2 GA restaurants up for 2026 James Beard Awards. See the nominees
The James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards have been announced, and two Georgia restaurants have landed on this prestigious list.
This prize is one of the culinary world’s most closely watched honors and recognizes excellence in the restaurant industry. They are often described as the “Oscars of the culinary arts,” and two Atlanta spots made the cut for 2026.
The Georgia nominees
Aria - Outstanding Hospitality
- Atlanta
- 490 E. Paces Ferry Road NE
- Aria online
Aria is an upscale Buckhead restaurant centered on modern American cooking and seasonal ingredients, with menus that change daily to match what’s freshest.
Founded in 2000 by chef and restaurateur Gerry Klaskala, the restaurant carries that original vision forward under longtime general manager and owner Andrés Loaiza, focusing on memorable food, wine and hospitality.
J. Trent Harris - Best Chef: Southeast
- Mujō
- Atlanta
- 691 14th St. NW
- Mujō online
Mujō is a one-Michelin-star modern Edomae-style sushiya inspired by the Japanese idea of ichigo ichie, “one time, one meeting.”
Rather than follow a traditional sushiya format, it offers an omakase-only experience with a daily changing menu of seasonal ingredients, fish flown in from Japan, small plates, seasonal nigiri and additional specialty items.
The James Beard Awards
Founded in 1990, the James Beard Awards are among the nation’s most prestigious culinary honors. The awards recognize chefs, restaurateurs and other food-industry leaders across several categories.
Outstanding category
- Restaurateur
- Chef
- Restaurant
- Bakery
- Hospitality
- Bar
- Professional in Beverage Service
- Professional in Cocktail Service
Best of Category
- New Restaurant
- Chef: Northeast
- Chef: Mid-Atlantic
- Chef: South
- Chef: Midwest
- Bet Chef: Southwest
- Chef: West
- Chef: New York State
- Chef: Southeast.
- Chef: Great Lakes.
- Chef: California.
- Chef: Texas.
- Chef: Pacific Northwest.
Emerging Chef category
See the results
The winners
The winners of the 2026 Restaurant and Chef Awards will be announced June 15 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The James Beard Foundation says the announcement will be part of the ceremony in Chicago, where the results will be revealed live.
How to follow
You can find the winners on the James Beard Foundation’s official website and awards pages, which post nominee and winner updates. The foundation’s awards page also lists the ceremony date and the latest key announcements, so that is the best place to check June 15 for the full results.
Have you eaten at a James Beard award-winning restaurant? Tell me all about it. Email me at srose@ledger-enquirer.com or find me on social media.
This story was originally published April 7, 2026 at 6:00 AM with the headline "2 GA restaurants up for 2026 James Beard Awards. See the nominees."