In January, the Semi-Finalists for the 2026 James Beard Awards were announced, notably featuring Onyx Coffee Lab. The Rogers, Arkansas coffee roaster’s inclusion on the short list was a monumental moment for specialty coffee; they were the first coffee company to make it that far in the prestigious American award. And now, Onyx is one step closer to winning it all and has been named one of the Finalists for Outstanding Bar.
Per the James Beard website, the Outstanding Bar award seeks to honor “a wine bar, beer bar, cocktail bar, coffee bar, or any other business whose primary offering is beverage and that demonstrates consistent excellence in curating a selection or in the preparation of drinks, along with outstanding atmosphere, hospitality, and operations.” And while coffee shops are expressly included in the list, one has yet to really make waves. Until now.
From an original field of 20 Semi-Finalists, Onyx has made it down to the last five, breaking another barrier for specialty coffee in the process. Joining them in the Finals are Bow & Arrow Brewing Co., The Lovers Bar at Friday Saturday Sunday, Scotch Lodge, and Smuggler’s Cove.
“To be recognized as a James Beard finalist for Outstanding Bar is deeply meaningful for our team and for everyone who believes in coffee as a world-class hospitality experience,” states former US Barista Champion and World Barista Championship Runner-Up and Onyx Coffee Lab co-founder Andrea Allen. “This honor reflects years of commitment from people who care deeply about excellence—in service, in craft, and in creating something genuinely memorable for the guests who walk through our doors. We have always believed coffee can be as dynamic, thoughtful, and moving as any beverage program in the world, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see that vision honored on this stage.”
Their final fate will be announced later this June in Chicago and the 2026 James Beard Awards ceremony.
But Onyx isn’t quite coffee’s only hope of finally snagging a Beard Award. Jack Benchakul is also a Finalist in the Outstanding Professional in Hospitality category. Formerly a pastry chef and molecular biochemist, Benchakul is the driving force and sole barista behind Los Angeles’s Endorffeine Coffee, a lab-like temple to coffee located inside a shopping court in LA’s historic Chinatown.
This puts the odds of coffee taking home at least one James Beard this year, all things equal, at roughly one in three. 36% technically, but who’s counting. Not to get too far ahead of ourselves, even without a win 2026 is shaping up to the year food and beverage awards finally start taking specialty coffee seriously. Which is long overdue but nonetheless welcome.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
