There was a quiet kind of pride in the air at the Lyric Opera House in Chicago. As the 2025 James Beard Awards unfolded, Atlanta had one strong representative in the room: Aria, the beloved Buckhead institution, nominated for Outstanding Hospitality — and the only finalist from Georgia this year.
Atlanta’s Aria at the red carpet at the James Beard Awards on June 16 in Chicago. (Photo by Daniela Cintron)