Philly really cooks at the Beard Awards | Let’s Eat

James Beard Awards history was made Monday night, and we unpack it all.

❓Last week, we dropped our list of the 76 foods and drinks that define the Philadelphia region. I’m back to ask: What did we miss? Let me know!

📣 The temporary 4 a.m. bar closings have upset some neighbors. You? My colleague Beatrice Forman wants to hear from you.

Also in this edition:

— Mike Klein

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Philadelphia turned up at the James Beard Awards this week.

Beatrice Forman tells the story here. In sum:

🍜 Kalaya, the Thai destination from chef “Nok” Suntaranon in Fishtown/Kensington, is the Beard’s Outstanding Restaurant for 2026. Kalaya is only the second Philly restaurant to win this national honor, after Friday Saturday Sunday brought it home in 2023, the same year Suntaranon won for Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic.

🍣 Chef Jesse Ito of Royal Sushi & Izakaya and Dancerobot, winner of the Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic, proves that nine times can be the charm. (Yes, this was Ito’s ninth nomination, after years of recognition dating back to a Rising Star Chef nod in 2018 and a string of Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic noms.) “I came to Chicago 99% certain that I was going to lose,” Ito told us. Well!

📸 Inquirer photographer Monica Herndon won the 2026 Beard award for narrative photography last Saturday for an assignment where she followed native hunters in the Canadian Arctic. (When I called her Monday to congratulate her, she had to cut it short because she had to photograph Wawa tacos. The life of a newspaper photographer!)

💡 Here’s your chance to know more about the winning chefs. Critic Craig LaBan and photographer Monica Herndon traveled with them. Check out their articles:

❗Michelin, 50 Best, James Beard, Food & Wine… What do these awards mean? I’ll let Kiki Aranita make sense of them.

In other Beard news:

⏲️ Chef Justine MacNeil of Fiore in Kensington was a Beard finalist this year for Outstanding Pastry Chef. Beatrice Forman explains how her approach stands out in the era of social-media bakeries.

🧑‍🍳 Chef Cristina Martinez, who won the Mid-Atlantic’s Outstanding Chef prize in 2022, has set up a counter to sell her celebrated South Philly Barbacoa inside Triple Bottom Brewing, 915 Spring Garden St. Hours: 3-9 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and 1-9 p.m. Saturday.

Roxanne, the Michelin-recommended Queen Village bistro that the city shut down over the spring for operating without licenses and inspections, said on Instagram that it would reopen today. Beatrice Forman reports that chef Alexandra Holt is also advertising lunch, though hours and days are unclear.

South Jerseyans seem confused over a rumored impending closing of the Brio Italian Grille in Cherry Hill and an alleged plan for Brazilian steak chain Fogo de Chão to move in. Sarah Nicell unpacks this tale.

Global supplies of Chartreuse are dwindling. But, as Kiki Aranita reports, some Philadelphia bars have figured ways to work around this and concoct their own version of the coveted spirit.

In a story that’s more “pop culture 2026″ than “food,” I recount how an influencer has refashioned the life of former alleged Philadelphia mob kingpin “Skinny Joey” Merlino. His new career includes a podcast and cheesesteak businesses.

This Cavatelli Amatriciana at a new Montgomery County Italian restaurant was a tasty riff on an old favorite. It’s among our top bites, including pastries from a pop-up, drinkable yogurt in Chinatown, and a “walking snack” in South Philly.

Wawa is on a small liquor-license binge in the burbs, applying to Harrisburg this week for its soon-to-open Super Wawa stores at 799 Valley Forge Rd. (near White Horse Road) in Schuylkill Township and at Valley Forge Road and Sumneytown Pike in Upper Gwynedd.

David Jansen, who closed his eponymous Mount Airy restaurant last year to become chef at Whitemarsh Valley Country Club in Lafayette Hill, is now on the beach, as they say. He and the club acknowledge that they’ve parted company. Jansen, who spent 22 years at the old Fountain at the Four Seasons Hotel under Jean-Marie Lacroix, said he is taking time off before jumping back in. (The upshot: He will again cook for the general public.)

Soft-shell crab season is upon us, and here are 10 restaurants that have them on the menu.

Let’s take a first look inside the Blue Warbler, arguably the most ambitious bar/restaurant/cafe to open in Chestnut Hill in years. Shown is the chopped meze salad, featuring smoky baba ghanoush and creamy lemon-garlic hummus, topped with baby greens, watermelon radish, carrots, spicy pickled carrots, harissa crunch, and crispy chickpea. Read on for the story.

Saffron Cafe, a Manayunk newcomer, delivers samosas and viral dot cakes as it bridges Indian and American culture, writes Hira Qureshi.

➕ The week’s openings include: The Monto, the Old City Irish bar at 226 Market St. from Fergus Carey and Jim McNamara, with food by N.A. Poe, debuts at 5 p.m. Saturday). The Huntingdon Valley branch of the revived Iron Hill Brewery opens at 11 a.m. Monday.

The Hart of Catering in Center City is leaning into a case of mistaken identity with a Kevin Hart look-alike contest set for July 6 — comedian Kevin Hart’s birthday — at its cafe at 2101 Sansom St. Owner Kevin Hart, who says he has spent years fielding confusion over his famous namesake, will host the event beginning at 6 p.m. Contestants will be judged by a panel of comedians, and the winner will receive a catered party package valued at $5,000. Participants can dress as either comedian Kevin Hart or owner Kevin Hart, and birthday cake will be served. Registration is available through Eventbrite.

The Wine Cup, a tasting event featuring wine, beer, and spirits producers, is set for noon-8 p.m. Saturday at the Navy Yard, at the foot of Broad Street in South Philadelphia. Organized by Shakia Williams of Cyrenity Sips Winery, Keyanna Wilson of Aurora’s Vines, and Kevin Lewis of KiRae Wines, the event will include tastings, cocktails sponsored by Tito’s Vodka, nonalcoholic cocktails, food trucks, retail vendors, and a cigar lounge. Tickets, starting at $28.50, are via Eventbrite.

Pennsylvania has reprised its Scooped: An Ice Cream Trail, through Sept. 7, at 59 PA Preferred ice cream destinations. Participants can sign up for a free digital passport and earn points by visiting participating locations and making a purchase. Each stop provides a check-in code that allows travelers to collect points toward prizes, such as a branded insulated bag and an entry to a drawing for a package including a Merrymead Farm tour and an overnight stay at Normandy Farm Hotel & Conference Center. Details are here.

Fishtown Taps offers discounts on food and drinks from 5-7 p.m. Tuesdays through Sept. 29 at participating locations throughout 19125. Details are here.

The Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival is back at Franklin Square through Aug. 16, transforming the park into a glowing showcase of culture, artistry, and light. There’s also a huge slate of food throughout from local vendors Chickie’s & Pete’s, Humpty’s Dumplings, Oishii, Sang Kee Noodle House, and Square Burger. The menu is here. Notable: Korean meatballs from Oishii, the dan dan noodles from Sang Kee, and the beverages served inside whole pineapples and coconuts. Kids will like the five different cotton candy selections (example shown above).

Herr’s is out with three new flavors of Philly-inspired chips as it rolls out another season of its Flavors by Philly promotion. Here’s what we thought of them.

Rita’s Water Italian Ice is offering a new flavor for a month. What is it?

A) mermaid

B) unicorn

C) fairy dust

D) leprechaun

Find out if you know the answer.

What’s happening with Fiesta III Pizza in Chestnut Hill? — Wade J.

Fiesta III Pizza at 8339 Germantown Ave., which closed in October 2024 after more than four decades, is coming back at the hands of brothers Chris and Argyris (“Ari”) Mountis, who along with their father, Tom, were longtime employees of founder Sam Thomas and his wife, Gloria. In 1966, the Thomases founded the original Fiesta in Upper Darby. In 1982, they opened in Chestnut Hill with oldest son Peter, who took over responsibility following Sam’s retirement in 2012. The Mountises, upgrading the place throughout, now operate Jean’s Pizza in Mayfair. Their goal is a fall reopening.

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