The 42nd annual Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington’s RAMMY Awards ceremony was held Sunday night at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, naming the best of the best in the D.C.-area restaurant scene, as voted by the public and a panel of judges.
The winner of the Best New Restaurant award is Ellie Bird, a comfort food neighborhood restaurant in Falls Church, Virginia, from restaurateurs Yuan and Carey Tang, whose more formal Rooster & Owl on D.C.’s 14th Street NW earned a Michelin star in 2021.
Ellie Bird is named after the couple’s daughter, who was born during the pandemic when the pair hatched their plan for a more casual restaurant. Both restaurateurs are Falls Church natives.
Here are the 2024 RAMMY Winners in all categories announced Sunday night. Those with asterisks are publicly-voted winners:
New Restaurant of the Year (presented by The Fork CPAs): Ellie Bird in Falls Church
Cocktail Program of the Year: Silver Lyan in Northwest D.C.
Rising Culinary Star of the Year (presented by LINK Strategic Partners): Masako Morishita of Perry’s in Northwest D.C.
Beer Program of the Year: Zinnia in Silver Spring, Maryland
Wine Program of the Year (presented by Père Wine Bar): Apéro in Northwest
*Favorite Gathering Place* (presented by BN Commercial Hood Cleaning and Fire Protection): Mi Vida (locations in Northwest and Southwest D.C.)
*Best Brunch*: Duke’s Counter in Northwest D.C.
*Best Bar*: Bar Chinois in Northwest D.C.
*Favorite Fast Bites*: Fava Pot (locations in Northwest D.C. and Falls Church)
*Hottest Sandwich Shop*: Colada Shop (locations in Northwest and Southwest D.C.)
Employee of the Year: Michael Wyatt of Annabelle Restaurant in Northwest D.C.
Manager of the Year: Victoria Gradia of D.C.-based KNEAD Hospitality + Design
Service Program of the Year (presented by Ecolab): Reveler’s Hour in Northwest D.C.
Casual Restaurant of the Year: La Famosa in Southeast D.C.
Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year: Lutèce in Northwest D.C.
Pastry Chef or Baker of the Year: Rochelle Cooper of The Duck & The Peach in Southeast D.C.
Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year: Causa/Amazonia in Northwest D.C.
Chef of the Year (presented by Pepco, an Exelon Company): Angel Barreto of Anju in Northwest D.C.
Restaurateur of the Year (presented by Pepco, an Exelon Company): Kyle Bailey, Jon Ball, Jeremy Carman, Gavin Coleman and Paul Holder of D.C.-based Long Shot Hospitality.
