Two Silver Spring restaurants are finalists in this year’s RAMMY Awards, presented by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington.
The RAMMY Awards honor “excellence in the restaurant and foodservice industry in the Washington, D.C. area across a range of categories celebrating culinary concepts, service, and individuals,” according to a press release.
Zinnia and Roaming Rooster are both nominated for awards — Zinnia for beer program of the year and Roaming Rooster for hottest sandwich spot.
Since opening in 2021, Zinnia has received several accolades, including a top editor’s pick for best breakfast sandwich in this year’s Best of Bethesda issue. Roaming Rooster has several area locations and will open a new location in Downtown Silver Spring later this year.
According to RAMW, the selection process for RAMMY Awards finalists and winners is two-part. The first part involves the voting public, while the second part is conducted by an anonymous panel of volunteer judges, which includes food and dining journalists, educators, and food service industry professionals.
The voting public will decide the winners in five categories: Best Bar, Best Brunch, Favorite Fast Bites, Favorite Gathering Place, and Hottest Sandwich Shop of the Year. Public voting opened Tuesday and runs through 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 31.
According to MoCo360, other nominees in Montgomery County include:
- ala, located at 4948 Fairmont Ave. in Bethesda and Washington, D.C., is vying for the best brunch award.
- Andy’s Pizza, located at 4600 East-West Highway in Bethesda and several others in Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia, is nominated for favorite fast bites.
- Colada Shop is running for the hottest sandwich spot at 7993 Tuckerman Lane in Potomac and other Washington, D.C., and Virginia outposts.
- Taco Bamba, located at 670 Quince Orchard Road in Gaithersburg and 1627 Rockville Pike in Rockville, is nominated for casual restaurant of the year.
Restaurateur of the Year nominees include:
- José Andrés of Bethesda, who founded José Andrés Restaurants and owns 19 eateries in the area, including the Spanish Diner at 7271 Woodmont Ave. in Bethesda.
- Kyle Bailey, Jon Ball, Jeremy Carman, Gavin Coleman, and Paul Holder, who are part of Longshot Hospitality, are also nominated. They own and manage four restaurants, including The Salt Line at 7284 Woodmont Ave. in Bethesda.
- Andrew Dana and Daniela Moreira own several eateries, including Call Your Mother Deli, which is located at 1807 Grand Park Ave. in North Bethesda and is a fixture at the FRESHFARM Farmers Market in Downtown Silver Spring.
- Enrique Limardo and Ezequiel Vázquez-Ger, who are part of the Seven Reasons Group, own seven restaurants, including Joy by Seven Reasons at 5471 Wisconsin Ave. in Chevy Chase, which is a Latin American restaurant renowned for its brunch.
The winners will be announced at the 42nd Annual RAMMYS Awards Gala on July 21.
Photo: Zinnia / Facebook