In the heart of the Nation’s Capital, the table is where voices are heard and communities are built. But for our industry to thrive, we must ensure there is A Seat for Everyone.

As the region’s premier celebration of culinary excellence, The RAMMYS honor the hard-working individuals and visionary teams across DC, Maryland, and Virginia who keep our dining scene world-class. From the creative talent in the kitchen to the dedicated professionals on the floor, this is the night the industry comes together to celebrate its own.

The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) has announced the Winners for the 44th Annual RAMMYS Awards & Gala, the region’s biggest celebration of its restaurant and hospitality industry.

Presented annually by RAMW, The RAMMYS honor excellence across the Washington metropolitan area’s restaurant and food service community, from standout culinary and beverage programs to the leadership shaping the industry’s future.

The Awards Ceremony was hosted at Arena Stage at The Mead Center for American Theater on Monday, June 29, with a simultaneous Watch Party and a following Celebration Party at The Anthem.

The 2026 RAMMYS Winners are (*denotes publicly voted category):

• 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, sponsored by S.Pellegrino: Matt Conroy and Isabel Coss, The Popal Group

• Restaurateur of the Year: Fernando González, 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: Rose 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, sponsored by OpenTable: Martel Stone, Dōgon by Kwame Onwuachi

• Cocktail Program of the Year: Amazonia

• Casual Restaurant of the Year: Tsehay Ethiopian

• 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

The Winners of the publicly voted categories were announced the week of June 22 on NBC4 Washington and across RAMW’s social media platforms.

In May, RAMW presented The RAMMYS Honors, which recognize individuals and organizations selected by RAMW’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors for their lasting contributions to the Washington metropolitan area’s restaurant and hospitality community.

• Mayor Muriel Bowser, Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award

• Stratus Firm, Honorary RAMMYS Award

• Events DC, Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year

RAMW also presented Honorary Milestone Awards to longstanding restaurants in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia that have reached significant anniversaries of service:

Celebrating 25 Years

• The Diner

• Mezè Restaurant

Celebrating 50 Years

• Kramerbooks and All Day Cafe

• L’Auberge Chez François

• La Chaumière

Celebrating 90 Years

• Giant Food

Celebrating 100 Years

• The St. Regis Washington, D.C.

Any RAMW member in good standing who met all category eligibility requirements could be nominated in the restaurant, individual award and publicly voted categories. An anonymous panel of judges determined all Finalists and Winners, except for the Winners of the five publicly voted categories, which were decided by public vote earlier this year, and the Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year category, whose Finalists were nominated by peers and the Winner was selected by RAMW's Executive Committee.

The RAMMYS are produced in partnership with Presenting Sponsor Events DC; Awards Ceremony Sponsor CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield; Winner's Circle Sponsor JP Morgan Chase; Presenting Watch Party Sponsor Waymo; President's Circle Sponsors Amazon, National Landing BID, Stratus Firm, District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB), LINK Strategic Partners, Coca-Cola Consolidated, Monumental Sports and Entertainment, Doordash, Washington Gas, Serve Robotics, Ecolab, District of Columbia Office of Cable, Television, Film, Music, and Entertainment (OCTFME), S.Pelligrino, San Pelligrino Italian Sparkling Drinks, Maison Perrier, Acqua Panna, Kaiser Permanente, Pepco, an Excelon Company, Giant Food, Saval Foodservice, District of Columbia Department of Employment Services (DOES), Wonder, The Veritas Law Firm, NBC4 Washington, Studiio Box, Extraordinary Entertainment, GLOW and Echostage, and other generous sponsors.

Two iconic venues. One unforgettable night.

The RAMMYS Awards & Gala will step into a new era at The Wharf, Washington's thriving hospitality waterfront district!

For the first time, the Awards ceremony will be hosted at the iconic Arena Stage at The Mead Center for American Theater, cultivating a distinguished experience where Finalists can celebrate with colleagues, family and industry pioneers - while a dynamically expanded post-awards celebration will invite revelers from all corners of the industry to The Anthem, one of the nation’s most exciting live music and events venues. Read the press release.

We thank our generous 2026 RAMMYS Sponsors!