The James Beard Foundation announced Wednesday the finalists vying for its coveted awards, and among them are five Chicago chefs and restaurants.

Minnesota has had many James Beard Awards semifinalists, nominees, and winners over the years, with some restaurants and making the list multiple times.

A standout Baltimore restaurant is once again putting Maryland on the national culinary map. Charleston, the award-winning eatery in Baltimore’s Harbor East, has been named a 2025 finalist for a prestigious James Beard Award in the category of “Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program,

"The James Beard Public Market team is moving with urgency as we recognize the vital role this catalytic project can have for economic development and downtown recovery and moving Portland from a doom loop to a bloom loop.