Photo by Tony Brown for Visit Alexandria
Bastille in Old Town Alexandria
Alexandria had plenty to celebrate Monday night.
Two of the city's restaurants walked away with trophies at the 44th Annual RAMMYS Awards & Gala, the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington's annual honors — often described as the Oscars of the D.C.-area dining scene. The ceremony, held for the first time at Arena Stage at The Mead Center for American Theater, capped a season that began with 190 semifinalists and narrowed to 95 finalists across 20 categories.
For Alexandria, two of those categories came down to a hometown showdown — and in both, a local favorite came out on top. The winners were reported by the Washington Business Journal.
Andy's Pizza: Fast Casual Restaurant of the Year
Photo courtesy of Visit Alexandria
Pizza from Andy's Pizza in Old Town Alexandria
Andy's Pizza, the New York-style slice shop with an Old Town location at 107 N. Fayette St., was named Fast Casual Restaurant of the Year. The win is something of a redemption story: Andy's was a finalist in the same category last year but lost out to D.C. taco shop La Tejana.
Also read: A Table Down the Street: Democracy of the Slice: Howie Southworth pays a visit to Andy's Pizza in Old Town Alexandria.
Founded by Montgomery County native Andy Brown, the brand got its start at Tysons Galleria in 2018 and has since grown to more than a dozen locations across the DMV. Andy's has built its reputation on thin, lightly charred slices modeled on classic New York pies — an approach that has earned it a regular spot on local "best pizza" lists.
The category put two Alexandria spots in direct competition: Andy's shared the finalist slate with fellow Old Town favorite Call Your Mother, the wood-fired bagel and deli shop at 1300 King St.
Juan Ramirez: Manager of the Year
Photo courtesy of Bastille
Juan Ramirez of Bastille
The night's second Alexandria honor went to Juan Ramirez of Bastille Brasserie & Bar, the French brasserie at 606 N. Fayette St., who was named Manager of the Year. The award recognizes the front-of-house leadership and hospitality that keep a dining room running — the kind of work that often goes unseen by guests but defines the experience.
Ramirez's win came in another category with a local rivalry: he was a finalist alongside Todd Hunt of Oak Steakhouse Alexandria.
Also read: Maison Breizh at Bastille to Open June 4 in Alexandria
A regional night to remember
Elsewhere on the program, the region's marquee awards went to some of D.C.'s most acclaimed names. Chef Michael Rafidi's Levantine restaurant Albi took Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year, Stephen Starr's revival of The Occidental won New Restaurant of the Year, and Adams Morgan's Perry's, home to James Beard Award winner Masako Morishita, earned Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year.
The RAMMYS recognize excellence across the dining and hospitality community of D.C., Maryland and Virginia, from the kitchen to the floor. This year's gala wrapped with an expanded post-awards celebration at The Anthem at The Wharf.
Alexandria's strong showing follows a busy awards season for the city's restaurants. For the full local finalist field, see our earlier coverage: Did Alexandria Restaurants Make the RAMMY Finalist List?
