Built on the popularity of its sauce, Figaretti’s Italian Restaurant has served the Wheeling community for close to 80 years.
Monday the restaurant was celebrated as a James Beard 2026 Restaurant and Chef America’s Classics for the Southeast region at the culinary organization’s annual awards ceremony in Chicago. Figaretti’s selection for the award was announced in February.
“We’re incredibly honored to be recognized as a 2026 America’s Classics winner by the James Beard Awards,” the restaurant said via Facebook earlier this month. “For generations, our family has believed in serving scratch-made Italian dishes with warmth, consistency, and care — and we’re grateful to every guest who has supported us along the way. This recognition belongs to our staff, our family, and our community. Thank you for being part of the Figaretti’s story.”
The James Beard Foundation recognizes culinary excellence across 12 regions and achievements ranging from outstanding bakery to humanitarianism.
“Consistent, quality food and service have made Figaretti’s a popular regional go-to, and the family’s longtime support of the Special Olympics and legacy of feeding first responders during emergencies underscores their ethos of serving their community beyond the restaurant, too,” the foundation said on its website.
The foundation website says the America’s Classics “celebrate independently owned restaurants that reflect local character and cultural traditions and serve as an enduring anchor for their communities by serving delicious food across many years.”
Figaretti’s is just the second West Virginia restaurant to be named an America’s Classic after Jim’s Steak and Spaghetti House in Huntington was honored in 2019.
Mary Ellen Diaz, head chef of restaurant Alma Bea in Shepherdstown, was also named a finalist for the 2026 James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Southeast.
“It was such an honor to be at the James Beard Foundation award ceremony,” Diaz said in a post on the Alma Bea Facebook page. “While I didn’t win Best Chef for the Southeast region, I am incredibly proud of the culinary achievement of my team, and so grateful for the support of so many. Thank you, Shepherdstown and Jefferson County, for making Alma Bea part of your community.”
“There is an Appalachian saying, ‘In the hearts of the Appalachians, every stream tells the story of resilience,’” she continued. “I am so proud to honor and represent the generations of women who created such a wealth of recipes and food memories.”
