2016 Rammy Finalists: Montgomery County Restaurants in the Mix

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BETHESDA, MD — Popular Montgomery County restaurants – think Cava Grill and Sushiko -- are finalists in the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington’s 2016 RAMMY Awards.

Winners will be announced Sunday, June 12, at the 34th annual RAMMY Awards Gala.

The winners will be selected by the voting public and a panel of judges that includes food and dining journalists, educators and foodservice industry professionals, according to a RAMW release.

The voting public will decide the winners in four categories at the Washington City Paper website through April 14. Voters pick their Favorite Gathering Place of the Year, Upscale Brunch, Everyday Casual Brunch and Favorite Fast Bites.

Here are the finalists for the 2016 RAMMY Awards, along with descriptions of the categories, provided by RAMW.

Montgomery County venues are represented in three categories, including restaurateur of the year.

Everyday Casual Brunch: The nominee is a restaurant that demonstrates a dedication to dining excellence, service and value in a Casual environment for brunch. Brunch may be offered as full-service, buffet, or prix fixe. The nominee must have been in operation for a minimum of one year as of December 1, 2015.

• DGS Delicatessen - DC
• Duke's Grocery
• Republic, Takoma Park
• Tico
• Vinoteca

Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year: The nominee is a restaurant that demonstrates a high standard of dining excellence and service in an upscale casual environment. The nominee must have been in business a minimum of two years by December 1, 2015.

• Le Diplomate
• Osteria Morini
• Sushiko (Chevy Chase)
• The Red Hen
• Zaytinya

Restaurateur of the Year: The nominee must be a working restaurateur or restaurant group who sets high standards in restaurant operations and entrepreneurship. Candidates must have been in the restaurant business for a minimum of 5 years in the Metropolitan Washington area.

• Cava Group (Cava Grill, Cava Mezze, Cava Foods, Sugo)
• Gruppo FT Restaurants (Fiola, Fiola Mare, Casa Luca)
• JL Restaurant Group (Hank's Oyster Bar, Hank's Pasta Bar, The Twisted Horn)
• Mike Isabella Concepts (Graffiato, Kapnos, G, Kapnos Taverna, Pepita, Yona, etc)
• Paul Ruppert, Warehouse Industries (Room 11, Crane & Turtle, Petworth Citizen, Slim's Diner)

The Cava Group’s Cava Grill eateries have locations at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, Bethesda Row, Silver Spring, Kentlands. And the group’s Cava Mezze restaurants operate in Olney and Rockville.