San Francisco Restaurant Wins Coveted James Beard Award

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — The Mandalay restaurant in San Francisco is one of six winners of the 2024 America’s Classics Award given to locally-owned, independent restaurants, the James Beard Foundation said in an announcement Wednesday.

Owned by Kevin Chen, whose family members opened the restaurant, it celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. "Open since 1984, this unfussy restaurant near the city’s Richmond District was not the first Burmese restaurant to open in San Francisco but is the oldest still in operation today," the James Beard Foundation said in its announcement. "Today most diners at Mandalay order the famous tea leaf salad, which leans more traditional than versions offered at other local Burmese spots. Here, it’s a bevy of crunchy sesame and lentil seeds, ground shrimp, fried garlic, and peanuts with fermented imported tea leaves all tossed tableside with a squeeze of lemon and peppers.

"Other standout dishes include the slightly sour samusa soup made filled with falafel, samusa, potatoes, lentils, shredded cabbage, and mint leaf, as well as the Mandalay special noodle. A platter of wide noodles swim in a fragrant coconut broth with chicken, onion, and fried thin noodles scattered on top."

Mandalay is at 4350 California St. in San Francisco.

Local restaurants in other regions of the country were also recognized for their high-quality food and timeless appeal:

• Vietnam Restaurant, Philadelphia; currently owned by Benny Lai
• Pheasant Restaurant and Lounge, Brookings, South Dakota; currently owned by Georgiana Olson and Michael Johnson
• Sylvia’s Restaurant, New York City, currently owned by The Woods Family
• Wade’s Restaurant, Spartanburg, South Carolina; currently owned by Hamp Lindsey, Wade Lindsey III and Anna Lindsey Liles
• Peppermill Restaurant and Fireside Lounge, Las Vegas; currently owned by Nat Carasali and Bill Paganetti

The winners of this year’s America’s Classics Awards join the ranks of more than 100 restaurants across the country that have been recognized since the category was added to the James Beard Awards in 1998. They will receive recognition at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on June 10 at the Lyric Opera in Chicago.

James Beard Foundation CEO Clare Reichenbach called America’s Classics winners “cornerstones of our communities” and “national treasures of timeless appeal that reflect the richness and diversity of our country’s food culture.”

Among the nation’s most prestigious culinary awards, the James Beard Awards recognize exceptional talent in the culinary and food media, as well as a demonstrated commitment to racial and gender equity, community sustainability and a culture where all can thrive. The awards celebrate excellence across all types of dining experiences.

Additional announcements will be made this spring in the Chef and Restaurant Awards, including (dates may be subject to change):

• April 3: Restaurant and Chef Award Nominees and Achievement Awards, including Lifetime Achievement, Humanitarian of the Year and Leadership Awards;
• April 30: Announcement of nominees for the James Beard Media Awards.