The James Beard Award 2020 Finalists are here! After being postponed from its original scheduled ceremony date of March 25th due to COVID-19, uncertainty has hung over whether the James Beard Awards would even happen this year — even after the semi-finalists were announced in February. But the foundation has ultimately decided to go forward with the awards and has now released the full list of finalists. While there won’t be a physical ceremony this year, the foundation is planning to figure out a way to allow chefs a space to shine when they announce the winners on Wednesday, May 27th.
The foundation decided to go forward with a virtual ceremony after reaching out to chefs, restaurants, and industry professionals about how they’d feel given the circumstances of the global pandemic. “Those we consulted felt the Awards could also offer a glimmer of hope to an industry looking for light in a very dark time,” said the foundation in a statement. Considering the tremendous toll that the pandemic and lockdowns are taking on the restaurant industry, even restaurants nominated for prestigious awards need our help, so in addition to gathering all of the Best New Restaurant award finalists, we’ve indicated which ones are still open for take-out orders or offering meal kits.
Prepare to get hungry, here’s a food porn tour of the 2020 James Beard Award Best New Restaurant finalists!
Automatic Seafood & Oysters
Birmingham Alabama based Automatic Seafood & Oysters specializes in gourmet seafood and steak and offers an extensive menu of well-curated in-house cocktails. They’re currently preparing Mother’s Day Specials for pick up or delivery which feature brunch and dinner meals that feed two to four people, as well as refreshing cocktail kits, like the Mothers Day Punch with Cathead Honeysuckle vodka, hibiscus, lime, and orange.
Demi
Located right in the heart of Minneapolis’ North Loop neighborhood, Demi is headed by Chef Gavin Kaysen and specializes in incorporating local ingredients in a seasonal menu that is always shifting. Demi is currently closed, but beginning on Wednesday, May 6th, Chef Kaysen’s other restaurants Spoon and Stable and Bellecour will be offering to-go orders.
Demi is expected to open in the near future as the country begins to reopen.
Eem
Eem has established itself as one of Portland’s best spots to grab Thai food and BBQ and the fact that you get to wash it all down with a Tiki cocktail makes the experience all the better. No wonder it took the #3 spot on the UPROXX Travel Hot List in the food and drink section. Currently, Eem is periodically offering pre-ordered meals for take-out, so watch their Instagram if you plan on grabbing a meal to go while you wait out lockdown.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_LmjL1BSHJ/
Fox & The Knife
If rustic Italian is your jam, you’ll be all about Boston’s Fox & and The Knife from chef Karen Akunowicz, who spent a year immersed in the cuisine and culture of Modena Italy. Chef Akunowicz’s aim is to bring her time in Modena to the tables of South Boston.
Fox & The Knife is currently available for take-out and also offers delivery.
Gado Gado
Gado Gado — named after the Indonesian salad that features boiled vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, tofu, and tempeh in a peanut sauce — specializes in its namesake, but also has a delightfully mixed up menu full of surprises and left-turns on Singaporean classics.
Gado Gado is currently open for take-out orders through online ordering.
Gianna
Just a block away from New Orleans’ Lafayette Square, Gianna’s menu consists of wood-fired Italian food with a distinct New Orleans southern twist. Headed by James Beard Award-winning chef Rebecca Wilcomb and Chef Donald Link, Gianna utilizes New Orleans’ abundance of fresh fish and seafood staples and reimagines what Italian food could be with the bounties of the Gulf of Mexico.
Gianna is currently offering take-out and delivery.
Kalaya
Serving up authentic Thai food to the Philadelphia area, Kalaya specializes in Southern Thai cuisine by chef Chutatip Suntaranon. There isn’t a single dish served at Kalaya that doesn’t look mouthwateringly amazing, so scope out their Instagram at your own risk, you will end up incredibly hungry (if you aren’t already).
Kalaya is currently open for take-out orders.
Nightshade
Los Angeles’ Nightshade, located in the food mecca that is the city’s Arts District, features a seasonal menu of Asian-California cuisine by Chef Mei Lin. Chef Mei Lin cut her teeth working in the Chinese restaurants owned by her parents and extended family in the suburbs of Detroit.
Nightshade is currently offering take-out with a regularly updated special menu of savory and sweet dishes.
Pasjoli
Located off of Santa Monica’s Main Street, Pasjoli’s menu consists of Parisian bistro favorites and small plates in a cozy and chic setting steps away from Venice Beach. Headed by chef Dave Beran, Pasjoli specializes in mostly a la carte offerings, which is perfect for our stay-at-home lifestyle, as nice as the Pasjoli space in Santa Monica is. We’ll be able to sit inside one day!
Pasjoli currently offers take-out and has a few at-home meal kits as well.
Verjus
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9ae6iQBF-O/
Located in San Francisco’s dense and busy Financial District, Verjus matches the pace of San Francisco’s busiest district with this upscale fast service bistro and retail bottle shop. As of now, Verjus is currently closed, but since the space is half a wine shop, the restaurant is keeping afloat during California’s lockdown via online putchases.
