Every June, hundreds of chefs, restaurateurs, sommeliers, and hospitality professionals descend on Chicago for the James Beard Awards. Between ceremonies, parties, and late-night celebrations, many use the trip as an opportunity to explore one of America's most influential dining cities.
During Beard weekend, several 2026 James Beard Award winners and finalists shared the restaurants that stood out during their time in Chicago. Their recommendations range from acclaimed tasting menus and neighborhood favorites to Italian beef, carnitas, and one particularly memorable croissant.
Dave Beran, Seline
Beran won Best Chef: California at the 2026 James Beard Awards for his work at Seline in Santa Monica. A former executive chef at Chicago's Next, he still returns to many of the restaurants that helped shape his career.
"Spots I seem to always be drawn back to:
- Casual fast sandwich — J.P. Graziano. I've known them for years and they have always been consistently delicious. We go every time we are in Chicago. The store has evolved but at its core, it's just delicious and always great to see Jim. Get the Mr. G.
- Fine dining — Two of my last three visits focused on revisiting Smyth. I've been there three times now since it's opened and the evolution of that restaurant always leaves me in awe. Sometimes you eat a course at a restaurant and you talk about having something similar somewhere else. That is NEVER the case at Smyth. It is truly one of a kind.
- Sort of casual — I always sit at the bar at Rose Mary. Kyle and Aiden are two of my favorite bartenders to visit. The food at Rose Mary is always so well done. It's a restaurant that can really be whatever you want it to be, from casual snacks at the bar to a full over-the-top evening in the dining room. The sleeper is the cocktail program. It just always feels so comfortable in there having a drink and chatting with old friends."
Monti Carlo
Carlo is the Food and Dining Editor at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the author of the new cookbook Spanglish: Recipes and Stories. A television host, former MasterChef finalist, and frequent collaborator with the James Beard Foundation, she has become a prominent voice in the national food conversation.
"Whenever I'm in Chicago, I have two musts: Avec for a teaser of what Puerto Rican superstar Rey Quiñones has up his sleeve and Jibaritos y Más for traditionally Puerto Rican cuchifritos: bacalaitos (codfish fritters), morcilla (blood sausage), and carne frita (fried pork pieces with cracklin' skin)."
Evan Hennessey, Stages
Hennessey won Best Chef: Northeast at the 2026 James Beard Awards for his work at Stages in Dover, New Hampshire. At the restaurant he opened in 2012, he draws on local ingredients to create progressive New England tasting menus.
"One of my favorite restaurants in Chicago is Feld, led by chef-owner Jake Potashnick. Although I've only dined there once, I've long admired what Jake and his team are building from afar. Our values around service, sourcing, and mentorship closely align. Both of our restaurants are rooted in relationships with local farms, using food to tell the story of the places we call home. I've always believed that the best restaurants create genuine connection with every guest, and Feld does exactly that. Eating there is a true treat and not to be missed when visiting Chicago."
Ryan Bailey, Kato
Bailey is co-owner and sommelier of Kato in Los Angeles, which won Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program at the 2026 James Beard Awards. Alongside bar director Austin Hennelly, he helps oversee a beverage program known for pairing wine, tea, cocktails, and nonalcoholic drinks with chef Jon Yao's tasting menus.
"We had the opportunity to dine at Kasama. It was incredible. Chefs Genie Kwon and Tim Flores' menu was authentic, interesting, and so flavorful. Easily the best bite of the trip was the Délice de Bourgogne, honey, and truffle croissant."
Patty Lee, Lei
Lee is the chef of Lei in New York City, which won Best New Restaurant at the 2026 James Beard Awards. The Chinatown wine bar pairs a broad wine list with dishes rooted in regional Chinese recipes.
"Kasama was a standout. I loved the cabbage and beef dish in particular. I don't often think of 'nourishing' with fine dining, but it felt like something that was made with good intentions for my health but also so refined in a way that only a highly skilled chef could pull off. And I'm always going to stan the Portillo's roast beef. Extra dipped, of course. The gravy...it's perfect."
Johnny Curiel, Alma Fonda Fina
Curiel was a finalist for Best Chef: Mountain at the 2026 James Beard Awards for his work at Alma Fonda Fina in Denver. Before opening the restaurant, he spent years traveling across Mexico and learning from street food vendors, experiences that continue to inform his approach to Mexican cooking.
"Carnitas Uruapan makes the best carnitas in Chicago. They're an iconic spot with so much tradition. I love the full experience of grabbing the carnitas and walking down the street to the neighborhood park to enjoy them outside. My second favorite spot is Gilt Bar. It's another Chicago original with incredible food. We've brought our Fonda Fina Hospitality team there the last two years we've been in Chicago for the James Beard Awards."
Joshua Pinsky, Claud
Pinsky was a finalist for Best Chef: New York State at the 2026 James Beard Awards for his work at Claud in New York City. Since opening in the East Village in 2022, the restaurant has earned acclaim for its French-inspired cooking and standout wine program.
"Our visit to J.P. Graziano was very memorable. We got to chat with fourth-generation owner Jim Graziano, and it was a real inspirational moment. Plus, the Italian sandwich and hot beef that we got to try were undeniably delicious."
