Boulder's Frasca wins James Beard award for Outstanding Restaurant
The big picture: Although the upscale Italian eatery has previously been recognized by the Beard Foundation, this is the Pearl Street restaurant's first time as a finalist in this category and pushes the city's culinary scene further into the national spotlight.
Catch up quick: The Outstanding Restaurant category is among the James Beard Foundation's highest honors, recognizing restaurants that deliver consistent excellence.
Flashback: The James Beard Awards announced their 2025 semifinalists in January, with more than a dozen Colorado chefs, bars and restaurants in the running.
Hosea Rosenberg, of Boulder's Blackbelly, was acknowledged as a semifinalist in the Best Chef — Mountain (Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming) category.
Zoom out: First nominated in 2016, master sommelier Bobby Stuckey and chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson opened Frasca in 2004.
It has since collected a variety of national nods, including James Beard Awards for Outstanding Wine Program and Outstanding Service, and consecutive Michelin Stars in 2023 and 2024.
State of play: The Frasca Hospitality Group operates several Colorado restaurants, including Pizzeria Alberico, which sits next door to Frasca, and Tavernetta and Sunday Vinyl in Denver.
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