A fusion restaurant in Central Ninth, a bar in downtown Salt Lake City and a master distiller in Park City have been named as semifinalists for 2026 in the James Beard Awards, which recognize the best in food and beverage.
Junah, which serves a combination of Italian and Japanese food called “itameshi,” was nominated as one of 30 national contenders in the “Best New Restaurant” category. This is Junah’s first James Beard nomination.
Felipe Oliveira and Hiro Tagai opened the restaurant at 916 S. Jefferson St. in the Central Ninth neighborhood in spring 2025, deciding to showcase their respective backgrounds in Italian and Japanese food.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Junah co-owners Felipe Oliveira and Hiro Tagai, on Tuesday, May 13, 2025.
That fusion is evident in dishes like the buffalo burrata arancini, which is fried risotto shaped like a triangular onigiri, topped with ikura (salmon roe) and shreds of naganegi and plated on top of a nori dressing.
Co-owner Felipe Oliveira said Wednesday that the nomination was “surreal.”
“Junah started as a simple idea, built through long days, late nights, and a lot of trust within our team,” he said in a statement. “To see that work recognized at this level means more than I can put into words.”
Oliveira went on to say he was “incredibly grateful to our staff and to the Salt Lake City community for believing in us and showing up from day one. This nomination is not only a recognition for Junah, but also for the Salt Lake City food scene.”
Post Office Place, at 16 W. Market St. in Salt Lake City, was nominated as one of 20 semifinalists in the “Outstanding Bar” category.
(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) A bartender at Post Office Place retrieves a bottle of liquor, in a 2023 photo. Post Office Place has received national recognition as a semifinalist for the 2026 James Beard Awards in the "outstanding bar" category.
Tamara Gibo and her husband, Takashi, opened Post Office Place in 2018, as a bar where people could order a cocktail while they were waiting for a table at their famous sushi restaurant next door.
Now, Post Office Place is known for its extensive collection of Japanese whiskeys, and its omakase nights, which are ticketed dinners where chefs create exquisite dishes paired with curated craft cocktails.
Jacob Sanders, Post Office Place’s beverage director and bar manager, said they were “excited and humbled” by the nomination.
Post Office Place is “very proud of our city and the industry here that is chock-full of such passionate and dedicated professionals,” Sanders said.
He said he was feeling “extremely grateful to our own staff of professionals who show up every day to make it all happen.”
In 2023, Post Office Place was nominated as one of 20 national contenders in the “Outstanding Bar” category. Sanders said with this being the bar’s second nomination, their team was “really committed to bearing down, focusing on our craft and really trying to get to that finalist position.”
Sara Sergent at Alpine Distilling Social Aid & Pleasure Club in Park City was nominated as an “Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service.”
Sergent is Alpine Distilling’s CEO and botanical master distiller. According to Alpine Distilling’s website, Sergent is a member of the exclusive Gin Guild in London, and has won numerous awards for her gin. Her husband founded Alpine Distilling, and in a letter on the website, he said the business “wouldn’t be what it is without my wife.”
Five Utah chefs were included this year among the 20 regional semifinalists in the Best Chef: Mountain category, which covers Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming:
The finalists will be announced March 31, and the winners will be announced June 15.