These Downtown Restaurants Named James Beard Awards Finalists

WEST VILLAGE, NY — A scrumptious handful of downtown Manhattan restaurants and chefs were named as finalists for this year's prestigious James Beard Awards, the culinary group announced Wednesday.

Three chefs and one restaurant in Manhattan landed on the coveted lists for best beverage program and best chef, a final step before possibly being honored with an award at the James Beard Foundation's June 5 ceremony in Chicago.

Those eateries and chefs were winnowed from a list of semifinalists that included more than 30 honorees that hailed from the Big Apple.

“The James Beard Awards celebrate outstanding achievement and exceptional culinary talent, as well as all those doing incredible work on behalf of our communities and wider food system," said Clare Reichenbach, the James Beard Foundation's CEO, in a statement.

"This year’s nominees, winners, and honorees are inspiring exemplars of that.”

Here are the Manhattan finalist nominees, as announced on Instagram.

Outstanding Wine and Beverage Program

Cote (16 West 22nd St.)

Best Chefs: New York State

Mary Attea — The Musket Room (265 Elizabeth St.)

Amanda Cohen — Dirt Candy (86 Allen St.)

Junghyun Park — Atomix (104 East 30th St.)

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 23 categories

Winners will be announced June 5 in a ceremony at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Matt Troutman contributed reporting.