Since 1998, the James Beard Foundation has awarded the title of America's Classics to multiple restaurants. The award focuses on family-owned restaurants across the country that have been operating for at least a decade. According to the Washington Post the awards are given to restaurants “with timeless appeal, each beloved in its region for quality food that reflects the character of its community.”
The James Beard Foundation Awards have been likened to the Oscars of the food world due to its prestige and recognition. NPR described this award category "sneakily subversive". In the early years of the award, the focus was primarily on restaurants that served cuisines familiar to most Americans. However, in the late 2010s, the award began to include restaurants representing cuisines that were not traditionally considered part of the typical American diet. No restaurants were awarded in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
There were certain limitations for awardees, such as having menu items below a certain price cap. However, these restrictions were eventually relaxed. The award was initially known as the Regional Classics before being renamed as America's Classics.
Recipients + American Classics Restaurant State or territoryCityYear opened Year awardedTadich GrillCaliforniaSan Francisco18491998Joe's Stone CrabFloridaMiami Beach19131998Emmett Watson's Oyster BarWashingtonSeattle19791998Stroud'sMissouriKansas City193319982nd Avenue DeliNew YorkNew York City (Manhattan)19541998Joe T. Garcia'sTexasFort Worth19351998Cafe Pasqual'sNew MexicoSanta Fe19791999Frank Pepe Pizzeria NapoletanaConnecticutNew Haven19251999Mosca'sLouisianaAvondale19461999Philippe'sCaliforniaLos Angeles19081999Grand Central Oyster Bar & RestaurantNew YorkNew York City (Manhattan)19131999The BerghoffIllinoisChicago18981999The Original Pancake HouseOregonPortland19531999Helena's Hawaiian FoodsHawaiiHonolulu19462000Swan Oyster DepotCaliforniaSan Francisco19122000White House Sub ShopNew JerseyAtlantic City19462000Sonny Bryan's SmokehouseTexasDallas19582000Camp Washington ChiliOhioCincinnati19402000Moosewood RestaurantNew YorkIthaca19732000Mario'sNew YorkNew York City (The Bronx)19192000Mrs. Wilkes' Dining RoomGeorgiaSavannah19432000Langer's DeliCaliforniaLos Angeles19472001VersaillesFloridaMiami19712001Ray's BoathouseWashingtonSeattle19452002Three Brothers Serbian RestaurantWisconsinMilwaukee19562002Peter Luger Steak HouseNew YorkNew York City (Brooklyn)18872002Anchor BarNew YorkBuffalo19352003Duarte's TavernCaliforniaPescadero18942003Lexington BarbecueNorth CarolinaLexington19622003The ShedNew MexicoSanta Fe19532003Skylight Inn BBQNorth CarolinaAyden19472003Ben's Chili BowlDistrict of ColumbiaWashington19582004Al's BreakfastMinnesotaMinneapolis19502004Charlie's Sandwich ShoppeMassachusettsBoston19272005El Chorro LodgeArizonaParadise Valley19372005Yuca'sCaliforniaLos Angeles19762005Willie Mae's Scotch HouseLouisianaNew Orleans19572005John's Roast PorkPennsylvaniaPhiladelphia19302006Lagomarcino'sIllinoisMoline19082006Bowen's Island RestaurantSouth CarolinaCharleston19462006Polly's Pancake ParlorNew HampshireSugar Hill19382006Gott's RoadsideCaliforniaSt. Helena19492006Barney GreengrassNew YorkNew York City (Manhattan)19082006Louie Mueller BarbecueTexasTaylor19492006Hamura's Saimin StandHawaiiLihue19522006Pickwick Restaurant and PubMinnesotaDuluth18882007Primanti Bros.PennsylvaniaPittsburgh19332007Aunt Carrie'sRhode IslandNarragansett19202007Doe's Eat PlaceMississippiGreenville19412007Bagaduce LunchMaineBrooksville19462008Tufano's Vernon Park TapIllinoisChicago19302008Irma's RestaurantTexasHouston19892008ManekiWashingtonSeattle19042008Totonno'sNew YorkNew York City (Brooklyn)19242009Breitbach's Country DiningIowaSherrill18532009Mustache Bill's DinerNew JerseyBarnegat Light19592009Yank SingCaliforniaSan Francisco19582009Arnold's Country KitchenTennesseeNashville19832009Al's French FrysVermontSouth Burlington1940s2010The Bright StarAlabamaBessemer19072010Mary & Tito's CafeNew MexicoAlbuquerque19632010Calumet FisheriesIllinoisChicago19482010Chef Vola'sNew JerseyAtlantic City19212011Le Veau d'OrNew YorkNew York City (Manhattan)19372011Shady GlenConnecticutManchester19482012St. Elmo's Steak House IndianaIndianapolis19022012Jones Bar-B-Q DinerArkansasMarianna1910s2012The Fry Bread HouseArizonaPhoenix19922012Nora's Fish Creek InnWyomingWilson1970s2012Frank Fat's CaliforniaSacramento19392013Prince's Hot Chicken ShackTennesseeNashville1930s2013Kramarczuk'sMinnesotaMinneapolis19542013Keens SteakhouseNew YorkNew York City (Manhattan)18852013Olneyville New York SystemRhode IslandProvidence19462014Hansen's Sno BlizLouisianaNew Orleans19392014Perini Ranch SteakhouseTexasBuffalo Gap19832014GuelaguetzaCaliforniaLos Angeles19942015Beaumont InnKentuckyHarrodsburg19192015Sally Bell's KitchenVirginiaRichmond19242015SevillaNew YorkNew York City (Manhattan)19232015Archie's WaesideIowaLe Mars19492015Al Ameer RestaurantMichiganDearborn19892016Brooks' House of Bar-B-QNew YorkOneonta19122016Bully's RestaurantMississippiJackson19822016Rancho de Chimayo RestauranteNew MexicoChimayo19652016Bertha's KitchenSouth CarolinaCharleston19802017Gioia's DeliMissouriSaint Louis19182017La TaqueriaCaliforniaSan Francisco1960s2017Sahadi'sNew YorkNew York City (Brooklyn)1890s2017Schultz's Crab HouseMarylandEssex19502017Galleria UmbertoMassachusettsBoston19742018Los HernandezWashingtonUnion Gap19902018El Guero CaneloArizonaTucson19932018Sun WahIllinoisChicago19862018Dong Phuong BakeryLouisianaNew Orleans19822018A&A Bake & Doubles ShopNew YorkNew York City (Brooklyn)20022019Pho 79CaliforniaGarden Grove19822019Annie's Paramount SteakhouseDistrict of ColumbiaWashington19482019Jim's Steak and Spaghetti HouseWest VirginiaHuntington19452019Sehnert's Bakery & Bieroc CafeNebraskaMcCook19572019Puritan BackroomNew HampshireManchester19742020El Taco de MexicoColoradoDenver19852020Zehnder's of FrankenmuthMichiganFrankenmuth19282020Vera's Backyard Bar-B-QueTexasBrownsville19552020Lassis InnArkansasLittle Rock19052020Oriental MartWashingtonSeattle19712020Casa VegaCaliforniaSherman Oaks19562022Corinne's PlaceNew JerseyCamden19892022Solly's GrilleWisconsinMilwaukee19362022Wo HopNew YorkNew York City (Manhattan)19382022The Busy Bee CaféGeorgiaAtlanta19472022Florence's RestaurantOklahomaOklahoma City19522022 Manago Hotel Hawaii Captain Cook1917 2023 Joe's Bakery and Coffee Shop Texas Austin1962 2023Nezinscot FarmMaineTurner19872023La Casita BlancaPuerto RicoSan Juan19802023Wagner's Village InnIndianaOldenburg19682023MandalayCaliforniaSan Francisco19842024Vietnam RestaurantPennsylvaniaPhiladelphia19842024Pheasant Restaurant and LoungeSouth DakotaBrookings19492024Sylvia's RestaurantNew YorkNew York City (Manhattan)19622024Wade's RestaurantSouth CarolinaSpartanburg19472024Peppermill Restaurant and Fireside LoungeNevadaLas Vegas19722024Lem's Bar-B-QIllinoisChicago19542025The Pioneer SaloonIdahoKetchum19402025Sullivan's Castle IslandMassachusettsBoston19512025Lucky WishboneAlaskaAnchorage19552025Dooky ChaseLouisianaNew Orleans19392025Gaido'sTexasGalveston19112025The Serving SpoonCaliforniaInglewood19832026Oyster HousePennsylvaniaPhiladelphia19472026Johnny's CafeNebraskaOmaha19232026Eng'sNew YorkKingston19272026Figaretti's Italian RestaurantWest VirginiaWheeling19482026Bob Taylor's Ranch HouseLas VegasNevada19552026 +Defunct recipientsRestaurantState or territoryCityYear openedYear awardedYear closedDurgin ParkMassachusettsBoston187419982019Doris & Ed's Seafood RestaurantNew JerseyHighlands197819982011H&H Car Wash and Coffee ShopTexasEl Paso195820012021Waterman's Beach LobsterMaineSouth Thomaston198620012016Maison MarconiMarylandBaltimore192020022005Prime BurgerNew YorkNew York City (Manhattan)196520042012Sam Choy's KalokoHawaiiKailua Kona199120042004Weaver D's Delicious Fine FoodsGeorgiaAthens198620072026Brookville HotelKansasAbilene187020072020Jumbo'sFloridaMiami195520082014Gustavus InnAlaskaGustavus196520102021Crook's CornerNorth CarolinaChapel Hill198220112021Watts Tea ShopWisconsinMilwaukee1930s20112016Noriega Restaurant and HotelCaliforniaBakersfield189320112020C. F. FolksDistrict of ColumbiaWashington198120132018Sokolowski's University InnOhioCleveland1923 20142020Nick's Italian CafeOregonMcMinnville197720142023Matt's PlaceMontanaButte193020162021Pekin Noodle ParlorMontanaButte191120232026
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