Puerto Rican Hotspot Wins the James Beard Award for Best New Bar
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 16: (L-R) Stephen Alonso and Edrick Colon winners of the Best New Bar award speak on stage during the 2025 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards on June 16, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for James Beard Foundation)
The James Beard Award winners have just been revealed, and a Puerto Rican bar has topped the list for Best New Bar.
Identidad Cocktail Bar, located in San Juan, Puerto Rico, topped the Best New Bar category, which awards “A wine bar, beer bar, cocktail bar, coffee bar, or any other business whose primary offering is beverage, opened between October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024, that already demonstrates excellence in beverages, seems likely to make a significant impact in years to come, and demonstrates consistent excellence in the preparation of drinks, sourcing, service, hospitality, atmosphere, and operations.”
The Restaurant and Chef Awards celebrate excellence across all types of dining experiences, from fine-dining to casual establishments, while encouraging a more equitable and sustainable industry. The winners were celebrated on Monday, June 16, at the Lyric Opera Chicago, with founders Edrick Colón and Stephen Alonso accepting the award while carrying a Puerto Rican flag.
Identidad Cocktail Bar strives to provide customers with an experience that elevates the flavors of Caribbean and Latin American cuisine. They offer a wider range of national and international cocktails and pride themselves on supporting local farmers while representing their culture, mixing artisanal mixology with local flavors. The bar is walk-in only, with no reservations allowed.
“It’s with deep celebration that we congratulate the 2025 Restaurant and Chef Award winners— distinguished culinary, beverage, and hospitality leaders whose talent and vision are shaping our dining landscape,” said Clare Reichenbach, CEO, James Beard Foundation. “These outstanding professionals are the epitome of Good Food for Good®, elevating our industry’s standards and redefining what’s possible in American cuisine.”