Arts & Life

These 5 Kansas City area restaurants and bars are 2026 James Beard Award semifinalists

KCUR | By Julie Denesha

Published January 21, 2026 at 10:14 AM CST

Owner Jay Sanders' Drastic Measures got its third nomination for Outstanding Bar this year. — Owner Jay Sanders' Drastic Measures got its third James Beard Award nomination for Outstanding Bar in 2026.

Some of Kansas City’s most highly regarded culinary figures are among this year's nomiees, including Helen Jo Leach and Johnny Leach at The Town Company. The list also includes several new area restaurants.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

An outstanding cocktail service, an informal Japanese-inspired pub, and a Shawnee speakeasy are among the Kansas City area restaurants and bars nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award this year.

Also among the honorees was Helen Jo Leach, executive pastry chef at The Town Company in downtown Kansas City, and her husband, Executive Chef Johnny Leach. The restaurant specializes in locally-sourced food centered around a white oak burning hearth. This is the second year Town Company has been recognized in two categories.

This year’s nominees were announced on Instagram on Wednesday morning. The James Beard Foundation will announce finalists for each category in early April, and the winners will be announced in Chicago in June.

Winning a James Beard Foundation Award can propel a restaurant and its chef into the national spotlight. They’re often called the “Oscars of the food world,” and the honor carries immense influence.

The awards were established in 1986, to honor cookbook author James Beard, and the foundation promotes equitable and diverse food culture through education, advocacy, and its awards program.