Kansas City’s Anjin finalist

Anjin, a 20-seat Japanese-style pub in Kansas City’s Crossroads, is one of five finalists for the 2026 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant. (jamesbeard.org) The James Beard Foundation announced its restaurant and chef finalists on March 31, and the Best New Restaurant winner will be named in Chicago on June 15. (jamesbeard.org) Anjin opened in July 2025 at 1708 Oak St. with about 20 seats around a bar facing the kitchen, where chefs serve small plates, yakitori skewers and seasonal dishes. (kcur.org) (anjinkc.com) Chef-owner Nick Goellner told KCUR on April 11 that the restaurant was built to feel unlike most Midwestern dining rooms, with dishes and ingredients that local diners may not see often elsewhere in Kansas City. (kcur.org) Goellner said he wants guests to order more adventurously, including cuts and preparations common in Japanese drinking food culture but less familiar to many Kansas City customers. (kcur.org) An izakaya is a casual Japanese bar built around drinks and shared plates, and Anjin leans into that format with a tight room, direct interaction with cooks and a menu that changes with the season. (kcur.org) (anjinkc.com) The restaurant comes from Goellner; his wife and business partner, Leslie Newsam Goellner; and Drew Little, who previously managed the bar at The Antler Room. (inkansascity.com) Kansas City has had recent James Beard attention, but Anjin is the metro’s only 2026 finalist and the first local restaurant in two years to advance from semifinalist to finalist status, according to local reports. (kansascitymag.com) (msn.com) Nationally, the Best New Restaurant category put Anjin alongside finalists from New York, New Orleans, Santa Fe and Houston, placing a tiny Crossroads dining room in a coast-to-coast awards field. (eater.com) For Anjin, the next test is whether a 20-seat restaurant built around skewers, seasonal specials and unfamiliar bites can turn a finalist nod into a June win. (jamesbeard.org) (kcur.org)