DC Restaurant Wins Prestigious James Beard Classics Award

WASHINGTON, DC — The District's Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse, owned by Paul Katinas, received a big honor when the James Beard Foundation named the eatery one of five "America's Classics." The foundation, which also hands out the prestigious James Beard Awards – considered the Oscars of food – created the America's Classics Award in 1998 to honor restaurants "that have timeless appeal and are cherished for quality food that reflects the character of their community.

The 2019 honorees join the ranks of more than 100 restaurants nationwide that have received the award since the category was introduced in 1998. This year's winners will be celebrated at the annual James Beard Awards Gala on May 6 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

“In an industry where longevity is quite an achievement, it is important to honor and celebrate the establishments that have stood the test of time, like the restaurants being recognized as America’s Classics this year,” says Clare Reichenbach, James Beard Foundation CEO, in a news release on Friday. “These restaurants provide not only wonderful culinary experiences, but are important and enduring pillars in their communities.”

Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse is located at 1609 17th St NW, Washington, D.C. Here's what the Beard Foundation said of the venue:

"Annie’s endures as a nexus for Washington, D.C.’s LGBTQ community. George Katinas, a first-generation Greek-American and U.S. Army veteran, opened the restaurant in 1948, and by the early sixties it had earned a reputation as a welcoming space for gay people. It moved to its current location in 1985, and George’s son, Paul Katinas, eventually took over. Through the years, Annie’s has remained a stalwart supporter of LGBTQ causes, among them the Gay Men’s Chorus, Whitman Walker Clinic, Food and Friends and the Pride parade. At Annie’s, the steaks are hefty, the burgers juicy and the cocktails strong, but what really keeps people coming back is the restaurant’s legacy of inclusiveness and respect."

The restaurant has always been owned by a member of the Katinas family during its 70 years, says The Washington Post.

"It’s beautiful,” Paul Katinas told the newspaper of the Beard American Classics honor. “It’s great for the gay community for all the years that they supported the restaurant. It’s just a wonderful, wonderful tribute.”

(For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here. And like Patch on Facebook!)

Image via Shutterstock