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Connor Scott and Lainey Catalino owners of the Abbey craft coffee and cocktail bar.
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Friday Food Insider: James Beard awards names 10 Maine semifinalists
Photo / Alexis Wells
Here is the spicy salmon hand roll served at Mr. Tuna, located at 83 Middle St. in Portland.
Mr. Tuna is among the 10 Maine semifinalists across various categories in the prestigious James Beard 2025 Restaurant and Chef Awards.
The James Beard Foundation released its list of 2025 semifinalists for the annual awards on Wednesday.
Maine received recognition from national categories, including Outstanding Restaurant, Outstanding Hospitality, and Emerging Chef. Three southern Maine chefs were listed among the semifinalists for the Best Chef: Northeast category.
In the national category nominations, Havana, a Cuban-inspired Bar Harbor restaurant owned by Michael Boland and Deirdre Swords, made the “Outstanding Restaurateur” list. While Jason Eckerson and Kate Hamm from Fish & Whistle in Biddeford were nominated in the “Emerging Chef Category.”
Brant Dadaleares from Gross Confection Bar in Portland has been nominated for “Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker.” Taj Indian Cuisine in South Portland has also been nominated for “Outstanding Hospitality.”
This year, the foundation added three new national categories for which Maine received two nominations.
The Abbey in Brunswick, which opened in December 2023, received “Best New Bar.” Mary Allen Lindemann, owner of Coffee By Design in Portland and a 2019 Mainebiz Women to Watch, was nominated for “Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service.” Nathaniel Meiklejohn, the owner of the Jewel Box, a creative cocktail bar in Portland, received “Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service.”
“We're feeling a lot of emotion about our 30-year journey to this point — learning that we are a semi-finalist for a new James Beard Foundation award. We are honored to be on this list of culinary greats across the U.S.,” Lindemann said in a social media post.
“We wouldn't be here today without the talented team members who have come and gone over the 30 years and the team with us today at the front of house and in the roastery, thank you all,” she continued. “To our customers, thank you for being with us every step of the way. To our farmers who grow the incredible beans we are privileged to roast, thank you.”
In the Best Chef-Northeast category, nominations went to Lee Frank of Lee Frank’s in South Berwick and Wells, Jordan Rubin of Mr. Tuna and Jake Stevens of Leeward.
Elsewhere in New England, there were eight semifinalists from Rhode Island, four from Vermont, 12 from Massachusetts, three from Connecticut and two from New Hampshire.
Nominees will be named on April 2, and winners will be announced on June 16 at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony in Chicago.
The awards were established in 1990 and first presented in 1991.
What favorite restaurants do you keep returning to, and are any doing anything innovative to lure customers? Send an email to Alexis Wells at awells@mainebiz.biz.
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