Appalachia’s Almost-Awards: 2025 Restaurant Nominees

These restaurants — each deeply rooted in place, culture, and community — achieved significant recognition from the James Beard Foundation in 2025. While none took home the trophy, their nominations spotlight Appalachia’s culinary breadth and rising influence. More than just a nod of approval, these honors affirm that chefs and restaurateurs across Appalachia are creating food that resonates locally and nationally.

In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Fet-Fisk earned a finalist spot for Best New Restaurant, one of just 10 restaurants across the nation to do so. This Nordic-inspired seafood bar in the city’s Bloomfield neighborhood has quickly gained acclaim for its inventive approach to local ingredients, serving up dishes like grilled cabbage Caesar, spaetzle, and whole branzino, paired with aquavit-forward cocktails and natural wines. With its clean aesthetic and minimal plating, Fet-Fisk stands out for its commitment to technique and precision without pretense. Despite ultimately losing out to Minneapolis’s Bûcheron, Fet-Fisk’s place among the finalists elevated Pittsburgh’s culinary reputation and displayed the city’s potential for boundary-pushing, ingredient-driven cuisine. It also demonstrated that Pittsburgh, long known for its blue-collar food traditions, can support and celebrate refined culinary experiences that remain true to place.

Further south in Staunton, Virginia, Maude & the Bear was nominated as a semifinalist in the same Best New Restaurant category. Housed in a lovingly restored 1926 Montgomery Ward kit-house, the intimate space is the latest project from chef Ian Boden, who co-owns the restaurant with his wife Housed in a lovingly restored 1926 Montgomery Ward kit-house, the intimate space is the latest project from chef Ian Boden, who co-owns the restaurant with his wife, Leslie Boden.. The couple has created a space that’s equal parts restaurant and retreat. Guests who dine on Boden’s whimsical, modern tasting menus—featuring seasonal fare sourced from the Shenandoah Valley—can stay overnight at the attached boutique inn, making for a fully immersive culinary escape. Dishes might include dry-aged duck with sorghum glaze or Appalachian heirloom beans plated like fine art. While Maude & the Bear didn’t advance to the finalist round, its nomination marked a significant moment: one of the first times Staunton found itself on the James Beard radar. The recognition underscores the growing sophistication and ambition of small-town dining in Appalachia and affirms that rural settings are no barrier to culinary excellence.

Asheville, North Carolina, also made its mark this year. Leo’s House of Thirst, a cozy wine and cocktail bar in West Asheville, was named a semifinalist in the Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program category. Known for its tightly curated list of natural wines, small-batch spirits, and seasonal cocktails, Leo’s has become a haven for wine lovers and curious drinkers alike. What sets Leo’s apart is its sense of place – the wine list leans heavily on producers who prioritize sustainable farming and low-intervention winemaking, while the bar’s menu often features Appalachian touches like pickled ramps, trout roe, and smoked mushrooms. It’s more than a neighborhood bar; it’s a thoughtful expression of the beverage culture emerging across Appalachia. While Leo’s didn’t make it to the finalist round, its inclusion among semifinalists reinforced Asheville’s position as a beverage destination, a city that supports innovation and depth far beyond traditional breweries and distilleries.

Even without bringing home any awards, these nominations carry substantial weight. A James Beard nod as a semifinalist or finalist can increase visibility, drive reservations, attract press coverage, and position a restaurant for future accolades. It offers national validation and encourages the region’s food lovers to support businesses defining Appalachian cuisine on their terms. For restaurants in smaller cities and towns, the impact of a Beard nomination can be transformative, helping them attract talent, investment, and a new wave of culinary tourism.

This year’s nominees also underscore the range and diversity of Appalachia’s food scene. From the seafood-forward minimalism of Fet-Fisk, to the tasting menu elegance of Maude & the Bear, to the wine-soaked charm of Leo’s, each restaurant represents a different vision of what dining in Appalachia can be. These establishments don’t rely on stereotypes or outdated notions of the region; instead, they expand the definition of Appalachian food, drawing from global influences while remaining grounded in local sourcing and storytelling. The region is not simply adapting to national trends but helping to set them.

The path to top James Beard honors is often incremental. Today’s semifinalists become next year’s finalists; next year’s finalists may go on to win. The attention gained from one nomination can ripple outward for years. Whether that ultimate win happens in 2026 or beyond, what’s clear is this: Appalachia is no longer on the sidelines of the national food conversation. It’s in the room. And the food it’s bringing to the table is thoughtful, rooted, ambitious and worth celebrating.