The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington is out with its awards for D.C.-area restaurants with staying power ahead of July’s RAMMY Awards, which name outstanding restaurants, chefs and culinary programs in nearly two dozen categories.
For this year’s Honorary Milestone Award winners, eight D.C.-area restaurants are recognized for their decades of operation in the D.C. restaurant scene.
They are:
- Filomena Ristorante — 40 years
- The Grill From Ipanema — 30 years
- Old Europe — 75 years
- Cafe Milano — 30 years
- National Democratic Club — 70 years
- Artie’s — 45 years
- Four Sisters — 30 years
- Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse — 75 years
The Honorary Milestone Award recognizes restaurants that have reached at least 25 years of continuous operation, from casual to formal dining, as some of the region’s most-celebrated dining institutions.
Annie’s has been a Dupont Circle institution since 1948. Old Europe, also in business since 1948, is what the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington calls a true authentic German landmark.
The National Democratic Club has been a dining top spot for politicians for seven decades. Georgetown’s Cafe Milano has been serving Italian fare since 1993, and The Grill from Ipanema first opened its doors in Adams Morgan three decades ago serving authentic Brazilian food.
Virginia honorees include Great American Restaurants’ Arties, for 45 years of innovative American cuisine in Fairfax, and Four Sisters, which recently announced its closure after 30 years of bringing Vietnamese cuisine to the Merrifield neighborhood.
The Milestone Award were first presented in 2008 to Ben’s Chili Bowl. Other past honorees include 1789, The Tombs, Tabard Inn, Tune Inn, The Monocle, Rockland’s Barbecue and Grilling Company, Tony and Joe’s Seafood Place, Vace and Pizzeria Paradiso.
The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington also awarded its John G. Laytham Exceptional Leadership and Impact Award this year, chosen by its executive committee, to Michael Curtin, chief executive officer of DC Central Kitchen, for his significant contribution to the region’s food service industry and giving back to the community.
Past Laytham award honorees include Chef José Andrés and Claude Anderson of the Clyde’s Restaurant Group.
The recipients will be honored at the 41st annual RAMMY Awards Gala on July 9 at the Washington Convention Center, when main 2023 RAMMY Awards winners will be announced.
Public voting on restaurants remains open through May 31 in categories including New Restaurant of the Year, Rising Culinary Star of the Year, Casual Restaurant of the Year, Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year, and Chef of the Year.
There are a total of 20 categories. A list of the finalists is online.
