Announcing D.C.’s 2019 James Beard Semifinalists

With talent from Bad Saint, Room 11, and Paisley, Ellē was destined to be a surefire hit. A bakery by day, full-service drinking den by night, this Mount Pleasant eatery aces small plates and beverages at every time of the day, from crusty artisan loaves to spiced up dinner plates.

Chef Erik Bruner-Yang’s high-energy tachinomiya-style eatery (that’s standing bar) wows on all fronts, from its wildly creative shareable plates (a must-have is the crackly chicken skin dumpling) to its premium sake offerings. Delicious and fun, patrons also get a front-row view of the kitchen magic.

At Brothers and Sisters, chef Erik Bruner-Yang plays with Asian flavors and Western staples, where duck consommé brims with wontons and takoyaki hushpuppies are a (beautiful) thing. On the pastry front, chef Pichet Ong whips up ethereal cakes that are as stunning as they are addicting, which means one thing: save room for dessert.

Chef Vikram Sunderam was already crowned once by the James Beard Awards—for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic—and it’s no wonder why: the celebrated chef has turned Indian fine dining into a D.C. staple, where the vibrancy and depth of his homeland’s cuisine resonates in every dish, even one as simple as naan.

Chef Nobu Yamazaki helms the omakase counter at this Michelin-starred sushi destination, where seasonal rarities and Japanese fish cuts shine. It’s a dining experience unlike any other, in large part thanks to Yamazaki’s warmth and grace, and utmost dedication to authentic Japanese fare and techniques.