HELENA — A Helena restaurant is one step closer to receiving national recognition for its dining experience.

The Union has made it to the finalists round for the James Beard Foundation's 2025 Best New Restaurant award. The downtown eatery is known for serving farm-to-table food. It is the only Montana restaurant to be named a finalist in that category this year.

Old-Salt Co-Op culinary director Andrew Mace told MTN what being named a finalist means to the restaurant.

“It's an immense honor to be nominated for this award; to be considered one of the best new restaurants in the country is incredibly humbling, and it's really like a 20-year career-long achievement to be running it all," said Mace. "So yeah, I'm incredibly proud. The team is excited.”

Other finalists include restaurants in Houston, Washington D.C., and New York.

Winners of the awards will be announced at a ceremony in Chicago this June.

The Union also noted that its excited to celebrate one year serving the Helena community next week.