Tampa Bay brewery among 2024 James Beard award semifinalists

One of the most (if not the most) prestigious accolades for up-and coming American chefs, bakers, sommeliers and restaurateurs around the country is a James Beard award—and the organization just announced its latest crop of semifinalists.

Earlier today, The James Beard Foundation released 2024's semifinalist list, but only one Tampa Bay concept made the cut.

Webb's City Cellar—Green Bench Brewing's neighboring bar and tasting room in St. Pete—has been nominated for "Outstanding Bar."

Although Webb's City Cellar is the only local James Beard semifinalist this year, a variety of bakeries, chefs and restaurants in other Florida cities made the cut, including Orlando's contemporary Filipino eatery Kaya snagging a nomination for "Best New Restaurant" and Miami's Zak the Baker up for "Best Bakery."

The entire 2024 “Restaurant and Chef Awards” semifinalist list can be browsed on jamesbeard.org, with a majority of Florida’s nominations located under "Best Chef: South." 

The James Beard Foundation’s annual Restaurant and Chef Awards are organized into five separate recognition programs spanning every corner of the hospitality industry. The foundation launched these awards in 1990 to "recognize exceptional talent and achievement in the culinary arts, hospitality, media, and broader food system."

While Green Bench has maintained its reputation as one of Tampa Bay's most popular breweries with its variety of widely-distributed craft beers, its sibling Webb's is a low-key haunt with more specialized offerings.

Green Bench Brewing started constructing Webb’s City Cellar at 1133 Baum Ave. N in 2018 and the tasting room, cellar and intimate event space made its debut a year later.

Its team describes Webb’s City Cellar as “a space for our customers to explore new and otherwise unheard-of styles, with unique processes, and exceptional flavors.” While Green Bench focuses on its easy-sipping craft beer, Webb’s City specializes in mead, unique ales and other “mixed culture fermentation” beverages.

Although receiving a nomination from the James Beard Foundation is in itself a highly sought-after accolade, its restaurant and chef award ceremony in June will confirm if St. Pete's Webb's City Cellar brings the "Best Bar" dub home.
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