James Beard Awards Spotlight Atlanta’s Culinary Talent: See the 2025 Semifinalists

By Daniela Cintron

Published January 22, 2025

The James Beard Foundation has announced its 2025 Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists for the James Beard Awards – one of the nation’s most prestigious honors recognizing exceptional culinary and food media talent. To no one’s surprise, Atlanta is well-represented among some of the country’s most outstanding chefs and restaurants. 

Here are the 2025 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalists from Atlanta and its surroundings: 

Outstanding Restaurant 

A restaurant that demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality and operations. 

Kimball House, Decatur 

Best New Restaurant 

A restaurant opened between Oct. 1, 2023, and Sept. 30, 2024, that already demonstrates excellence in cuisine seems likely to make a significant impact in years to come and demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality and operations. Those establishments that have opened after Sept. 30, 2024, can be considered for the 2026 Awards. 

Casa Balam, Decatur 

Outstanding Hospitality 

A restaurant, bar or other food and drinking establishment that fosters a sense of hospitality among its customers and staff that serves as a beacon for the community and demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality and operations. 

Aria, Buckhead

Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program 

A restaurant that demonstrates exceptional care and skill in the pairing of wine and other beverages with food. This includes the selection, preparation and serving of wine, cocktails, spirits, coffee, tea, beer or any other beverage with outstanding hospitality and service that helps inform and enhance a customer’s appreciation of the beverage(s). Ethical sourcing will also be considered.

Lucian Books and Wine, Buckhead 

New Categories

The James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards, established in 1990 and first presented in 1991, honor excellence across all dining experiences, from fine dining to casual eateries. As part of the Awards’ milestone anniversary and in response to the evolving independent restaurant scene, the 2025 Restaurant and Chef Awards have expanded to spotlight beverages with three new categories: Best New Bar, Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service.

Here are Atlanta’s semifinalists in these new categories: 

Best New Bar

A wine bar, beer bar, cocktail bar, coffee bar or any other business whose primary offering is a beverage, opened between Oct. 1, 2023, and Sept. 30, 2024, that already demonstrates excellence in beverages, seems likely to make a significant impact in years to come and demonstrates consistent excellence in the preparation of drinks, sourcing, service, hospitality, atmosphere and operations. 

Marietta Proper, Marietta 

Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service 

A service professional who creates and serves cocktails or other offerings such as low- and non-alcoholic beverages. The candidate has set high standards, demonstrates creativity and consistency in excellence, innovation and hospitality, is making efforts to create a sustainable work culture and has served as an exceptional example or mentor for other beverage professionals.

Kursten Berry, Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours, Atlanta 

Best Chefs: Southeast 

Chefs who set high standards in their culinary skills and leadership abilities and who are making efforts to help create a sustainable work culture in their respective regions. 

Rod Lassiter and Parnass Savang, Talat Market, Atlanta
Bruce Logue, BoccaLupo, Atlanta
Brian So, Spring, Marietta
Fu Li Zhang, LanZhou Ramen, Doraville

The Restaurant and Chef Award nominees will be announced on April 2, and winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on June 16 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Check out more nationally and internationally recognized Award-winning dining in Atlanta.

Born and raised in Mexico, Daniela is a bilingual journalist living in Atlanta. She is passionate about telling stories that highlight the diversity and the blooming gastronomic scene in Atlanta.