Year in Review with RAMW and 2014 Restaurant Watch

Season’s greetings from RAMW! Let’s take a look back over this year’s activities:

This year, we hosted many recurring events and announced some exciting new partnerships.  February brought RAMW’s annual Winter Restaurant Week. This year the event had a new look with a redesigned logo and a more functional website where diners can book their reservations online through a partnership with OpenTable. Also in February, RAMW announced its partnership with the Culture Alliance of Greater Washington to promote dining and the arts through the CultureCapital.com website.

This summer was a sizzling one. The 2013 RAMMY Awards were held in June.  The theme, Restaurants in Bloom, was reflective of the District’s ever-blossoming dining scene and drew attendees fashioned in garden attire. RAMMY Awards were given in a range of categories honoring restaurants and individuals, and the night was filled with amazing food and celebration. Also this year, RAMW’s Educated Eats program offered “Future of the Industry” Scholarships in the amount of $2,500 to students who demonstrated an interest and commitment to a career in the restaurant industry.  We closed out the summer activities in August with a second round of the region’s best restaurant deals at RAMW’s 2013 Summer Restaurant Week.

RAMW fell into fall with an emphasis on football!  We joined Events DC in celebrating the tradition of college gridiron action while honoring the heritage and excellence of Historically Black Colleges and Universities at the 3rd annual AT&T Nation’s Football Classic®. RAMW member restaurants welcomed fans, students, faculty, and alumni with various specials and promotions.

2013 was a tremendous year for RAMW and we anticipate an even better 2014!

2014 Restaurant Watch:

While there were many fabulous additions to the DC dining scene in 2013, we anticipate another robust round of restaurant openings and expansions in the coming year. The popular Korean BBQ Taco restaurant, TaKorean, is expanding to Yards Park. The historic Ben’s Chili Bowl is also expanding with new locations at Reagan National Airport and in Arlington, Virginia, with a possible third new location. All-in-one restaurants seem to be a trend in 2014 with restaurants like Menu - a market, restaurant, and bar; and Pinstripes - a restaurant, nightclub, bowling alley, and bocce court. Both restaurants are expected to open in January. A partial list of potential 2014 restaurant openings is listed below:

100 Montaditos (Spanish), 300 Tingey St SE, Yards Park

Ben’s Chili Bowl, Reagan National Airport, May 2014 and 1725 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA, Early 2014

Bergami's (Pizzeria), Rhode Island Row, Spring 2014

Bidwell (American cuisine), 1309 5th St. NE, January 2014

Bread Furst (Bakery), 4434 Connecticut Ave. NW, February 2014

Carolina Kitchen, Rhode Island Row, January 2014

China Chilcano (Chinese Peruvian), 418 7th St, NW, Spring 2014

Compass Rose, 14th and T St. NW, Early February 2014

Creme (American cuisine), 2438 14th Street, NW, Early 2014

Fiola Mare (Seafood), 3050 K Street NW

, Early 2014

Flight Wine Bar, 777 6th St. NW, Early January 2014

GCDC, 1730 Pennsylvania Ave, Early February 2014

Homestead (Mediterranean and American cuisine), 3911 Georgia Ave, NW, Spring 2014

Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab, 740 15th St. NW
, January 2014

Kapnos Taverna (Greek), 4000 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA, Summer 2014

Mad Fox Taproom, 2218 Wisconsin Avenue NW, First quarter of 2014

Maketto (Cambodian and Taiwanese), 1351 H St. NE, Winter 2014

Menu (Market, restaurant, and bar), 405 8th St NW, January 2014

Meridian Pint and Smoke and Barrel, 8th and Monroe St, NE, Spring/early summer 2014

Nicoletta (Pizzeria), 301 Water St SE, March 2014

Pinstripes, 3222 M St. NW, January 2014

Pup and the People (American cuisine), 1648 North Capitol St NW, Summer 2014

Roofers Union, 2446 18th St. NW, January 2014

TaKorean (Korean BBQ tacos), 1212 4th St SE, Summer 2014

TKO Burger, Rhode Island Row, January 2014

Toro Toro (Brazilian-inspired steakhouse), 1300 Eye St. NW, March 2014