28 of the Best Italian Restaurants in America

Not a year goes by without the Italian category snagging several nods in the James Beard Foundation’s nomination. And this round, the 29th year and counting, was no different. Here are the Italian concepts who shined. And here's a look at the complete list of winners, which were announced this week.

Frasca Food & Wine in Boulder, Colorado, won the James Beard for Outstanding Service. During the awards ceremony, co-owner and master sommelier, Bobby Stuckey, suggested a name change for the category to Outstanding Hospitality because, "it’s not about the front-of-house or back-of-house, it’s the whole house. That’s what hospitality is about. It’s how we make people feel."

Stuckey expanded on the idea during an interview with 5280 magazine. "Service is just one little piece of hospitality, denoting what you do to somebody," he said. "Hospitality is everyone making our guests feel good, from the dishwasher to the maître d’.”

Jody Williams and Rita Sodi, of Via Carota in New York City, won the Beard Award for Best Chef: New York City. The West Village establishment—with decor inspired by a 17th century villa near Florence—is known for simple and rustic Tuscan cooking. 

"It seems to me that, when you ask someone who cares about restaurants what tops their list in New York—where they most want to go on a night when they’re not casing the buzziest new spot in town but looking for a deeply satisfying meal in a deeply charming setting—eight or nine times out of 10, the answer is Via Carota. In the way that a writer can be deemed a 'writer’s writer,' you might say that Via Carota is a restaurant person’s restaurant," writes The New Yorker's Food Critic Hannah Goldfield. 

Bardea Food & Drink in Wilmington, Delaware, was a semifinalist in the Best New Restaurant category.

Milwaukee-based restaurateurs Paul Bartolotta and Joe Bartolotta were semifinalists in the Outstanding Restaurateur category. Ristorante Bartolatta's Gnudi di Ricotta e Spinaci al Burro (pictured above) is made with Tuscan ricotta and finished with butter, sage, and grana.

Restaurateur Ruth Gresser was a semifinalist in the Outstanding Restaurateur category.

Seattle-based restaurateur Ethan Stowell was a semifinalist in the Outstanding Restaurateur category. His Italian concept Cortina is pictured above. 

Chef Vola’s in Atlantic City, New Jersey, was a semifinalist in the Outstanding Service category.

Bar Marco in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was a semifinalist in the Outstanding Wine Program category.

Ops in Brooklyn, New York, was a semifinalist in the Outstanding Wine Program category.

Tony Mantuano's legendary spot Spiaggia in Chicago was a finalist in the Outstanding Wine Program category.

Chef Evan Gaudreau of Renzo in Charleston, South Carolina, was a semifinalist in the Rising Star Chef category.

Chef Alexander Hong of Sorrel in San Francisco was a finalist in the Rising Star Chef category.

Chef Giselle Miller of Menton in Boston was a semifinalist in the Rising Star Chef category.

Chef Ian Redshaw of Lampo Neapolitan Pizzeria in Charlottesville, Virginia, was a semifinalist in the Rising Star Chef category.

Chef Cassie Shortino of Tratto in Phoenix was a semifinalist in the Rising Star Chef category.

Chef Anthony Lombardo of SheWolf Pastificio & Bar in Detroit was a semifinalist in the Best Chef Great Lakes Region category.

Chef Joey Baldino of Zeppoli in Collingswood, New Jersey, was a semifinalist in the Best Chef Mid-Atlantic Region category.

Chef Amy Brandwein of Centrolina in Washington, D.C. was a finalist in the Best Chef Mid-Atlantic Region category. The parmigiano brûlée (pictured above) is on the spring menu and features roasted morel mushrooms filled with velvety chicken mousse.

Chef Randy Forrester of Osteria Radici in Allentown, New Jersey, was a semifinalist in the Best Chef Mid-Atlantic Region category.

Chef Dan Richer of Razza Pizza Artigianale in Jersey City, New Jersey, was a semifinalist in the Best Chef Mid-Atlantic Region category.

Chef Scott Tacinelli and Angie Rito of Don Angie in New York City were semifinalists in the Best Chef New York City category.

Chef Beau Schooler of In Bocca al Lupo in Juneau, Alaska, was a semifinalist in the Best Chef Northwest Region category.

Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman of Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen in Memphis, Tennessee, were finalists in the Best Chef Southeast Region category.

Chef David Uygur of Lucia in Dallas was a semifinalist in the Best Chef Southwest Region category.

Chef Sarah Grueneberg of Monteverde in Chicago was a semifinalist in the Outstanding Chef category.

Chef Missy Robbins of Lilia in Brooklyn was a semifinalist in the Outstanding Chef category. 

Chef Fabio Trabocchi of Fiola in Washington, D.C. was a semifinalist in the Outstanding Chef category.

Chef Marc Vetri of Vetri Cucina in Philadelphia was a finalist in the Outstanding Chef category.