We’re one step closer to learning who will win a coveted James Beard Award, considered the Oscars of the food world. But of the eight Wisconsin chefs and two bars named semifinalists, only one is moving forward to the finals.
The finalists for the 2025 James Beard Awards were announced Wednesday morning.
Milwaukee cocktail bar Agency, which opened late last summer in the Dubbel Dutch Hotel at 817 N. Marshall St., was named a finalist in the national category of Best New Bar, a new category this year.
Owner Ryan Castelez debuted Agency as a pop-up at Discourse Coffee at 1020 N. Broadway before he moved it to its own space last August. The bar is known for its innovative concept featuring a nonalcoholic counterpart for every cocktail on its menu.
We love the idea of creating safe spaces that aren’t solely based around the concept of alcohol," Castelez told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last summer. "People who don't drink, they want to feel included and integrated and have a normal night out. That's what we're trying to do with Agency — give drinkers the agency to make that choice, and for both parties to feel equally appreciated."
We'll learn whether Agency is a winner when the James Beard Awards are announced June 16 at the Lyric Opera House in Chicago.
The finalists for the 2025 James Beard Awards were announced Wednesday morning.
Milwaukee cocktail bar Agency, which opened late last summer in the Dubbel Dutch Hotel at 817 N. Marshall St., was named a finalist in the national category of Best New Bar, a new category this year.
Owner Ryan Castelez debuted Agency as a pop-up at Discourse Coffee at 1020 N. Broadway before he moved it to its own space last August. The bar is known for its innovative concept featuring a nonalcoholic counterpart for every cocktail on its menu.
We love the idea of creating safe spaces that aren’t solely based around the concept of alcohol," Castelez told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last summer. "People who don't drink, they want to feel included and integrated and have a normal night out. That's what we're trying to do with Agency — give drinkers the agency to make that choice, and for both parties to feel equally appreciated."
We'll learn whether Agency is a winner when the James Beard Awards are announced June 16 at the Lyric Opera House in Chicago.
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