Lei draws award buzz

Lei, a tiny Chinatown wine bar from Annie Shi, is now a finalist for the James Beard Foundation’s 2026 Best New Restaurant award. (jamesbeard.org) The James Beard Foundation announced its 2026 Restaurant and Chef Award nominees on March 31, and winners are scheduled to be named June 15 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. (jamesbeard.org) Michelin has also added Lei to its New York guide, listing the restaurant at 15-17 Doyers Street and describing it as a “little wine bar” turning out modern Chinese dishes in a tightly packed room. (guide.michelin.com) Lei opened on June 6, 2025, on the pedestrian stretch of Doyers Street in Manhattan’s Chinatown. Eater New York reported before opening that Shi was launching the project after co-owning King in SoHo. (ny.eater.com) Shi told Resy she had long wanted to build a place that put Chinese food and wine together in the same conversation, rather than treating wine as an afterthought at a Chinatown meal. (blog.resy.com) The Michelin Guide’s write-up points to dishes like chilled celtuce with shallots and red wine vinegar, while saying the room is stacked with rare bottles and seats diners “elbow to elbow.” (guide.michelin.com) Local critics have pushed Lei higher into New York’s restaurant conversation. Eater called it the best restaurant for Chinese American snacks and wine in Chinatown, and The Infatuation described it as a “closet-sized” spot built around a deep bottle list. (ny.eater.com) (theinfatuation.com) The James Beard nomination puts Lei in a national field, while the Michelin listing gives it year-round visibility with travelers and local diners scanning guidebook picks. Both arrived within Lei’s first year of business. (jamesbeard.org) (guide.michelin.com) For diners, the next date on the calendar is June 15, when the James Beard Foundation names its restaurant and chef winners in Chicago. Until then, Lei’s reservation book is likely to stay tight. (jamesbeard.org)