Business & Tech
Beloved Chicago Restaurant Wins James Beard America's Classics Award
The award is given to locally owned restaurants in existence for at least 10 years that have timeless appeal, quality food and community.
CHICAGO — Lem’s Bar-B-Q on Chicago’s South Side has received a 2025 America’s Classics Award, presented by Heinz, from the James Beard Foundation, the organization announced Wednesday.
The award is given to locally owned restaurants in existence for at least 10 years that have timeless appeal, quality food and strong community. Lem’s was selected as the winner for the Great Lakes region.
“Independent restaurants play a crucial role in our local economies, and through the America’s Classics Award, we get to celebrate the remarkable establishments that have served as cherished pillars of culture, community, and good food for decades,” James Beard Foundation CEO Clare Reichenbach said in the news release.
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Started by Myles and Bruce Lemons in 1954 and continued by James Lemons in 1968, Lem’s is now run by Carmen Lemons and continues to delight diners with its rib tips, hot links and secret sauce. Lem’s also features an aquarium-style barbecue pit with hickory wood, charcoal and fire.
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