# List of James Beard America's Classics

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 territory | City | Year opened | Year awarded |
| Tadich Grill | California | San Francisco | 1849 | 1998 |
| Joe's Stone Crab | Florida | Miami Beach | 1913 | 1998 |
| Emmett Watson's Oyster Bar | Washington | Seattle | 1979 | 1998 |
| Stroud's | Missouri | Kansas City | 1933 | 1998 |
| Second Avenue Deli | New York | New York City | 1954 | 1998 |
| Joe T. Garcia's | Texas | Fort Worth | 1935 | 1998 |
| Cafe Pasqual's | New Mexico | Santa Fe | 1979 | 1999 |
| Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana | Connecticut | New Haven | 1925 | 1999 |
| Mosca's | Louisiana | Avondale | 1946 | 1999 |
| Phillippe the Original | California | Los Angeles | 1908 | 1999 |
| Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant | New York | New York City | 1913 | 1999 |
| The Berghoff | Illinois | Chicago | 1898 | 1999 |
| Original Pancake House | Oregon | Portland | 1953 | 1999 |
| Helena's Hawaiian Foods | Hawaii | Honolulu | 1946 | 2000 |
| Swan Oyster Depot | California | San Francisco | 1912 | 2000 |
| White House Sub Shop | New Jersey | Atlantic City | 1946 | 2000 |
| The Original Sonny Bryan's | Texas | Dallas | 1958 | 2000 |
| Camp Washington Chili | Ohio | Cincinnati | 1940 | 2000 |
| Moosewood Restaurant | New York | Ithaca | 1973 | 2000 |
| Mario's | New York | The Bronx | 1919 | 2000 |
| Mrs. Wilkes' Dining Room | Georgia | Savannah | 1943 | 2000 |
| Langer's Delicatessen-Restaurant | California | Los Angeles | 1947 | 2001 |
| Versailles | Florida | Miami | 1971 | 2001 |
| Ray's Boathouse and Cafe | Washington | Seattle | 1945 | 2002 |
| Three Brothers Serbian Restaurant | Wisconsin | Milwaukee | 1956 | 2002 |
| Peter Luger Steakhouse | New York | Brooklyn | 1887 | 2002 |
| Anchor Bar | New York | Buffalo | 1935 | 2003 |
| Duarte's Tavern | California | Pescadero | 1894 | 2003 |
| Lexington Barbecue | North Carolina | Lexington | 1962 | 2003 |
| The Shed | New Mexico | Santa Fe | 1953 | 2003 |
| The Skylight Inn | North Carolina | Ayden | 1947 | 2003 |
| Ben's Chili Bowl | District of Columbia | Washington | 1958 | 2004 |
| Al's Breakfast | Minnesota | Minneapolis | 1950 | 2004 |
| Charlie's Sandwich Shoppe | Massachusetts | Boston | 1927 | 2005 |
| El Chorro Lodge | Arizona | Paradise Valley | 1937 | 2005 |
| Yuca's | California | Los Angeles | 1976 | 2005 |
| Willie Mae's Scotch House | Louisiana | New Orleans | 1957 | 2005 |
| John's Roast Pork | Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | 1930 | 2006 |
| Lagomarcino's | Illinois | Moline | 1908 | 2006 |
| Bowen's Island Restaurant | South Carolina | Charleston | 1946 | 2006 |
| Polly's Pancake Parlor | New Hampshire | Sugar Hill | 1938 | 2006 |
| Taylor's Automatic Refresher | California | St. Helena | 1949 | 2006 |
| Barney Greengrass | New York | New York City | 1908 | 2006 |
| Louie Mueller Barbecue | Texas | Taylor | 1949 | 2006 |
| Hamura's Saimin Stand | Hawaii | Lihue | 1952 | 2006 |
| The Pickwick | Minnesota | Duluth | 1888 | 2007 |
| Weaver D's | Georgia | Athens | 1986 | 2007 |
| Primanti Brothers | Pennsylvania | Pittsburgh | 1933 | 2007 |
| Aunt Carrie's | Rhode Island | Narragansett | 1920 | 2007 |
| Doe's Eat Place | Mississippi | Greenville | 1941 | 2007 |
| Bagaduce Lunch | Maine | Brooksville | 1946 | 2008 |
| Tufano's Vernon Park Tap | Illinois | Chicago | 1930 | 2008 |
| Irma's Restaurant | Texas | Houston | 1989 | 2008 |
| Maneki | Washington | Seattle | 1904 | 2008 |
| Totonno's | New York | Brooklyn | 1924 | 2009 |
| Breitbach's Country Dining | Iowa | Sherrill | 1853 | 2009 |
| Mustache Bill's Diner | New Jersey | Barnegat Light | 1959 | 2009 |
| Yank Sing | California | San Francisco | 1958 | 2009 |
| Al's French Frys | Vermont | South Burlington | 1940s | 2010 |
| The Bright Star | Alabama | Bessemer | 1907 | 2010 |
| Mary & Tito's Cafe | New Mexico | Albuquerque | 1963 | 2010 |
| Calumet Fisheries | Illinois | Chicago | 1948 | 2010 |
| Noriega Restaurant and Hotel | California | Bakersfield | 1893 | 2011 |
| Chef Vola's | New Jersey | Atlantic City | 1921 | 2011 |
| Le Veau d'Or | New York | New York City | 1937 | 2011 |
| Shady Glen | Connecticut | Manchester | 1948 | 2012 |
| St. Elmo's Steak House | Indiana | Indianapolis | 1902 | 2012 |
| Jones Bar-B-Q Diner | Arkansas | Marianna | 1910s | 2012 |
| The Fry Bread House | Arizona | Phoenix | 1992 | 2012 |
| Nora's Fish Creek Inn | Wyoming | Wilson | 1970s | 2012 |
| Frank Fat's | California | Sacramento | 1939 | 2013 |
| Prince's Hot Chicken Shack | Tennessee | Nashville | 1930s | 2013 |
| Kramarczuk's | Minnesota | Minneapolis | 1954 | 2013 |
| Keens Steakhouse | New York | New York City | 1885 | 2013 |
| Olneyville New York System | Rhode Island | Providence | 1946 | 2014 |
| Hansen's Sno Bliz | Louisiana | New Orleans | 1939 | 2014 |
| Perini Ranch Steakhouse | Texas | Buffalo Gap | 1983 | 2014 |
| Guelaguetza | California | Los Angeles | 1994 | 2015 |
| Beaumont Inn | Kentucky | Harrodsburg | 1919 | 2015 |
| Sally Bell's Kitchen | Virginia | Richmond | 1924 | 2015 |
| Sevilla | New York | New York City | 1923 | 2015 |
| Archie's Waeside | Iowa | Le Mars | 1949 | 2015 |
| Al Ameer Restaurant | Michigan | Dearborn | 1989 | 2016 |
| Brooks' House of Bar-B-Q | New York | Oneonta | 1912 | 2016 |
| Bully's Restaurant | Mississippi | Jackson | 1982 | 2016 |
| Rancho de Chimayo Restaurante | New Mexico | Chimayo | 1965 | 2016 |
| Bertha's Kitchen | South Carolina | Charleston | 1980 | 2017 |
| Gioia's Deli | Missouri | Saint Louis | 1918 | 2017 |
| La Taqueria | California | San Francisco | 1960s | 2017 |
| Sahadi's | New York | Brooklyn | 1890s | 2017 |
| Schultz's Crab House | Maryland | Essex | 1950 | 2017 |
| Galleria Umberto | Massachusetts | Boston | 1974 | 2018 |
| Los Hernandez | Washington | Union Gap | 1990 | 2018 |
| El Guero Canelo | Arizona | Tucson | 1993 | 2018 |
| Sun Wah | Illinois | Chicago | 1986 | 2018 |
| Dong Phuong Bakery | Louisiana | New Orleans | 1982 | 2018 |
| A&A Bake & Doubles Shop | New York | Brooklyn | 2002 | 2019 |
| Pho 79 | California | Garden Grove | 1982 | 2019 |
| Annie's Paramount Steakhouse | District of Columbia | Washington | 1948 | 2019 |
| Jim's Steak and Spaghetti House | West Virginia | Huntington | 1945 | 2019 |
| Sehnert's Bakery & Bieroc Cafe | Nebraska | McCook | 1957 | 2019 |
| Puritan Backroom | New Hampshire | Manchester | 1974 | 2020 |
| El Taco de Mexico | Colorado | Denver | 1985 | 2020 |
| Zehnder's of Frankenmuth | Michigan | Frankenmuth | 1928 | 2020 |
| Vera's Backyard Bar-B-Que | Texas | Brownsville | 1955 | 2020 |
| Lassis Inn | Arkansas | Little Rock | 1905 | 2020 |
| Oriental Mart | Washington | Seattle | 1971 | 2020 |
| Casa Vega | California | Sherman Oaks | 1956 | 2022 |
| Corinne's Place | New Jersey | Camden | 1989 | 2022 |
| Solly's Grille | Wisconsin | Milwaukee | 1936 | 2022 |
| Wo Hop | New York | New York City | 1938 | 2022 |
| The Busy Bee Café | Georgia | Atlanta | 1947 | 2022 |
| Florence's Restaurant | Oklahoma | Oklahoma City | 1952 | 2022 |
| Pekin Noodle Parlor | Montana | Butte | 1911 | 2023 |
| Manago Hotel | Hawaii | Captain Cook | 1917 | 2023 |
| Joe's Bakery and Coffee Shop | Texas | Austin | 1962 | 2023 |
| Nezinscot Farm | Maine | Turner | 1987 | 2023 |
| La Casita Blanca | Puerto Rico | San Juan | 1980 | 2023 |
| Wagner's Village Inn | Indiana | Oldenburg | 1968 | 2023 |
| Mandalay | California | San Francisco | 1984 | 2024 |
| Vietnam Restaurant | Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | 1984 | 2024 |
| Pheasant Restaurant and Lounge | South Dakota | Brookings | 1949 | 2024 |
| Sylvia's Restaurant | New York | New York | 1962 | 2024 |
| Wade's Restaurant | South Carolina | Spartanburg | 1947 | 2024 |
| Peppermill Restaurant and Fireside Lounge | Nevada | Las Vegas | 1972 | 2024 |
| Lem's Bar-B-Q | Illinois | Chicago | 1954 | 2025 |
| The Pioneer Saloon | Idaho | Ketchum | 1940 | 2025 |
| Sullivan's Castle Island | Massachusetts | Boston | 1951 | 2025 |
| Lucky Wishbone | Alaska | Anchorage | 1955 | 2025 |
| Dooky Chase | Louisiana | New Orleans | 1939 | 2025 |
| Gaido's | Texas | Galveston | 1911 | 2025 |

### Defunct recipients

American Classics that have closed :
| Restaurant | State or territory | City | Year opened | Year awarded | Year Closed |
| Durgin Park | Massachusetts | Boston | 1742 | 1998 | 2019 |
| Doris & Ed's Seafood Restaurant | New Jersey | Highlands | 1978 | 1998 | 2011 |
| H&H Car Wash and Coffee Shop | Texas | El Paso | 1958 | 2001 | 2021 |
| Waterman's Beach Lobster | Maine | South Thomaston | 1986 | 2001 | 2016 |
| Maison Marconi | Maryland | Baltimore | 1920 | 2002 | 2005 |
| Prime Burger | New York | New York City | 1965 | 2004 | 2012 |
| Sam Choy's Kaloko | Hawaii | Kailua Kona | 1991 | 2004 | 2004 |
| Brookville Hotel | Kansas | Abilene | 1870 | 2007 | 2020 |
| Jumbo's | Florida | Miami | 1955 | 2008 | 2014 |
| Gustavus Inn | Alaska | Gustavus | 1965 | 2010 | 2021 |
| Crook's Corner | North Carolina | Chapel Hill | 1982 | 2011 | 2021 |
| Watts Tea Shop | Wisconsin | Milwaukee | 1930s | 2011 | 2016 |
| Sokolowski's University Inn | Ohio | Cleveland | 1923 | 2014 | 2020 |
| Arnold's Country Kitchen | Tennessee | Nashville | 1983 | 2009 | 2023 |
| Matt's Place | Montana | Butte | 1930 | 2016 | 2021 |
| Nick's Italian Cafe | Oregon | McMinnville | 1977 | 2014 | 2023 |
| C. F. Folks | District of Columbia | Washington | 1981 | 2018 | 2013 |