And the RAMMY Winner Is...

Oh what a night! The DC food scene got fully glammed up and turned all the way out at the 43rd Annual RAMMYS Awards & Gala, held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Presented by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), this annual celebration honors the chefs, restaurants, teams, and industry visionaries who keep our region delicious.

Most winners were selected by a panel of anonymous industry judges, while four key categories (Best Bar, Brunch, Sandwich Spot, and Gathering Place) were decided by the people—aka you!

Drumroll please… here are your 2025 RAMMY winners:

Allied Member of the Year: Keany Produce & Gourmet
Beer Program of the Year: Atlas Brew Works
*Best Bar of the Year: Tune Inn Restaurant and Bar
*Best Brunch of the Year: Le Diplomate
Casual Restaurant of the Year: 2Fifty Texas BBQ
Chef of the Year: Carlos Delgado – Causa/Amazonia
Cocktail Program of the Year: Jane Jane
Employee of the Year: Juan Sanchez – Cafe du Parc & Willard’s Peacock Alley
Fast Casual Restaurant of the Year: La Tejana
*Favorite Gathering Place of the Year: The Dew Drop Inn
Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year: MITA
*Hottest Sandwich Spot of the Year: Jetties
Manager of the Year: Lorena Reyes – Founding Farmers
New Restaurant of the Year: La’ Shukran
Pastry Chef or Baker of the Year: Alicia Wang – Yellow / Albi / La’ Shukran
Restaurateur of the Year: Seng Luangrath – Baan Mae, Padaek, and Thip Khao
Rising Culinary Star of the Year: Suresh Sundas – Daru
Service Program of the Year: El Cielo
Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year: Tail Up Goat
Wine Program of the Year: Era Wine Bar

Special Honors & Milestones:

RAMW also recognized a few icons and industry changemakers during the RAMMYS Honors Cocktail Reception earlier this summer:

Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award: Ruth Gresser
John G. Laytham Exceptional Leadership Award: Virginia Ali & The Ben’s Chili Bowl Foundation
Honorary RAMMY Award: Linda Roth
Milestone Restaurant Awards:

DC:

Bistrot du Coin – 25 years
Chef Geoff’s – 25 years
Bobby Van’s Steakhouse – 25 years

Maryland:

Caribbean Superior – 25 years

Virginia:

Heidelberg Bakery – 50 years
Celebrity Delly – 50 years

Here’s to the winners and the nominees. We’re raising a glass to the DMV’s resilient and ever-delicious dining community.