A burrito joint and a butcher shop in Takoma Park along with an American chophouse in downtown Silver Spring are among the nine Montgomery County restaurants, restaurateurs and employees named as finalists Monday for RAMMY Awards presented annually by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington.
Winners will be announced at the 2025 RAMMYS Awards Gala on Aug. 3 held in Washington, D.C., an annual ceremony that “honors excellence in the Washington metropolitan area’s restaurant and food service community, from innovative beverage programs and top-tier service to culinary creativity and leadership,” a press release announcing the finalists stated.
“Each year, the RAMMYS shine a light on the incredible talent, resilience and creativity that define our region’s vibrant hospitality industry,” association President and CEO Shawn Townsend said in the release.
“This year’s finalists represent the heart of our community — from innovative entrepreneurs to the teams that deliver outstanding experiences,” Townsend said. “We’re proud to celebrate their achievements and the vital role they play in making the Washington, D.C., region a dining destination.”
Here are the local nominees:
- King Street Oyster Bar, a seafood restaurant that specializes in oysters, was named as a finalist in the upscale casual restaurant of the year category. The restaurant has multiple locations, including one in Potomac at 12435 Park Potomac Ave., which opened in 2021.
- Andy’s Pizza, the winner of the best traditional cheese pizza at the 2021 International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas, was named as a finalist for the fast casual restaurant of the year award, a new category introduced this year. The pizzeria has 11 locations in the region, with an outpost in downtown Bethesda at 4600 East West Highway that opened in September 2023.
- San Pancho, a mission-style burrito joint at 7056 Carroll Ave. in Takoma Park, was nominated for the new restaurant of the year award. The owners of the popular Mexican restaurant Cielo Rojo opened the shop in July.
- Matt Adler, a chef at Caruso’s Grocery, was nominated for the chef of the year award. The Italian American restaurant has a location in the District and one in North Bethesda’s Pike & Rose development.
- Luis Jara, an employee at downtown Silver Spring’s All Set Restaurant & Bar at 8630 Fenton St., is a finalist for the restaurant employee of the year award. Nominees for this award are non-managerial front- or back-of-house employees.
- Daniel Kramer, the managing partner at Duke’s Grocery, an East London-inspired gastropub that opened a Potomac location on April 8, is a finalist for the restaurateur of the year award. The Potomac eatery is at 10128 River Road in the Potomac Place shopping center.
While a panel of the RAMMY judges decides the majority of the awards categories, several are judged via public voting, including best brunch of the year and hottest sandwich spot, according to the release. Three Montgomery County restaurants were nominated in the public categories:
- J. Hollinger’s Waterman’s Chophouse, an American restaurant and craft cocktail bar at 8606 Colesville Road in Silver Spring, was nominated for best brunch.
- Soko Butcher, a Takoma Park butcher and sandwich shop known for its Philly cheesesteak, was nominated for the hottest sandwich shop.
- Jetties, a local sandwich chain with locations in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, was also nominated for the hottest sandwich.
Voting for these categories will be open to the public from May 1 through 31, according to the release. The voting will take place with the RAMMYS media partner, NBC Washington/Telemundo. Winners will be chosen by the public’s vote.
