The 44th Annual RAMMYS is in the books. The yearly awards ceremony and gala recognize excellence in the restaurant and hospitality industry across the D.C. area.
The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington said categories cover various facets of the food and service business, from standout leadership to beverage and culinary programs.
鈥淥ne of the things that I really wanted to stress is, I understand how hard this work is,鈥� said celebrity chef, author and TV host Carla Hall, who presented the first and last awards Monday evening at Arena Stage at The Mead Center for American Theater.
鈥淲hen I see somebody who’s wearing a tag that says 鈥榝inalist,’ I’m like, ‘Dude, the fact that you have a restaurant that is more than a year old, I’m celebrating that,’鈥� Hall said.
This year鈥檚 winners include Perry’s, which won the RAMMY for “Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year,” Andy’s Pizza, awarded the top spot for “Fast Casual Restaurant of the Year,” and the latest “Rising Culinary Star” is Martel Stone of D艒gon by Kwame Onwuachi.
鈥淚t feels a little surreal,鈥� Stone told WTOP. 鈥淚 talk a lot about the years before where Chef Kwame won this award, and I was standing off to the side, watching him and it’s surreal to be here, holding the same award.”
Onwuachi won the 2019 “Rising Culinary Star of the Year” while working at a different restaurant.
As the saying goes, ‘teamwork makes the dream work,’ and that was a theme carried by various winners.
鈥淚 couldn’t do my job if I didn’t have the right team, and I am blessed that I have the best people ever,鈥� said Juan Ramirez, who won “Manager of the Year” for work at Bastille Brasserie and Bar in Alexandria, Virginia.
鈥淚t’s not easy to manage, it’s not easy to be the one, the waiter, the chef that, you know, all these different roles that it takes to become a successful restaurant,鈥� Hall said.
Meanwhile, Rosie Nguyen of Rose Ave Bakery said she didn’t think she would win the prize for “Pastry Chef or Baker of the Year.”
鈥淚’m in a category of really amazing talent. I know these pastry chefs, and I do think they’re better than me,鈥� Nguyen said.
鈥淎ll I know is that I make yummy things that I enjoy eating. I put it out there, and I hope other people like it too,鈥� Nguyen told WTOP.
Among the winners, a reimagined restaurant with a 120-year history in the nation鈥檚 capital, The Occidental, took the prize for “New Restaurant of the Year.”
鈥淚 feel great. Just the opportunity to work there at a very historical place, and to bring it back to life. 鈥� It’s a great place for people to come and enjoy,鈥� Executive Chef Benjamin Lambert said. 鈥淲e just like to take care of you. So, come on down.鈥�
The 2026 RAMMYS winners:
- Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year: Albi
- New Restaurant of the Year: The Occidental
- Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year: Perry’s
- Chef of the Year: Matt Conroy and Isabel Coss, The Popal Group
- Restaurateur of the Year: Fernando Gonz谩lez, 2fifty Texas BBQ
- Wine Program of the Year: Fiola
- Fast Casual Restaurant of the Year: Andy’s Pizza
- Pastry Chef or Baker of the Year: Rosie Nguyen, Rose Ave Bakery
- Service Program of the Year, sponsored by Ecolab: Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab
- Manager of the Year: Juan Ramirez, Bastille Brasserie & Bar
- Employee of the Year: Jose Luis Salgado, Zinnia
- Beer Program of the Year: Pizzeria Paradiso
- Rising Culinary Star of the Year: Martel Stone, D艒gon by Kwame Onwuachi
- Cocktail Program of the Year: Amazonia
- Casual Restaurant of the Year: Tsehay Ethiopian
The following are winners of the publicly voted categories. Announcements about these wins were made last week.
- Hottest Sandwich Spot of the Year: Joia Burger
- Favorite Gathering Place of the Year: Old Ebbitt Grill
- Best Brunch of the Year: Unconventional Diner
- Best Bar of the Year, sponsored by Maison Perrier: Service Bar
- Content Creator of the Year: DCFoodGod, Tessa Alimahmoodi and Jason Fisher
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