Ellie Bird in Falls Church is a finalist for the RAMMY Award for New Restaurant of the Year, while multiple NoVA eateries are in the running for other restaurant-related awards.
The RAMMY Awards from the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington honor excellence in the restaurant and food service industry in the DMV.
Ellie Bird, the modern American restaurant by Carey and Yuan Tang, is No. 5 on Northern Virginia Magazine’s 2023 Best Restaurants List. It’s competing against DC’s Dear Sushi, Hiraya, I Egg You, and Petite Cerise for the new restaurant honor.
Several restaurateurs with NoVA connections are among those nominated for Restaurateur of the Year. Ezequiel Vázquez-Ger and chef Enrique Limardo of the Seven Reasons Group have been nominated. Among their six restaurants is Surreal in National Landing. Long Shot Hospitality’s Kyle Bailey, Jon Ball, Jeremy Carman, Gavin Coleman, and Paul Holder. They are connected with Salt Line, Ometeo, and The Lost Fox. Andrew Dana and Daniela Moreira, owners of Call Your Mother, which has locations in Alexandria and McLean, are nominated. They are also behind Timber Pizza, Turu’s, and Mercy Me. The other nominees are José Andrés of José Andrés Restaurants and Zubair, Omar, Fatima, and Shamim Popal, of The Popal Group.
Three NoVA restaurants are in the running to be named Casual Restaurant of the Year. They are Kirby Club in the Mosaic District, Stellina Pizzeria in Shirlington, and Taco Bamba, which has multiple locations in NoVA and Maryland. They are up against DC’s La Famosa and Supra. Kirby Club is on the magazine’s 50 Best Restaurants list, and Stellina Pizzeria is one of our best places to get pizza.
One Virginia restaurant, Blue Rock in Rappahannock County, is nominated to be Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year. The others nominated are Causa/Amazonia, Oyster Oyster, Rania, and The Dabney.
A panel of judges will determine the top winners for new restaurant, casual restaurant, formal restaurant, and some other categories. Those winners will be announced on Sunday, July 21, at the 42nd Annual RAMMY Awards Gala in DC.
Votes from the public will determine the winners of five other categories: Hottest Sandwich Shop of the Year, Favorite Fast Bites, Favorite Gathering Place, Best Bar, and Best Brunch.
The restaurant to be crowned the Hottest Sandwich Shop of the Year may be one in Virginia. Three NoVA eateries are among the five competing. They are Colada Shop, with locations in Mosaic and Clarendon; Queen Mother’s in Arlington; and Roaming Rooster, with locations in Tysons, Burke, and Chantilly. The other two nominees are Lucky Buns and Your Only Friend, both in DC.
Four spots with NoVA locations are nominated for Favorite Fast Bites. They are Andy’s Pizza, which has locations in Alexandria and Tysons; Fava Pot, which has a restaurant in Falls Church; Hi/Fi Tex-Mex BBQ in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood; and Arepa Zone, which has a takeout-only location in Fairfax. The other nominee is Bantam King in DC.
Glory Days Grill, with locations across NoVA and the DMV, is one of five up for Favorite Gathering Place. The others are Brookland’s Finest, Lulu’s Winegarden, Millie’s, and Mi Vida.
You can vote online at nbcwashington.com/RAMMYS until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 31.
See all of the RAMMY finalists online.
Feature image of Ellie Bird steak by Albert Ting
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