2024 Food aficionados from all over converged at the National Building Museum on Thursday, July 25 for Washingtonian‘s highly anticipated Best of Washington tasting event. This year’s saloon soirée themed event dazzled attendees with an unforgettable evening. Over 60 distinguished local restaurants, many featured on Washingtonian‘s esteemed Top 100 Best Restaurants 2024 list, presented their signature dishes, offering attendees a prime chance to explore new culinary favorites. During the event, guests voted for their favorite restaurant and RUTA was awarded the People’s Choice Award. We also had our food critics anonymously sampling bites, and the Critics’ Choice Award was given to the restaurant RANIA. This event also couldn’t happen without our incredible team of vendors and partners: BBJ Latavola, Breakthru Beverage, ArtStella Productions, Constellation Brands, Extraordinary Entertainment, Occasions Catering, Paradise Cove Canned Cocktails, Molecular Food & Cocktails, Please Bring Chips, Postgame Seltzer, Perfect Settings, MJ Valet, Right Place Studio, SNAP Entertainment, Something Vintage, and Washington Talent Agency. Thank you to our design partner, Design Foundry for providing the perfect western ambiance for the night, and thank you to our amazing logistics partner Stratus Firm, for helping it all come to life! Proceeds from this event benefitted the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Photographs by Dan Swartz/Revamp, Sarah Heaton, David Claypool, Al Feury, and Rosa Garcia. Embassy of the State of Qatar’s Dr. Hamad Mohamed Al Muftah and Washingtonian CEO Cathy Merrill American Beverage Association President and CEO, Kevin Keane Arian June, Tamika Tremaglio, and Rashida MacMurray-Abdullah There were several decorated bars where guests could get fun cocktails in the “Waterin’ Hole” Rania team placing out their winning Critics’ Choice dish Guests sampling bites from several of the restaurants at the National Building Museum 2 lucky attendees won free flights to Turkey courtesy of Turkish Airlines Calsin Hoyle of Molecular Food & Cocktails and her team crafted custom mocktails for our VIP guests Restaurant Sura placing out samples for attendees Celebrity chefs Michael and Bryan Voltaggio with Washingtonian President and CEO, Cathy Merrill Washington Commanders’ Mark Ein and The White House’s John McCarthy MGM lounge visitors received a personalized leather Our stilt walkers provided ample entertainment throughout the night Dukes Grocery with their breakfast sausage deviled eggs American Beverage’s “Hydration Station” Guests could take “Old-Time” photos in Geico’s lounge Andrew Kovalcin, Joe Maloney, Bennett Richardson Wonder Woman Lynda Carter, Melissa Moss, and Cathy Merrill Embassy of Qatar’s Legend Brumbaugh, Washingtonian’s Susan Farkas, and Hines’ Timothy Lowery McEnearney’s Jeanne Choi and her guest Ann Abanto Occasions catering provided delicious hors d’oeuvres for our VIP reception Ellis and Compnay’s Peggy Ellis, Johnson & Johnson’s Jane Adams, and PepsiCo’s Bridgitte Gwyn Erich and Amanda Cabe Guest got fun cocktails and drinks from the waterin’ hole bar RUTA’s winning Honey Cake The Blossom Beverage team with their new dark cherry espresso martinis The American Beverage Association’s bar was on theme with mini hay bales and illuminated lanterns Aflac’s Brand Knox and Story Partners Gloria Dittus Dr. George and Rina Bitar Michael Sessums, James Byles, Mike Madsen, Felecity Amos, and Tim Stefanick Isabell Trafton and Carl Hulse of the NYTThe post From the Mag: Best of Washington Photos first appeared on Washingtonian.