Traveling Mercies’ menu includes seafood, bar snacks and salads, along with wine and cocktails. Photo courtesy of Traveling Mercies

The James Beard Award nominees were announced on Jan. 22, and there are some familiar names on the list of semi-finalists.

Traveling Mercies inside Stanley Marketplace was nominated for Best New Bar. On Instagram owner Caroline Glover said, “ We took a risk opening something like this—a 400 square foot spot on the third floor of a marketplace, and there are days we’ve wondered if we made the right decision. Even without this recognition I’d say ‘yes.’ Yes we did. But it feels so much sweeter now. Don’t know how we got so lucky to have a core crew of four people who execute the vision every single day. But we did.”

The bar opened upstairs at Stanley Marketplace in December of 2023.

Traditionally, “Traveling Mercies” is a prayer for safe, smooth travels said for someone embarking on a journey. It’s a phrase that Caroline Glover’s mother always said when anyone in the family was traveling, and that’s one of the reasons Glover decided to call the business by that name.

Traveling Mercies serves bar snacks and small plates of oysters, mussels, shrimp cocktail, a wedge salad, and a layered rice pudding. Cocktails are also a focus, plus wine and non-alcoholic options that are intended to pair well with the food menu. The concept is inspired by the hole-in-the-wall oyster bars that Glover and her husband, Nelson Harvey, have ducked into when they travel. The menu is brief, but the idea is that people can start or end their evening at Traveling Mercies or combine items to create a complete meal.

Caroline Glover, owner of Traveling Mercies, encourages guests’ engagement with food, drink, and each other. Front Porch photo by Christie Gosch

Since opening, they’ve added movie nights and special events. The awards are familiar territory for Glover who won the 2022 James Beard Foundation Award in the “Best Chef: Mountain” category for Annette.

In Park Hill, Erasmo (Ras) Casiano and Diego Coconati, owners of Lucina Eatery & Bar, were nominated for Best Chef: Mountain (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY). They were also semi-finalists for the same award in 2022.

The goal of the pair is to have diners leave happier than they came in. To do that, they put a premium on nurturing an attentive staff and serving food that is about more than just something to eat: it’s about valuing the rich culinary cultures they grew up with.

Michelle Nguyen, operations manager, and chefs Erasmo (Ras) Casiano and Diego Coconati, own Lucina Eatery & Bar in Park Hill. Front Porch photo by Christie Gosch

Coconati, who grew up in Buenos Aires, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico, and Casiano, a first generation Mexican American, met while in culinary school. In 2018, they started Create Cooking School that offered in-home dinners and catering and then opened a physical space at Stanley Marketplace.

The challenge for patrons of Traveling Mercies and Lucina now might be getting a reservation or a seat at the bar.

Winners will be announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 16 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. For a full list of nominations visit https://www.jamesbeard.org/blog/the-2025-james-beard-award-semifinalists