Like restaurants themselves, the RAMMY Awards, our region’s culinary Oscars, presented by Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), are back, but will never be exactly the same. Last year, the awards were adjusted to reflect the needs of restaurants during the pandemic. This time, categories for best chefs and restaurants have returned, but there are also awards devoted to holidays at home and family to-go meal packages, a new normal for the industry.
The complete list of nominees is below with NoVA businesses (or businesses with locations in NoVA) in bold italics. Categories with asterisks surrounding them were publicly voted. Look for the winners to be named on Sunday, July 24, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in DC.
New Restaurant of the Year:
Caruso’s Grocery
Daru
Dauphine’s
L’Ardente
Oyster Oyster
Cocktail Program of the Year:
Bresca
Serenata
Service Bar
Silver Lyan
The Imperial
Beer Program of the Year:
Boundary Stone
Caboose Tavern
Quarry House Tavern
Shelter
Sweetwater Tavern
Wine Program of the Year:
Albi
Northside Social
Queen’s English
Reveler’s Hour
Slate Wine Bar
Rising Culinary Star of the Year:
Will Fung, China Chilcano
Christian Irabien, Muchas Gracias
Kat Petonito, The Duck & The Peach, La Collina, The Wells
Suresh Sundas, Daru
Elias Taddesse, Mélange
*Favorite Gathering Place of the Year*:
Casta’s Rum Bar
Comet Ping Pong
Pennyroyal Station
St. Vincent Wine
The Pug
*Best Brunch of the Year*:
A&J Restaurant
ala
Blend 111
Maialino Mare
Nina May
*Favorite Fast Bites*:
Happy Gyro
Little Miner Taco
Little Sesame
Pogiboy
Sunday Morning Bakehouse
*Hottest Sandwich Spot*:
Cracked Eggery
Mangialardo’s
Queen Mother’s
The Girl & The Vine
Your Only Friend
*Outstanding Pop-Up Concept*:
A Presto! Italian Foods
Bun Papa
Della Barba Pizza
JUNE
Tacos A La Madre
*Splendid Holidays at Home*:
Bayou Bakery
Convivial
Kinship
Stellina
Unconventional Diner
*Standout Family Meal Packages To Go*:
2Fifty Texas BBQ
Mintwood Place
Muchas Gracias
Neighborhood Provisions
Thompson Italian
Employee of the Year:
Raphael Beltran, Et Voila
Amanda Bell, All Purpose – Shaw
Nicole Burdette, Taco Bamba – Springfield
Oscar Iglesias, Moon Rabbit
Herman Machado, The Salt Line – Navy Yard
Manager of the Year:
Gian Mario Cabiddu, Alta Strada, DC
Sylvain Frances, Et Voila Restaurant
Rob Heim, Shaw’s Tavern
Atul Narain, Rasika and Rasika West End
Laure Tartar, Bresca
Service Program of the Year:
Chloe
Iron Gate
Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab
Rose’s Luxury
Tail Up Goat
Casual Restaurant of the Year:
Baan Siam
La Famosa
Makan
Ruthie’s All Day
The Roost
Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year:
Albi
Anju
Nama
Rooster and Owl
Shilling Canning Company
Pastry Chef of the Year:
Rochelle Cooper, The Duck & The Peach, La Collina, The Wells
Tammy Saunders, Minibar
Katherine Thompson, Thompson Italian
Alicia Wang, No Goodbyes
Aude Buisine, Un Je Ne Sais Quoi
Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year:
Cranes
Jônt
Rasika West End
1789 Restaurant
Xiquet by Danny Lledó
Chef of the Year:
Matt Adler, Caruso’s Grocery
Cedric Maupillier, Convivial
Shamim Popal, Lapis
Michael Rafidi, Albi
Rob Rubba, Oyster Oyster
Restaurateur of the Year:
Michael Babin, Neighborhood Restaurant Group
Ashok Bajaj, Knightsbridge Restaurant Group
Mark Bucher, Medium Rare
Andrew Dana and Daniela Moreira, Call Your Mother, Timber Pizza, Turu’s Pizza, Mercy Me
Scott Drewno, Danny Lee, The Fried Rice Collective
Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year: The award is presented to an associate member who best exemplifies commitment to and support of RAMW. This award recipient is determined by the executive committee of RAMW.
Congressional Seafood Co.
CPA Eats
Ecolab
MarginEdge
Saval Foodservice
Feature image by Rey Lopez
For more stories like this, subscribe to our Food newsletter.
