DC’s biggest restaurant industry awards, the RAMMYs, returned to semi-normal with a big gala at the convention center Sunday night. The usual recognitions for best new restaurant and chef of the year had paused during the pandemic in favor of honors for. But this year, the big accolades were back, along with some Covid-era carryover categories .
Another change that’s stuck around? Recognizing at least some restaurants that aren’t members of the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington—a move that’s helped make the awards more diverse and reflective of the dining scene. Publicly voted categories like best brunch and hottest sandwich shop were open to all. The other main categories—decided by an anonymous panel of food and media professionals—were limited only to dues-paying members.