Multiple Fairfax County restaurants named finalists for RAMMY Awards

The finalists for the D.C.-area restaurant industry’s annual RAMMY Awards are out, and a few Fairfax County hotspots made the cut.

Organized by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), a regional trade and advocacy group, the 40th annual RAMMYs represent a shift toward normalcy after two years of slightly modified proceedings to reflect the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unveiled last night (Tuesday) at a party in downtown D.C., the finalists are vying for a range of categories, from familiar titles like “New Restaurant of the Year” to ones introduced during the pandemic like “Standout Family Meal Packages To Go.”

While D.C. restaurants dominate the list, Fairfax County still managed to land five nominees:

• Beer Program of the Year: Caboose Tavern (Vienna), Sweetwater Tavern (Merrifield and Centreville)
• Best Brunch of the Year: A&J Restaurant (Annandale), Blend 111 (Vienna)
• Employee of the Year: Nicole Burdette at Taco Bamba (Springfield)

Some of those restaurants have been recognized before. Caboose previously made the “Beer Program” finals in 2020, though it didn’t win and the category took last year off. Taco Bamba’s Springfield location won “Employee of the Year” in 2020.

The categories added in response to the pandemic, including “Best Brunch,” will be determined by public voting starting in late April, according to RAMW.

All winners will be announced at an in-person ceremony on July 24 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C.