Iconic Butte eatery wins James Beard Award

The iconic Butte restaurant, The Pekin Noodle Parlor has been awarded the 2023 James Beard Foundation, America’s Classic award! For 25 years the Restaurant and Chef category of the James Beard Awards has recognized locally owned restaurants that have timeless appeal for quality food that reflects the character of its community.

The Pekin Noodle Parlor is one of six such restaurants to receive this incredible distinction this year and join over 100 restaurants nationwide that share this distinction. The Pekin won the distinction in the ‘Mountain Region’. The other 5 regions being, Northeast, Pacific and Northwest, South, Texas, and Great Lakes Region.

The Pekin Noodle Parlor is the oldest continuously operated Chinese family restaurant in America. The eatery was originally opened in 1911 by originally owners, Hum and Bessie Yow. The Yow’s built the building that still houses the restaurant in 1909 as a legal office and mercantile. Two years later they began serving noodles and recreating dishes that satisfied the yearning of the Chinese immigrants who were working in the mines and on the railroad.

Great-great-great grandson Jerry Tam has taken over the restaurant from his parents Sharon and Ding Tam. Ding (who the community knew as Danny Wong) purchased the restaurant in the 50’s from his grandfather and continued the great traditions for decades before his passing in 2020.

The Pekin Noodle Parlor is already a ‘must’ for any foodie, or traveler that happens to be in the Butte area. But now with a James Beard award, they will cement themselves as an absolute can’t miss. People will travel for hundreds of miles to sample restaurants and chefs, who have won distinction from the James Beard Foundation. This is an incredible honor and distinction for an establishment that is such a large part of our lifeblood.

Jerry Tam and The Pekin Noodle Parlor will be honored at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 5, 2023 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Congratulations and Taper’Light Jerry.

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