Jan 21, 2026 - Food and Drink

Pittsburgh earns two James Beard semifinalist spots

Chrissy Suttles

Two plates of seafood dishes: left has shrimp and fish with lime, cream, and orange sauce; right has seared scallops, purple carrots, cream, dill, and orange sauce, on floral plates. — Lilith in Shadyside specializes in Puerto Rican- and Sicilian-inspired dishes. Photo: Courtesy of Lilith

Pittsburgh landed two nods from the James Beard Foundation on Wednesday, with a local chef and restaurant named semifinalists in the 2026 Restaurant and Chef Awards.

Why it matters: Recognition from the James Beard Foundation, one of the culinary world's most prestigious arbiters, cements the Steel City's standing in the national food scene.

State of play: Jamilka Borges, chef and co-owner of Lilith in Shadyside — known for its locally sourced Puerto Rican- and Sicilian-inspired dishes — is a semifinalist for Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic region. Borges was a 2019 James Beard nominee in the same category.

Bloomfield's vegan Eastern European restaurant and bar Apteka is a semifinalist in the Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program category. Apteka chefs Kate Lasky and Tomasz Skowronski were named Best Chef semifinalists in the Mid-Atlantic region last year.

Flashback: Three Pittsburgh standouts made the James Beard semifinals last year, including Bloomfield's Scandinavian restaurant Fet-Fisk, which was among 10 finalists for Best New Restaurant before the honor went to a Minneapolis restaurant.

What's next: The foundation will announce nominees on March 31. Winners will be celebrated on June 15 at a ceremony in Chicago.

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Pittsburgh earns two James Beard semifinalist spots

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