SC restaurant wins ‘rare’ James Beard Award for being an American classic. Here’s why
A South Carolina restaurant was recently added to a select group of James Beard award winners.
The Spartanburg restaurant was one of just six restaurants to receive the 2024 America’s Classics Award, the James Beard Foundation announced on Wednesday. A category under Restaurant and Chef Awards, the America’s Classics Award is given to locally-owned restaurants that serve quality food, reflect the character of their communities and have timeless appeal, the foundation states.
The America’s Classics Award is somewhat of a rare honor, with just over 100 restaurants across the U.S. having received it since the category was introduced in 1998. The six new recipients will be honored at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on June 10.
America’s Classics Award is among several James Beard Foundation awards presented each year to “recognize exceptional talent and achievement in the culinary arts, hospitality, media, and broader food system.”
Below is the South Carolina winner of the America’s Classics Award.
Wade’s Restaurant
Wade’s Restaurant in Spartanburg was the Southeast representative to win the award. Located at 1000 N. Pine St., the family-run restaurant and its more than 130 employees serve country food to many hungry customers six days a week.
Wade’s Restaurant was founded in 1947 by Wade and Betty Lindsey after they purchased a small grocery store on South Pine Street in Spartanburg. Betty Lindsey began serving her family’s recipes of Southern-style meats and vegetables from a lunch counter in the back, the restaurant’s website states. Word about the tasty food soon spread.
It’s been 75 years and the Lindsey family has continued to make traditional Southern dishes for the community.
“Today, 2,500 guests visit Wade’s daily; 3,500 made-from-scratch yeast rolls are served; along with 750 turkey plates and more than 1,500 orders of mac and cheese,” the foundation states. “Everything is made fresh from whole foods and served at a fair price. It’s a place where tea is steeped the old-fashioned way, and chicken is breaded by hand.”
