The James Beard Foundation announced today the six recipients of its 2022 America’s Classics Awards. One is a name you should be familiar with – Solly’s Grille (4629 N. Port Washington Rd., Glendale), a restaurant that has epitomized the butter burger for decades. The restaurant started as a coffee shop in 1936. Glenn Fieber took over ownership of this old-timer from his stepfather, Kenneth “Solly” Salmon, in the early 1990s.
The Beard Foundation Awards Committee established this award in 1998 to restaurants distinguished by their “timeless appeal” and “quality food that reflects the character of their communities.” More than 100 restaurants across the country have been honored since the award’s creation. Previous recipients include Milwaukee’s Three Brothers and the late Watts Tea Shop.
Here’s what the awards committee had to say about Solly’s:
Minnesota might be home to the juicy lucy, but its neighbor Wisconsin is home to the butter burger. While there may be claims as to who invented this rich, creamy, and meaty sandwich that pays tribute to Wisconsin’s dairy heritage, it’s Solly’s Grille that put it on the map. Created in 1936 by Kenneth “Solly” Salmon, this sandwich features ground sirloin with stewed onions with the crowning glory of farm-fresh Wisconsin butter that overflows onto the plate. People from far and wide make the pilgrimage to this family-owned Milwaukee restaurant, an institution that boasts the use of over 130 pounds of butter per week.
The 2022 James Beard Awards – which will be given out June 13 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago – will be the first in two years. During that hiatus, the awards underwent an audit of its policies and procedures, “continuing the work to remove bias, increase transparency and accessibility, and making the program more aligned with the foundation’s mission and values.”
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
