Eight local Dallas eateries have made the semifinal list for the prestigious James Beard Award, which recognizes chefs, restaurateurs, authors, and journalists in the U.S. food scene.
While Dallas made a commendable showing this year, the number has shrunk after the City landed 15 semifinalist spots in 2023.
Here are the categories where Dallas foodies were recognized:
Outstanding Chef
- David Uygur, Lucia: Located on North Bishop Avenue, Lucia is a small Italian restaurant with a frequently changing menu. Over the years, it’s been awarded several accolades, like the number one spot on D Magazine’s ‘Best of Big D’ 2022 for Italian food, thanks to head chef David Uygur. In fact, at one point, his restaurant was considered one of the hardest to land a reservation in the City.
Outstanding Bakery
- La Casita Bakeshop, Richardson: To help handle its growing popularity in DFW, the owners of La Casita moved into a 6,000-square-foot complex in 2021. Today, the bakeshop wholesales its baked goods to over 175 restaurants and coffee shops.
Outstanding Hospitality
- Gemma: This modern American restaurant serves favorites like oysters, steak frites, or a wagyu double cheeseburger.
Best Chef
- Misti Norris, Petra and the Beast: Norris leverages local produce and seasonality at her popular Dallas eatery on Abrams Road.
- Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman, José: Enjoy fresh Mexican cuisine, like ceviche and pescadillas (fried ahi tuna tacos).
- Regino Rojas, Purépecha: Rojas delivers quality Michoacan cuisine with traditional and international ingredients.
- Arnulfo Sánchez III, Vaqueros Texas Bar-B-Q: Arnulfo “Trey” Sánchez has a long history of perfecting BBQ inherited from his father, who began winning competitions in 1979.
- Rich Vana, The Heritage Table: Vana has run The Heritage Table for over a decade, focusing on “innovative, yet accessible fare,” according to his restaurant’s website.
