, was also nominated for best new bar.
Camaraderie
Shawn Gawle, Camaraderie - Though it's still a new resto, the Houston Chronicle already named Gawle's spot the #1 Best New Restaurant in the city.
Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu, Jūn - The duo was also nominated for Best Chef: Texas in 2025 and was named one of the "Best New Restaurants" in Texas by Texas Monthly shortly after its debut.
Emerging Chef
Baso
Max Lappé and Jacques Varon, Baso - Baso, which artfully blends Basque inspiration with a distinct Houston fingerprint, is currently a Michelin-recommended restaurant.
Adrian Torres, Maximo - Torres was turned down by his dream culinary school due to his DACA status, so he attended San Jacinto College. He then went on to hone his craft under James Beard winners Hugo Ortega and Thomas Bille.
Outstanding Restaurateur
Zaranda
Hugo Ortega and Tracy Vaught, H-Town Restaurant Group - The visionaries behind Houston’s most beloved institutions continue to innovate with the opening of Zaranda downtown this year. Ortega, a 2017 winner, is so revered that the Mayor once officially declared June 20 as 'Hugo Ortega Day.'
Outstanding Chef
Katami
Manabu Horiuchi, Katami - Chef Hori, as he’s known at his Montrose sushi hotspot, has created the ultimate see-and-be-scene destination. While it is a favorite for influencers like Alix Earle, it also carries the ultimate local endorsement: J.J. Watt once called it "the best restaurant in the world".
Best New Restaurant
Agnes and Sherman
Agnes and Sherman - This spot was named one of the "10 Must-Visit Restaurants" by Bon Appétit and one of the "Best New Restaurants in America" by Eater.
Best New Bar
Lee's
Lee’s - This cocktail and snack destination connected to Milton's, is part of the Local Foods Group, which is having a banner year with additional nominations for Milton’s and Maximo. Lee's was named by Bon Appetit as one of “best new bars” of 2025.
Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service
March
June Rodil, March - Rodil is one of only about 25 women in the Americas to hold the title of Master Sommelier. She was previously named Sommelier of the Year by Wine Enthusiast and featured in their "40 Under 40."
Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service
Bludorn
Kristine Nguyen, Bludorn - Nguyen is a key part of the Bludorn Hospitality Group, which Robb Report named one of the "10 Rising Power Players in American Fine Dining" in 2024.
Stay tuned and mark your calendars for March 31, when the finalists will be announced. This is the whittling down of the semifinalists to the final contenders for the medallions. The season culminates on June 15, 2026, at the Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony Gala. Good luck to all our Houston semifinalists!
Photos: Courtesy of the restaurants presented in this post. Header photo: Jūn; opening photo: Milton's by Carla Gomez.