Somaek, the Korean restaurant in Boston’s Downtown Crossing, has been named a semifinalist for the prestigious James Beard Award in the Best New Restaurant category. Chef Jamie Bissonnette and BCB3 partners Babak Bina and Andrew Cartin opened the restaurant a year ago this month, offering traditional Korean dishes alongside a curated spirits program featuring soju, makgeolli and yakju. The menu, written in Hangul with phonetic English translations, includes dishes like mandu dumplings and doenjang jjigae, reflecting a soulful, homestyle approach to Korean cuisine.

Somaek was the only Boston restaurant listed in The New York Times’ 50 Best Restaurants for 2024 and it was ranked number two in Boston Magazine’s Top 50 Restaurants last year as well.

The James Beard Awards, which celebrate culinary excellence, have been awarded annually since 1990. For Bina, the nomination is a career milestone. “It’s every restauranteur’s lifelong dream,” he says. “The James Beard Awards shape the culinary landscape in America and winning can catapult a chef or restaurant to national acclaim.”

Somaek joins its sister establishments—Temple Records and Sushi @ Temple Records—under the BCB3 umbrella, contributing to the vibrant Boston dining scene.