6 CA Restaurants, 5 Chefs Nominated For 2025 James Beard Awards

CALIFORNIA - The culinary scene in California is well-represented in the 2025 Restaurant and Chef Awards nominees announced Wednesday by the James Beard Foundation.

2025 is an important milestone for the James Beard Foundation: It’s the 35th anniversary of the awards, considered to be among the nation’s most prestigious honors. Awards will be presented in 25 categories this year, with an expanded focus on cocktail and beverage service.

The following California restaurants and individuals are nominated:

The Anchovy Bar, State Bird Provisions, and The Progress (San Francisco): Outstanding Restaurateur, Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski

Brioza and Krasinski’s three San Francisco restaurants are grouped together as the Atomic Workshop Group. State Bird Provisions and The Progress are both Michelin-starred restaurants specializing in haute Californian cuisine, while The Anchovy Bar is a wine and seafood bar.

Gusto Bread (Long Beach): Outstanding Bakery

This artisanal panaderia specializes in naturally leavened breads using organic, whole-grain ingredients. Don’t leave without trying their pan dulce.

Harbor House Inn (Elk): Outstanding Hospitality

Tucked away in a cozy wood lodge along the spectacular Mendocino coast, this Michelin two-starred restaurant offers fresh, local cuisine enjoyed in front of panoramic ocean views.

Lazy Bear (San Francisco): Jacob Brown is nominated for Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service

Step into the best dinner party ever at this San Francisco restaurant, where guests gather around a table to enjoy a multi-course menu of creatively reimagined NorCal cuisine. Brown’s wine list has received numerous awards, including the Wine Spectator Grand Award, the Jury Prize from The World of Fine Wines, and Runner-Up for the Most Original Wine List in North America from Fine Wine Magazine.

Redbird (Los Angeles): Tobin Shea is nominated for Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service

Cocktails just taste better inside a former cathedral rectory, don’t they? This Downtown LA restaurant offers haute American cuisine and fabulously imaginative cocktails under a vaulted cathedral ceiling.

Strong Water (Anaheim): Nominated for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program

The name says it all. Enjoy some seriously strong water, rum, tequila and more at this nautical tiki-themed restaurant in Anaheim.

The James Beard Awards also nominated the five best chefs of different regions across the country, including California. The five Best Chef California nominees are:

• Daniel Castillo, Heritage Barbecue, San Juan Capistrano, CA
• Richard Lee, Saison, San Francisco, CA
• Tara Monsod, ANIMAE, San Diego, CA
• Kosuke Tada, Mijoté, San Francisco, CA
• Jon Yao, Kato, Los Angeles, CA

The James Beard Awards, first presented in 1991, recognize exceptional talent in the culinary and food media industries and are often regarded as the “Oscars of culinary arts.” They recognize a range of experiences, from fine-dining restaurants to casual gems, in 22 categories.

Winners will be announced Monday, June 16, in a ceremony at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

RELATED: 46 CA Restaurants, Chefs Named 2025 James Beard Semifinalists