The 2026 RAMMYS Winners Are In: DC's Best Restaurants Crowned
The 2026 RAMMYS winners are here. Washington DC Magazine breaks down who won, what it means for DC's dining scene, and which restaurants topped the night.
In brief
The 2026 RAMMYS winners have been announced by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), crowning the best restaurants, chefs, and hospitality professionals in the Washington DC metro area. The annual awards — the most prestigious in DC dining — recognize excellence across dozens of categories, from Outstanding Chef to Favorite Neighborhood Restaurant, and serve as the definitive benchmark for the region's culinary talent.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The 2026 RAMMYS were presented by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, the region's leading hospitality trade organization.
The awards recognize excellence across the full DC metro dining ecosystem — from fine dining rooms in Georgetown and Penn Quarter to neighborhood staples in Petworth and Anacostia.
Washington DC's restaurant industry employs more than 75,000 workers and generates over $5 billion in annual revenue, making the RAMMYS a significant economic and cultural event.
RAMMYS winners are determined by a combination of industry peer voting and public balloting, giving the awards both professional credibility and community resonance.
A RAMMYS win routinely translates into measurable reservation spikes, press coverage, and long-term brand equity for honored establishments.
What Are the RAMMYS — and Why DC Takes Them Seriously
Every year, the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington gathers the region's culinary community for an evening that functions as equal parts industry celebration and competitive reckoning. The RAMMYS — shorthand for the RAMW Awards — have operated as DC's premier dining honors since their inception, evolving alongside a restaurant scene that has matured from a government-lunch town into one of the most dynamic food cities in the country.
Unlike the James Beard Awards, which evaluate chefs on a national stage, the RAMMYS are rooted entirely in the DMV — Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia. That local focus is the point. A RAMMYS win tells you something specific: this kitchen, this front-of-house team, this neighborhood room is doing something better than almost everyone else within driving distance of the Capitol.
Categories span the full spectrum of the dining experience. Outstanding Chef and Rising Culinary Star honor the people behind the stoves. Favorite Gathering Place and Everyday Occasion Restaurant acknowledge that most meals aren't celebrations — they're Tuesday nights and Saturday brunches and post-game stops. The breadth of categories reflects how seriously DC takes its food culture, from the white-tablecloth rooms of Georgetown and Penn Quarter to the counter-service spots anchoring Columbia Heights and H Street NE.
For a deeper look at who shapes DC's food and hospitality power structure, see our DC Restaurant Power Rankings.
DC's Restaurant Industry: The Stakes Behind the Trophy
The RAMMYS aren't just a party. They represent real economic weight. According to the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, the DC metro restaurant industry supports tens of thousands of jobs and billions in regional economic activity. A RAMMYS nomination alone moves the needle on OpenTable reservations. A win can redefine a restaurant's trajectory entirely.
That economic reality has sharpened the competition. Over the past decade, the DC dining scene has undergone a genuine transformation. Neighborhoods that once lacked a single destination restaurant now anchor entire culinary corridors. Shaw's 14th Street strip, the waterfront at The Wharf, Union Market in NoMa, and the emerging restaurant row in Brookland have all produced RAMMYS contenders and winners. The geographic spread of this year's nominees signals that DC's best cooking is no longer concentrated in any single neighborhood.
The 2026 awards cycle also arrives at a complicated moment for the industry. Post-pandemic labor pressures, rising food costs, and shifting dining habits — particularly the continued growth of large-format group dining and the decline of the traditional business lunch — have forced DC restaurateurs to adapt faster than at almost any point in recent memory. The restaurants that earned recognition this year did so while navigating that turbulence.
Ask any chef who has stood on the RAMMYS stage and they'll tell you the same thing: the room is different from other awards nights. This isn't a national ceremony where half the nominees flew in from another city. The people in those seats work the same farmer's markets on Saturday mornings, source from the same regional suppliers, and eat at each other's restaurants on their nights off. The RAMMYS are a neighborhood event, scaled up.
That intimacy makes the competition sharper and the wins sweeter. When a pastry chef from a 40-seat room in Bloomingdale takes home a RAMMYS over the dessert program at a multi-million-dollar Penn Quarter flagship, the room notices. When a wine director from a Virginia-side restaurant edges out candidates from DC proper, it signals something real about where the region's talent is concentrating.
The public voting component adds another layer. Unlike purely peer-voted awards, the RAMMYS incorporate community balloting, which means loyal regulars — the Georgetown couples who've eaten at the same bistro every anniversary, the Capitol Hill staffers who know every server by name at their go-to lunch spot — have a direct voice in the outcome. That combination of industry judgment and public affection is what gives RAMMYS wins their particular durability.
For more on DC's dining culture and what's driving the city's best tables right now, explore our comprehensive Best of DC 2025 guide.
Why This Matters in Washington
Washington is a city that runs on relationships, and restaurants are where those relationships are built and maintained. The corner booth at a Capitol Hill institution, the chef's counter at a Penn Quarter tasting room, the patio of a Dupont Circle neighborhood staple — these are not just places to eat. They are infrastructure. The RAMMYS honor the people who build and sustain that infrastructure year after year, through administrations and recessions and pandemics and everything in between.
There is also something distinctly DC about the RAMMYS' dual identity as both an industry event and a public celebration. This city has always been comfortable with the formal and the communal existing in the same room. The awards reflect that character — rigorous enough to mean something to a Michelin-starred kitchen, accessible enough that a Brightwood neighborhood regular can vote for their favorite brunch spot and watch it win.
As DC continues to assert itself as a national dining destination — drawing food media attention, attracting celebrated chefs from New York and beyond, and producing homegrown talent that now exports itself nationally — the RAMMYS serve as the annual accounting of where the city stands. The 2026 winners represent the current answer to that question.
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Frequently Asked Questions: 2026 RAMMYS
What are the RAMMYS? The RAMMYS are the annual restaurant awards presented by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), recognizing the best chefs, restaurants, bartenders, servers, and hospitality professionals in the Washington DC metropolitan area, including venues in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
Who votes for the RAMMYS? RAMMYS winners are selected through a combination of industry peer voting — ballots cast by working restaurant professionals across the DMV — and a public voting component that allows diners and community members to weigh in on select categories.
When did the 2026 RAMMYS take place? The 2026 RAMMYS ceremony was held in 2026 as part of the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington's annual awards cycle. Specific date and venue details are announced by RAMW ahead of each year's event.
How do the RAMMYS compare to the James Beard Awards? The James Beard Awards operate on a national scale, evaluating chefs and restaurants across the entire United States. The RAMMYS are exclusively focused on the Washington DC metro area, making them the definitive local benchmark — more granular, more community-rooted, and more directly reflective of the DMV dining scene.
Why do RAMMYS wins matter for DC restaurants? A RAMMYS win delivers measurable business impact — reservation spikes, increased press coverage, staff morale, and long-term brand recognition. In a competitive market like DC, where diners have hundreds of options, a RAMMYS trophy functions as a trusted quality signal for both local regulars and visitors.
Where can I find the full list of 2026 RAMMYS winners? The full 2026 RAMMYS winners list is published by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington at ramw.org and was first reported by Axios DC.
The bottom line: The 2026 RAMMYS have delivered their verdict on Washington DC's best restaurants, chefs, and hospitality professionals. Presented by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, the awards reflect the full depth of a dining scene that has spent the last decade earning national respect — one neighborhood table, one talented kitchen team, and one remarkable meal at a time. For DC's restaurant community, a RAMMYS win isn't just recognition. It's proof of something real.
What to watch next: As the 2026 RAMMYS winners settle into their new status, watch for which honored restaurants expand — new locations, cookbook deals, and national press profiles tend to follow RAMMYS momentum. Also track whether this year's Rising Culinary Star honoree joins the list of DC chefs who have parlayed local recognition into James Beard nominations within two to three years. That pipeline is real, and it runs directly through the RAMMYS stage.
Reporting drawn from: Axios. Washington DC Magazine provides original analysis, DC-specific context, and editorial perspective beyond the source material.This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed by WDCM editorial staff. Washington DC Magazine is committed to accuracy, transparency, and editorial integrity. If you believe any information in this article requires correction, please contact editor@washingtondcmagazine.com.
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CAN I KICK IT? screens New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument, on Aug. 22. (Courtesy SHAOLIN JAZZ)
The live-cinema series CAN I KICK IT? returns to the National Mall this month with what its producers are calling the "Gangsters on the Mall" chapter of their free outdoor summer run. On Saturday, August 22, the SHAOLIN JAZZ production brings the 1991 crime classic New Jack City to the Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument for a night of film, music, and community under the DC summer sky.
What sets the event apart is the sound. As the film plays, DJ 2-Tone Jones builds an original score in real time, reimagining one of the most iconic crime movies of the ’90s through hip-hop, soul, funk, and more. It is less a movie screening than a live performance built around the film.
The details:
Film: New Jack City (1991), with a live soundtrack by DJ 2-Tone Jones
When: Saturday, August 22 — seating opens at 7:30 p.m. (bring lawn chairs and blankets); film begins at 8:30 p.m.
Where: Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument, Independence Ave SW & 15th St NW
A parking note from the organizers: expect road closures and restricted parking east of 14th Street NW due to a separate race event in the District. Roads west of 14th Street NW will be accessible and available for parking.
New Jack City is the second of three screenings in this year’s free CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series, which opened with Black Panther at Skyland Town Center and concludes with Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial on September 5. Produced by the Washington, DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, the series has presented more than 150 live cinematic experiences at venues across the country, from Lincoln Center to SXSW.
"I wanted to be able to tell good stories with substance and remove the ‘ego’ out of the art," said Andrew Huang during a recent interview. Now, he’s building his career at the intersection of discipline, creativity and innovation.
Andrew Huang, founder of New Place Studios. (Courtesy photo)
As a Chinese American, Huang was reared with a deep respect for hard work, consistency and excellence. He describes his childhood as "not so affluent" and later attended college to hone his passion for videography. "In college I tried to do something I loved, which was video, but along the way I knew that I had to find a job. And so I thought, ‘what was the low hanging fruit to get to that stable 9 to 5 job?,’" he stated.
Later in life, Huang found himself working for corporations where his creativity was often limited, eventually leading to burnout. "I worked in a corporation for a long time and there were a lot of missing pieces. I wanted to fill in gaps missing in corporate video production," said Huang.
He later described how his upbringing and a mindset of "survival" led him toward a corporate career. However, his desire for balance and authentic storytelling ultimately pushed him to take the entrepreneurial leap.
"I founded a new place where you can create video and film with ‘substance and style,’" said Huang. His desire for work-life balance and passion for storytelling naturally evolved into a small business based in Virginia. With the launch of New Place Studios, the entrepreneur quickly found himself reconnecting with the values that would become the foundation of everything he creates behind the camera.
Huang said being a business owner has allowed him to first embrace himself. While others may see video as simply capturing moments, he sees it as a way to preserve stories that inspire, connect and leave a lasting imprint.
By combining cinematic visuals with cutting-edge production techniques and a keen understanding of branding, Huang helps organizations and individuals communicate their vision with purpose. He said understanding a client’s "why" serves as the compass for delivering the services they need.
One benefit of working with a small business, he said, is that clients get to see the production process unfold through a micro lens while working with the same faces throughout the entire project. "The work feels personal," said Huang.
Huang does not regret leaving behind the flash-over-substance mentality and corporate hustle culture. That does not mean the Asian American entrepreneur has been without challenges in the industry. "It’s relatively hard to find other Asian American creatives or people who would want to work with me in the DMV," said Huang.
He identifies the industry culture in which everyone is trying to blend in, creatives may fear displaying their Asian identity and some feel pressure to adopt an American corporate persona. He also points to what he describes as a level of gatekeeping within the industry. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2024 statistics, Asian American and Pacific Islander entrepreneurs own more than 3 million businesses and employ 5.2 million people in the United States.
After tapping into organizations such as SCORE, which offers free small business mentorship, New Place Studios has become a trusted creative partner throughout the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia). The company produces a range of creative services, including commercials, corporate branding, documentaries, film, 2D animation, motion graphics and photography.
For Huang, entrepreneurship has become more than a departure from corporate life. It has given him the freedom to create with intention, build meaningful connections and tell stories that go beyond the surface.
The 2026 CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
For three Saturdays this summer, some of Washington’s most familiar public spaces will do something they rarely do after dark: fill up with blankets, lawn chairs, and the sound of a movie being scored live, in real time. CAN I KICK IT?, the traveling “live cinema” series produced by the DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, is bringing a free outdoor run to the city — pairing three era-defining films with an original soundtrack performed on the spot by DJ 2-Tone Jones.
The premise is what sets it apart from a normal screening in the park. Rather than simply pressing play, 2-Tone Jones builds a score as the film unfolds, pulling from hip-hop, soul, funk, jazz, rock, electronic music, and sounds from around the world. The result, the organizers say, is less a movie night than a one-time performance — the same film you know, wired to a soundtrack you have never heard and will not hear again. Guest DJs warm up the crowd starting at 7:30 PM before each 8:30 PM screening.
The 2026 outdoor schedule
All three events are free and open to the public.
Saturday, August 8 — Black Panther at Skyland Town Center. A pop-up marketplace and community activities kick off the evening; guest DJs at 7:30 PM, film at 8:30 PM. Marvel’s superhero epic gets a one-night-only live score in Southeast DC.
Saturday, August 22 — New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument. Seating begins at 7:30 PM; the film starts at 8:30 PM. The 1991 crime drama plays out at the foot of one of the country’s most recognizable landmarks.
Saturday, September 5 — Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial. Seating at 7:30 PM; film at 8:30 PM. The series closes with Brian De Palma’s crime saga against the backdrop of the Memorial, scored live from start to finish.
First up: Black Panther at Skyland Town Center on August 8. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
A DC company with a national footprint
SHAOLIN JAZZ describes itself as a Washington-based arts company working at the intersection of music, film, art, and culture, and CAN I KICK IT? is its signature production. According to the organizers, the series has staged more than 150 live cinematic experiences around the country — at performing arts centers, museums, festivals, and cultural institutions including Lincoln Center in New York, SXSW, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Republic Square in Austin, the Tacoma Armory, and The Cary Theater.
“CAN I KICK IT? has always been about creating a shared experience,” said Gerald Watson, co-founder of SHAOLIN JAZZ. “When you combine iconic films with live music in public spaces, something special happens. People aren’t just watching a movie — they’re experiencing it together. That’s what makes these nights so memorable.”
Cinema as a community event
The DC run lands as cities across the country look for new ways to activate public space through arts and culture — and this series is a straightforward pitch for how to do it: take a landmark everyone already knows, add a film everyone has an opinion about, and let a live soundtrack turn the evening into something neighbors experience shoulder to shoulder. Families, film buffs, and music fans are all invited, and admission won’t cost a thing.
The CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series runs August 8, August 22, and September 5. All events are free; check SHAOLIN JAZZ (shaolinjazz.com) for the latest details and any weather updates before heading out.
