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James Beard Foundation honors Canlis with 2019 Design Icon Award

The James Beard Foundation announced on Tuesday that Seattle's fine-dining restaurant Canlis received this year's Design Icon Award.

The Queen Anne restaurant is being recognized for its design and architecture.

"Somehow, this nomination, this award means so much more than all the others,” said Mark Canlis, co-owner of Canlis. “It's a culmination of what our grandfather set out to do, what our parents so diligently worked towards, and to what we've been doing for 15 years now. Three generations of building and running and redefining the most beautiful restaurant we can. To be honored like this is such an affirmation, a big honor. And I mean this as sincerely as I can: I think we're just getting started."

The Design Icon Award is chosen by the Restaurant Design Committee. In order for a restaurant to qualify, "a dining establishment’s design must have remained substantially unchanged for at least 20 years and must have influenced and inspired the design of subsequent restaurants. Additionally, the restaurant/dining space must still be in operation."

Over the last 10 years, Canlis has received several James Beard Award nominations and received its first award for Outstanding Wine Program in 2017.

The landmark restaurant opened in 1950 and designed by architect Roland Terry.

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