THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION OF METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON ANNOUNCES THE 44TH ANNUAL RAMMYS AWARDS WINNERS
WASHINGTON (June 29, 2026) — 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.
Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year: Events DC
Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award: Muriel Bowser, Mayor of the District of Columbia
Honorary RAMMY Award: Stratus Firm
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.
More information is available at www.TheRAMMYS.org.
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About The RAMMYS Awards & Gala
Presented by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), The RAMMYS Awards & Gala honors the exceptional ability and accomplishments of the hard-working individuals and organizations of the region’s restaurants and food service community. Named the #1 Food & Restaurant event by BIZBASH Magazine since 2009, The RAMMYS celebrate one of Metropolitan Washington’s greatest assets: its restaurants.
About Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW)
The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) is the regional trade association representing restaurants and the food service industry in the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area. Established in 1920, RAMW is an advocate, resource, and community for its members. The Association works to promote and sustain the growth and development of the industry while providing its members legislative and regulatory representation, marketing and small business support, programming and events. RAMW strives to serve its members with professionalism and integrity and provide them with the training, education, and support they need to grow a successful business. For more information about RAMW, visit www.ramw.org.