Falls Church Restaurants Nominated For 2020 RAMMY Awards

FALLS CHURCH, VA — Finalists for the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington's 2020 RAMMY awards were announced Monday, and several Falls Church restaurants made the cut.

Katherine Thompson, co-owner of Thompson Italian, is nominated for pastry chef of the year. Thompson Italian opened last summer in place of Argia's on North Washington Street. Other nominees for pastry chef of the year are Caitlin Dysart of Centrolina, Olivia Green of Rooster & Owl, Meagan Tighe of Trummer’s and Paola Velez of Kith/Kin.

Falls Church's other nominee is Liberty Barbecue for casual brunch of the year. It's up against four DC restaurants: All-Purpose Shaw, Casolare Ristorante + Bar, Pearl Dive Oyster Palace and The Tavern at Ivy City Smokehouse. The Liberty Tavern Group's Mark Fedorchak, Stephen Fedorchak and Brian Normile, whose restaurants include Liberty Barbecue and Northside Social in Falls Church, are nominated for Restauranteur of the Year.

Restaurants that are members of the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington who met category requirements were eligible to be nominated. The finalists and winners are selected through the voting public and an anonymous panel of volunteer judges, including food and dining journalists, educators and food service industry professionals. The public will decide winners in four categories: favorite gathering place of the year, upscale brunch of the year, casual brunch of the year and favorite fast bites of the year. Dates for voting this summer will be announced.

The Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington has already announced winners of special awards for 2020. The Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award will go to Randy Norton of Great American Restaurants "for his dedication and leadership that has helped transform the region’s restaurant scene into today’s vibrant industry," RAMW said in a press release. The 2020 Honorary Milestone RAMMY Awards will be given to Mrs. K’s Toll House for 90 years in business, Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Company for 30 years, and Vace Italian Delicatessen for 44 years.

Winners will be announced at the 38th Annual RAMMY Awards Gala, scheduled for Sunday, July 26 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. RAMW could reschedule to a later date if warranted by the new coronavirus crisis. See the full list of finalists for 2020 RAMMYs.