Alexandria Eatery, Restaurant Group Nominated For RAMMY Awards

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Alexandria-associated restaurants are up for RAMMY awards, a top honor for the restaurant and food service industry in the DC region.

The nomination ceremony for the 40th annual awards was held Tuesday night. Winners will be announced at the RAMMY Awards Gala on July 24 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

RAMMY awards are open to members of the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington. Among the nominees is Bun Papa for the Outstanding Pop-Up Concept award. Bun Papa serves up chicken sandwiches, burgers, fries at pop-ups inside Bread & Water Company at the Belle View Shopping Center and the Beeliner Diner at Bradlee Shopping Center.

The Outstanding Pop-Up Concept nominates pop-up businesses without their own physical location. According to the criteria, nominees show a "creative idea, new potential restaurant concept, bar, food truck or delivery menu" and "high standard of excellence, creativity, and execution." Nominees must have been in operation during 2021.

The other two nominations associated with Alexandria are for Neighborhood Restaurant Group. The restaurant group's Neighborhood Provisions is nominated for the Standout Family Meal Packages To Go award. Neighborhood Provisions offers prepared food and grocery items for pickup or delivery, including holiday and locally-sourced items. The award category recognizes family meal packages when diners were seeking takeout in 2021.

The restaurant group's Michael Babin is also nominated for the Restaurateur of the Year award. Alexandria-based Neighborhood Restaurant Group includes restaurants such as Evening Star Cafe, Buzz Bakeshop, Rustico and the temporarily-closed Columbia Firehouse and Vermilion. The Restaurateur of the Year category recognizes a person or restaurant group "who sets high standards in restaurant operations and entrepreneurship." Nominees must be in the restaurant business for at least five years in the DC region.

Judges will decide winners for most of the RAMMY categories. The seven categories decided by a public vote will be Favorite Gathering Place of the Year, Favorite Fast Bites, Best Brunch of the Year, Outstanding Pop-Up Concept, Standout Family Meal Packages To Go, Splendid Holidays at Home and Hottest Sandwich Spot.

See the full list of RAMMY nominees as reported by Eater DC.