Among the six honorees from across the country is the oldest Black-owned barbecue restaurant in Chicago, Lem’s Bar-B-Q.

America’s Classics honors "locally owned restaurants that have timeless appeal" — and mark the real start of Beards season.

A fixture on the island for 114 years, it's one of only six restaurants nationwide and the only one in Texas to receive the 2025 America's Classics Award.

The honor is “given to locally owned restaurants with timeless appeal that serve quality food and are beloved by their communities,”

Dooky Chase's Restaurant is among six winners of the James Beard Foundation's America's Classics award. America's Classics awards recognize independent restaurants, particularly long-standing ones, that are notable contributors to their community's food, culture and traditions.

Courtney E. Smith is an editor for Eater's Texas region. She lives in Dallas, where she's written about James Beard-recognized and Michelin-recognized restaurants and she loves nachos.

Sullivan's Castle Island is this year's Northeast winner of an America's Classics award from the James Beard Foundation. The award is given to locally and independently owned restaurants that are honored for their "timeless appeal" and local significance.

James Beard America's Classics winners. These locally beloved restaurants showcase the heart of American cuisine.