All articles tagged with #restaurants
James Beard Foundation’s America’s Classics winners for 2026 include six independent, regionally beloved restaurants: The Serving Spoon (Inglewood, CA), Oyster House (Philadelphia), Johnny’s Cafe (Omaha), Eng’s (Kingston, NY), Figaretti’s Italian Restaurant (Wheeling, WV), and Bob Taylor’s Ranch House (Las Vegas).
American Express will merge its Resy dining platform with Tock, adding more than 25,000 new venues (including fine-dining restaurants and wineries) to Resy. The integration brings Tock’s prepaid and tiered experiences to Resy, while Amex dining credits remain usable at eligible Resy restaurants as the two platforms merge this summer. Amex will sunset the Tock app, but the expanded network will live on via Resy, broadening dining options for Amex cardholders.
As a blizzard and a travel ban complicate operations, New York City restaurants face a rapid choice between staying closed for safety or opening to serve customers stuck at home; staff volunteers, demonstrated by Welcome Home Bakery in Bed‑Stuy, helped some shops open and sell out within hours, highlighting the tension between winter demand and labor safety.
Milano Restaurants International, the Fresno-based parent of Me-N-Ed's Pizzeria, has sold 100% of the company to its employees via an ESOP to preserve independence and the brand’s legacy. Milano operates more than 60 company-owned restaurants in California and franchises in California and Arizona, including Me-N-Ed's, Coney Island, Victory Grill, Blast & Brew, and Piazza del Pane; leadership says the employee-ownership model gives staff a meaningful stake in the company's future.
Across France, traditional bistros serving classic dishes are disappearing as costs rise and a new generation favors fast, affordable dining; restaurant profits have plunged (from 11% of turnover in 2023 to around 3% in 2024), and raw material costs rose about 16% while average menu prices climbed roughly 23%, contributing to thousands of closures (about 9,800 in a year) and a looming two-tier dining culture.
As a winter storm blankets Arlington and nearby Falls Church, numerous local restaurants are offering snow-day incentives—open for specials, some with rooftop or all-day deals, while others have closed. Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week extends to Feb. 1 at select spots and Falls Church Restaurant Week continues with participating venues. Listings include Ragtime, Brass Rabbit Pub, Don Tito, Spider Kelly’s, Harvey’s, Pike Cornerstone, Screwtop Wine Bar, Nettie’s Tavern, Crystal City Sports Pub, and others, with some venues planning schedule changes or lunch-hour openings. Authorities urge drivers to stay off the roads, and diners are turning to nearby eateries for a warm bite during the weather, while social updates guide which restaurants remain open or announce specials.
Los Angeles-area chefs and restaurants earned about two dozen James Beard Award semifinalist nods in 2026 across categories including Best Chef: California (Kwang Uh of Baroo, with LA peers like Moo’s Craft Barbecue’s Andrew and Michelle Muñoz, Dave Beran, Brian Dunsmoor, and others), Outstanding Chef (Gilberto Cetina of Holbox; Niki Nakayama), Outstanding Restaurant (Antico Nuovo), Emerging Chef (Fátima Juárez; José Olmedo Carles Rojas), Best New Restaurant (Ki; RVR), Outstanding Restaurateur (Last Word Hospitality), Outstanding Bakery (Gusto Bread), and more (Daisy Margarita Bar for Best New Bar; Jason Lee of Darling for cocktail service). Finalists are announced March 31 and winners June 15 in Chicago.
Massachusetts makes a strong showing in the 2026 James Beard Award semifinals, with O Ya Boston named a semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurant; Pao Thampitak of Gaaeng Supper Club as Emerging Chef; Monica Glass and Whitney Stancil among Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker nominees; Ostra cited in Outstanding Hospitality; Spoke Wine Bar and Talulla recognized in Bar/Wine categories; Nader Asgari-Tari and Alyssa Mikiko DiPasquale listed for Beverage Service; Sāsha Coleman of Comfort Kitchen and Amarilys Colon of La Padrona named Best Chef: Northeast semifinalists; finalists are announced March 31 and winners on June 15.
The James Beard Foundation announced the semifinalists for its 2026 Restaurant and Chef Awards, with Vermont representation across several categories: Café Monette in St. Albans named a Best New Restaurant semifinalist; Leslie McCrorey Wells (Pizzeria Verità, Trattoria Delia, Sotto Enoteca) is a semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurateur; Kate Wise of Juniper Bar & Restaurant is a semifinalist for Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service; and three Vermont chefs were named semifinalists in Best Chef: Northeast—Tiara Adorno (Crooked Ram, Manchester), Paul Trombly (Fancy’s, Burlington), and Max Vogel (Ondis, Montpelier). Semifinalists advance to the list of nominees on March 31, with winners announced June 15 in Chicago.
Several Kansas City–area restaurants and bars earned James Beard Award semifinalist nods, including The Town Company (Johnny and Helen Leach) in Best Chef: Midwest and Outstanding Pastry Chef, Anjin (Best New Restaurant), Fern Bar’s Diana Condori (Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service), Drastic Measures (Outstanding Bar) in Shawnee, Swetha Newcomb of Of Course Kitchen & Company (Best Chef: Midwest), and FioRito in Wichita (Best Chef: Midwest); Town Company is noted for recognition in two categories. Finalists are announced in early April, with winners in June in Chicago.
A former Waffle House grill operator filed a federal lawsuit alleging a supervisor repeatedly grabbed her butt at work and that complaints were ignored, adding to 2026 headlines about the chain’s chaotic culture; she’s seeking back pay, front pay, benefits, and both compensatory and punitive damages.
Immigrant-owned restaurants in the Twin Cities are scrambling to survive ICE enforcement (Operation Metro Surge) with dining rooms closed and staff reduced; revenues are down about 50% year over year as workers fear raids, while communities organize online orders, donation drives, and neighborhood watch efforts to support workers and customers.
Kristen Pierce-Sherrod, longtime CEO of Harold’s Chicken Shack and daughter of founder Harold Pierce, has died at 55. The family announced the death on social media, noting she led the Chicago staple for more than two decades and co-founded the Chicago Children Equestrian Center with her husband. Harold’s, a Chicago institution known for its fried chicken and Mild Sauce, grew from a single Kenwood location to a broader chain, with Pierce-Sherrod emphasizing a close-knit, family-driven culture while carrying forward her father’s legacy.
Time Out Market in Fulton Market will close on Jan. 23 after seven years, citing decreased and inconsistent foot traffic and higher operating costs. The market currently houses 17 vendors and will wind down, with some tenants needing to relocate. Time Out Chicago will continue online, while Time Out Market is also closing its Boston location; remaining U.S. markets are New York City and Brooklyn, with other global locations still operating or under development.
A Boston Globe columnist and her husband—who share a January birthday—reveal five favorite Boston-area restaurants they celebrate with each year, balancing his meat-loving palate with her love of sushi and rich dips while braving winter plans.