RAMMY Awards: See 2024 Restaurant Winners In Northern VA, DC

WASHINGTON, DC — As restaurant industry professionals gathered in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center for the RAMMY awards Sunday night, several restaurants with a Northern Virginia connection scored honors.

The 42nd annual RAMMY awards held by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington celebrates excellence in the DC region's restaurant industry. Members of the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington were eligible to be nominated for the awards. An anonymous panel of judges decided awards, except the five publicly-voted categories — Favorite Gathering Place, Best Brunch, Best Bar, Favorite Fast Bites and Hottest Sandwich Shop. For the Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year category, finalists were decided by peers, and Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington's executive committee selected the winner.

Falls Church-based Ellie Bird won the New Restaurant of the Year award. Owners Yuan and Carey Tang, who were raised in Falls Church, opened Ellie Bird as their second restaurant following success of the Michelin-starred Rooster & Owl in D.C.

Fava Pot, which has locations in Falls Church and D.C., won the Favorite Fast Bites award that was chosen by a public vote. The restaurant was started by Egyptian immigrant Dina Daniel as a food truck in 2013 and expanded into brick-and-mortar locations.

Another Northern Virginia winner was Colada Shop, a Cuban chain started in D.C. with other locations in Arlington's Clarendon, Fairfax's Mosiac District, and Potomac, Maryland. Colada Shop won the Hottest Sandwich Shop award decided by a public vote.

Other RAMMY winners in 2024 include:

• Cocktail Program of the Year: Silver Lyan, northwest D.C.
• Rising Culinary Star of the Year presented by LINK Strategic Partners: Masako Morishita, Perry's, northwest D.C.
• Beer Program of the Year: Zinnia, Silver Spring, Maryland
• Wine Program of the Year presented by Père Wine Bar: Apero, northwest D.C.
• Favorite Gathering Place presented by BN Commercial Hood Cleaning and Fire Protection: Mi Vida, northwest and southwest D.C.
• Best Brunch: Duke’s Counter, northwest D.C.
• Best Bar: Bar Chinois, northwest D.C.
• Employee of the Year: Michael Wyatt, Annabelle Restaurant, northwest D.C.
• Manager of the Year: Victoria Gradia, KNEAD Hospitality + Design, various locations in D.C.
• Service Program of the Year presented by Ecolab: Reveler’s Hour, northwest D.C.
• Casual Restaurant of the Year: La Famosa, southeast D.C.
• Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year: Lutèce
• Pastry Chef or Baker of the Year: Rochelle Cooper, The Duck & The Peach, southeast D.C.
• Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year: Causa/Amazonia, northwest D.C.
• Chef of the Year presented by Pepco, an Exelon Company: Angel Barreto, Anju, northwest D.C.
• Restaurateur of the Year presented by Pepco, an Exelon Company: Kyle Bailey, Jon Ball, Jeremy Carman, Gavin Coleman, and Paul Holder, Long Shot Hospitality, restaurants in D.C., Virginia and Maryland
• Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year: Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School, northwest and northeast D.C.

Along with hosting the RAMMYs Gala, Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington held a RAMMYS Honors event in June for select awards. These were the 2024 Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award that went to Greater Washington Partnership CEO Kathy E. Hollinger, Honorary Milestone Awards, and the 2024 Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year winner Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School.

The Honorary Milestone Awards went to Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington member restaurants in business for at least 25 years — The Dubliner for 50 years, Equinox on 19th for 25 years, KAZ Sushi Bistro for 25 years, Marcel’s for 25 years Black’s Bar & Kitchen for 25 years, and Passage to India for 25 years.