James Beard Foundation honors 'beloved' local restaurants with America's Classics: See who won

Only a handful of establishments will be able to boast for the rest of the year that their cuisine reigns supreme.

The America's Classics Award, which is presented annually by the James Beard Foundation, is given to "locally owned restaurants that serve quality food, have timeless appeal, and reflect the character of their communities," according to a written statement by the foundation.

The 2024 honorees "join the ranks of more than 100 restaurants across the country that have received the Award since the category was introduced in 1998," according to the James Beard Foundation.

America's Classics Award is one of a number of James Beard Foundation awards given out over the year to "recognize exceptional talent and achievement in the culinary arts, hospitality, media, and broader food system."

“The America’s Classics Award showcases the beloved independent restaurants that have been integral to American food culture across cities big and small. It is an honor to recognize this year’s winners that emulate the spirit of their communities, while also setting a commendable standard for our entire industry." said restaurant and chef awards subcommittee co-chairs Lauren Saria and Allecia Vermillion.

The America's Classics Award winners will be honored alongside other James Beard Foundation winners at Lyric Opera of Chicago, a historic performing arts center on June 10.

Here are the 2024 America's Classics Award recipients.

California: Mandalay, San Francisco

Mandalay has been open since 1984, making it the oldest Burmese restaurant still in operation. The “unfussy” restaurant, located near San Francisco’s Richmond District wanted to introduce the public to Burmese food, which was impossible to find at the time, according to the James Beard Foundation. 

Kevin Chen, the restaurant’s current owner says the cuisine pulls influences from multiple countries, including India and China. Tea leaf salad, sour samusa soup and Mandalay special noodle make up a few of the traditional Burmese dishes they offer. 

Mid-Atlantic: Vietnam Restaurant, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Vietnam Restaurant comes comes from humble beginnings, opening years after the Lai family immigrated from Vietnam to Philadelphia. They were able to obtain a modest restaurant space in Chinatown in 1984 a couple years after conducting operations as a grocery, according to the James Beard Foundation. 

Benny, who took Vietnam over from his parents in 2000, has made the restaurant “one of Philly's favorite date-night destinations for classic Vietnamese cuisine,” the foundation wrote. 

They have remained a model of consistency for decades, offering barbecue platters laden with grilled meats, stuffed grape leaves, Philly’s crispiest spring rolls, nước chấm–splashed vermicelli bowls, fragrant noodle soups, lemongrass stir-fries, and clay pots sizzling with caramelized pork,” the foundation wrote. 

The family owns two other spots, Vietnam Café and Fu Wah, are considered neighborhood favorites, according to the foundation. 

Midwest: Pheasant Restaurant and Lounge, Brookings, South Dakota

Pheasant Restaurant and Lounge “embodies the good, simple food and hospitality of South Dakota.” 

They have served up iconic mid-century dishes of the upper Midwest since 1949, offering “hot roast beef on homemade white bread with mashed potatoes and gravy, Nordic waffles, liver and onions as well as riffs on comfort food like duck wings, bison steak au poivre, and a lamb burger with local jalapeño jelly and peanut butter, according to the foundation. 

New York State: Sylvia’s Restaurant, New York

Sylvia’s Restaurant is considered an “institution” to the Harlem community and beyond. 

Sylvia Woods, the woman who founded the restaurant is known as “The Queen of Soul Food,” buying the luncheonette where she worked as a cook and waitress for 16 years, according to the foundation. 

Sylvia’s has cooked up traditional South Carolina soul food for over 62 years, nourishing presidents, governors, mayors, heads of state, dignitaries, and the surrounding community with their world-famous barbeque ribs, fried chicken, and smothered pork chops, the James Beard Foundation said. 

Southeast: Wade’s Restaurant, Spartanburg, South Carolina

Wade’s Restaurant has been serving Southern comfort food for over 70 years, making fresh batches of yeast rolls, mac and cheese, sweet tea and hand-breaded chicken for 2,500 customers daily. 

Wade’s is a place where “everything is made from whole foods and served at a fair price,” according to the foundation. A place where the employees are the heart of the operation. 

Southwest: Peppermill Restaurant and Fireside Lounge, Las Vegas, Nevada

The Peppermill Restaurant and Fireside Lounge has been a Las Vegas treasure for 50 years, with the restaurant making a cameo appearances in a number of block-buster films over the years.  

Quite a few celebrities and mobsters have also dined at the Peppermill. The Peppermill is best known for “its over-the-top pink and purple neon lights, fire pits, faux botanicals, oversized drinks in the cocktail lounge, and massive platters of diner classics in the family-friendly restaurant.”