This James Beard Award-Winning Restaurant has been a Huntington Staple for more than 80 Years

Since 1938, Jim’s Steak and Spaghetti House has been a staple of the Huntington community. The restaurant has been a family-favorite for multiple generations, hosting celebrities like John F. Kennedy, Billy Idol and Muhammad Ali. Rumor has it that even Billy Crystal was a regular during his time at Marshall University. Now, with more than 80 years of success, Jim’s Steak and Spaghetti House can add one more accolade to their already long list of accomplishments: A James Beard Foundation award.

The New York City-based James Beard Foundation is a national nonprofit culinary arts organization that highlights some of the best regional restaurants around the country. The Foundation has recognized Jim’s Steak and Spaghetti House as the 2019 America’s Classics winner in the Southeast Region. Jim’s is the first restaurant in West Virginia to ever receive a James Beard Foundation award.

The origin of Jim’s Steak and Spaghetti House can be traced all the way back to 1938, when Jim Tweel purchased the Kennedy Dairy Store on 5th Avenue in Huntington. Jim and his wife, Sally, sold cheeseburgers, ice cream and milkshakes. In 1944, a man named Roberto Elmoro dropped by Jim’s shop and taught him an authentic Italian Spaghetti recipe. Jim expanded his restaurant to include the building next door, and later that year, he opened his spaghetti house. Within a few years, Jim combined his dairy bar and spaghetti house to create Jim’s Grill and Spaghetti House. After years of success, in 1962, Jim expanded once more and found a name that would stick: Jim’s Steak and Spaghetti House.

Jim’s has remained the same since its opening. They pride themselves on their good service, great food, cleanliness and courtesy, among other things. The waitresses still wear the same original outfits they wore when the restaurant opened. While steak and spaghetti are the restaurant’s specialty, Jim’s also serves sandwiches, burgers, salads, ham, chicken and so much more. If you visit near Mother’s Day, you’ll get to experience Jim’s famous “Strawberry Pie Week” in which the restaurant sells on average more than 10,000 slices of homemade strawberry pie.

With more than 80 years of service, Jim’s Steak and Spaghetti House shows no sign of slowing down. Winning a James Beard Foundation award is yet another impressive milestone for a restaurant that has been a key facet to the city of Huntington for several generations.

Have you visited Jim’s Steak and Spaghetti House?

This post was last updated on August 3, 2020