Each year since 1998 the James Beard Foundation Awards Committee has identified small, regional restaurants, watering holes, shacks, lunch counters, and similar down-home eateries that have carved out a special place on the American culinary landscape. We anoint these restaurants with a James Beard Foundation Award designating them as one of America’s Classics.

In the spirit of James Beard, who enjoyed a paper cone of fried belly clams as much as a fine French meal, we encourage you to visit these American classics if you find yourself in their neighborhood. You are sure to find a warm welcome, and deeply satisfying food. Tell them the James Beard Foundation sent you.

James Beard Foundation
America’s Classics Award Winners

2009
Arnold's Country Kitchen
605 8th Ave. S
Nashville, TN
Owners: Jack and Rose Arnold
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Breitbach's Country Dining
563 Balltown Rd.
Sherrill, IA
Owner: Mike Breitbach
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Mustache Bill's Diner
8th and Broadway
Barnegat Light, NJ
Owner: Bill Smith
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Totonno's
1524 Neptune Ave.
Brooklyn, NY
Owner: Lawrence Ciminieri
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Yank Sing
101 Spear St.
San Francisco
Owner: Vera Chan-Waller
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2008
Bagaduce Lunch
19 Bridge Road (Route 176)
Brooksville, ME
Owner: Judy Astbury
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Jumbo’s
7501 NW 7th Avenue
Miami, FL
Owner: Bobby Flam
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Irma’s Restaurant
22 N. Chenevert Street
Houston, TX
Owner: Irma Galvan
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Tufano’s Vernon Park Tap
1075 Vernon Park Place
Chicago, IL
Owner: Joseph DiBuono
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Maneki
304 Sixth Avenue South
Seattle, WA
Owner: Jean Nakayama
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2007
Aunt Carrie's
Owner: Elsie Foy
1240 Ocean Road
Narragansett, RI
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Doe's Eat Place
Owner: The Signa Family
502 Nelson
Greenville, MS
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Primanti Brothers
Owner: Demetrios Patrinos
46 18th Street
Pittsburgh, PA
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Brookville Hotel
Owners: Mark and Connie Martin
105 Lafayette
Abilene, KS
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The Pickwick
Owner: Christopher Wisocki
508 East Superior Street
Duluth, MN
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Weaver D's
Owner: Dexter Weaver
1016 East Broad Street
Athens, GA
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2006
Barney Greengrass
Owner: Gary Greengrass
541 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY

Bowens Island Restaurant
Owner: Robert A. Barber, Jr.
1870 Bowens Island Rd.
Charleston, SC

Hamura's Saimin Stand
Owner: Lori Tanigawa
2956 Kress Street
Lihue, Kauai, HI

John's Roast Pork
Owner: The Bucci Family
14 Snyder Avenue and Weccacoe Street
Philadelphia, PA

Lagomarcino's
Owner: The Lagomarcino Family
1422 5th Ave.
Moline, IL

Louie Mueller BBQ
Owner: Bobby Mueller
206 West Second
Taylor, TX

Polly's Pancake Parlor
Owner: Kathie and Dennis Cote
672 Route 117
Sugar Hill, NH

Taylor's Automatic Refresher
Owners: Duncan and Joel Gott
933 Main St.
St. Helena, CA

2005
Yuca's
Owners: Socorra and Dora Herrera
2056 Hillhurst Avenue
Los Angeles, CA

Charlie's Sandwich Shoppe
Owner: The Manjourides Family
429 Columbus Avenue
Boston, MA

Willie Mae's Scotch House
Owner: Willie Mae Seaton
240 St. Ann Street
New Orleans, LA

El Chorro Lodge
Owners: Joe and Elvie Miller
5550 E Lincoln Drive
Paradise Valley, AZ

2004
Ben's Chili Bowl
Owners: Ben and Virginia Ali
1213 U St. NW
Washington , D.C.

Al's Breakfast
Owners: Doug Grina and Jim Brandes
413 14th Ave SE
Minneapolis, MN

Sam Choy's Kaloko
Owner: Sam Choy
73-5576 Kauhola Street
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

The Prime-Burger
Owner: Tony DiMiceli
5 E 51st St
New York, NY

2003
Duarte's Tavern
Owner: The Duarte Family
202 Stage Road
Pescadero, CA

Anchor Bar
Owner: Ivano Toscano
1047 Main Street
Buffalo, NY

Lexington Barbecue #1
Owner: Wayne Monk
10 Highway 29-70S
Lexington, NC

The Skylight Inn
Owners: Walter B. Peter Jones and Family
S. Lee Street
Ayden, NC

The Shed
Owner: The Carswell Family
113 1/2 East Palace Avenue
Santa Fe, NM

2002
Maison Marconi
Owner: Peter Angelos
106 West Saratoga Street
Baltimore, MD

Ray's Boathouse and Cafe
Owner: Ross Wholers
6049 Seaview Avenue
Seattle, WA

Peter Luger Steak House
Owner: Marilyn Spiera
178 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY

Three Brothers Serbian Restaurant
Owner: Branko Radicevic
2414 South Saint Clair
Milwaukee, WI

2001
H & H Carwash and Restaurant
Owner: Kenneth Haddad
701 E. Yandell Drive
El Paso, TX

Langer's Deli & Restaurant
Owner: Norm Langer
704 S. Alvarado Street
Los Angeles, CA

Versailles
Owner: The Valls Family
3555 SW Eighth Street
Miami, FL

Waterman's Beach Lobster
Owner: Anne Cousens
343 Watermans Beach Rd.
South Thomaston, ME

2000
Camp Washington Chili
Owner: John Johnson
3005 Colerain Avenue
Cincinnati, OH

Helena Hawaiian Foods
Owner: Helen Chock
1364 North King Street
Oahu, HI

Mario's
Owner: The Migliucci Family
2342 Arthur Avenue
Bronx, NY

Moosewood
Owner: The Moosewood Collective
215 N. Cayuga St., Dewitt Mall
Ithaca, NY

Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room
Owner: Seema Wilkes
107 W. Jones Street
Savannah, GA

The Original Sonny Bryan's
Owner: Sonny Bryan
2202 Inwood Road
Dallas, TX

Swan Oyster Depot
Owner: The Sancimino Family
1517 Polk Street
San Francisco, CA

White House Sub Shop
Owner: Tony Basile
2301 Arctic Avenue
Atlantic City, NJ

1999
The Berghoff (closed)
Owner: Herman Berghoff
Chicago, IL

Café Pasqual's
Katherine Kagel
121 Don Gaspar
Santa Fe, NM

Doumar's
Owner: The Doumar Family
1919 Monticello Avenue
Norfolk, VA

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana
Owner: Gary Bimonte
157 Wooster Street
New Haven, CT

Mosca's
Owner: Johnny Mosca
4137 Highway 90 W.
Avondale, LA

Original Pancake House
Owners: Les Hignet and Erma Hueneke
8601 SW 24th Street
Portland, OR

The Oyster Bar at Grand Central Terminal
Owner: Jerome Brody
Grand Central Station
New York, NY

Philippe the Original
Owner: John Binder
1001 N. Alameda Street
Los Angeles, CA

1998
Doris & Eds Seafood Restaurant
Owner: Jim Filip
348 Shore Drive
Highlands, NJ

Durgin Park
Owner: Seana Kelley-Chase
30 North Market Street
Boston, MA

Emmett Watsons Oyster Bar
Owner: Thurman Bryant
Pike Place Market, 1916 Pike Place
Seattle, WA

Joe T. Garcias Mexican Food Restaurant
Owner: Hope Garcia-Lancarte
2201 North Commerce Street, Box 429
Fort Worth, TX

Joes Stone Crab
Owner: Jo Ann Bass
227 Biscayne Street
Miami Beach, FL

Second Avenue Deli
Owner: Jack Lebewohl
156 Second Avenue
New York, NY

Strouds
Owner: Jim Hogan
5410 N.E. Oak Ridge Drive
Kansas City, MO

Tadich Grill
Owner: Robert T. Buich
240 California Street
San Francisco, CA