America's Classics: Doe's Eat Place

by jbfauthor on December 08, 2009

Every one of America’s Classics has a unique story to tell, but together these restaurants represent the country’s rich fabric and illustrate how the closest communities cohere around food. As 2007 award recipient Shug Signa said about her family’s 68-year-old restaurant, Doe’s Eat Place in Greenville, Mississippi, “People come together, never meet a stranger, and it’s the American way.” This family-owned and -operated restaurant is an icon of the culinary and cultural landscape of the Mississippi Delta. Doe’s Eat Place grew out of a 1940s grocery store that sold homemade hot tamales, eventually transforming itself into a casual steak joint that served both the African-American and white communities in segregated Mississippi. Pivotal during the civil rights era, Doe’s Eat Place has become a symbol of the region’s multiracial culture. Learn more about America's Classics and watch a video about Doe's Eat Place by visiting

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America's Classics: Weaver D’s, Athens, GA

by jbfauthor on September 29, 2009

Each year at the Beard Awards, we give out a handful of special honors called America’s Classics. A wide range of restaurants have been recognized as America’s Classics, from steakhouses to clam shacks, but the common thread is that they each have a timeless appeal—and are renowned in their regions for serving quality food that reflects the character of their community. Owned by the self-proclaimed “Professor of Soul” Dexter Weaver, Weaver D’s is a fixture in Athens, Georgia. Beloved for its traditional soul food as well as its colorful proprietor, Weaver D’s keeps locals and tourists coming back for spot-on fried chicken, sweet potato casserole, buttermilk cornbread, and the restaurant’s signature squash casserole. Learn more about America’s Classics and watch a video about Weaver D’s here.

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America's Classic: Arnold's Country Kitchen

by jbfauthor on May 19, 2009

Whether it’s a clam shack near the shore, a barbecue joint on the outskirts of town, or a sub shop on the busiest city street, chances are your favorite local restaurant is a James Beard Foundation America’s Classics Award winner. Each week at Delights + Prejudices we profile one of these classic restaurants. Next up, Nashville's meat and threes paradise Arnold's Country Kitchen. Co-owner Jack Arnold favors overalls and foulard bow ties. He began his restaurant career as a dishwasher, at the age of 12. While studying art at Vanderbilt University, he managed the campus cafeteria. By 1983 he had his own place, Arnold's Country Kitchen, a concrete block building, outfitted with a steam table and a tray line

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