Nominees Revealed: The Best of The DMV 2025 Ballot Is Live

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Washington Informer is proud to announce the nominees for The Best of The DMV 2025. Thousands of nominations were received from across the region, highlighting the businesses, leaders, and organizations that make our community thrive.

We thank Safeway, the presenting sponsor of The Best of The DMV 2025, and Signarama Silver Spring, our supporting sponsor, for their partnership in celebrating the best of our region.

Voting is now open and will run through October 3, 2025. Community members can vote once per day, per category, per business.

Business & Professional Services

Best Black Tech Company

– Barter Black
– MPIRE Interactive
– NGEN
– Chirality Capital Consulting
– Airborne Objects, Ashburn VA

Best Chamber of Commerce or Business Association

– Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce
– Greater Washington Black Chamber of Commerce (GWBCC)
– DC Black MBA
– District of Columbia Chamber of Commerce
– Charles County Chamber of Commerce (CCC)
– Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce (VBCC)
– Northern Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce (NoVaBCC)
– Bi-County Business Roundtable
– Washington Area Community Investment Fund (Wacif)

Best Construction and Trade Company

– Corenic Construction Group
– A & Z Landscaping, LLC
– Blue Skye Construction
– 2K Home Services LLC
– Metro Flooring & Interior Design

Best Digital Creator

– Enjoy Media Group
– That Twin Mama – Lauren Berty
– B Carter Solutions
– Lauren Raggedy Royal Brown
– NaturallySunny/Atiya
– Bryant BeMo Brown
– Talia Cadet
– The Spotlight DMV

Best Event Planner

– Stunning Soirees, LLC
– DC Fray
– Elevate by SMW
– Tarsha Fitzgerald
– CREATIVE DESIGNS BY JAMILA BODDIE
– Top Line Events and Design
– ABCD & Company
– Signed in Pink Events
– Spotted MP
– Designs R Us
– Get Plated Catering

Best Law Firm

– District Legal Group, PLLC
– The Law Office of Deborah D. Boddie
– Nace Law Group Accident & Injury Lawyers
– Kemet Hunt Law Group
– Dixon Turnbull
– JS Proctor Law Firm

Best Local Bank

– Industrial Bank
– Prince George’s Federal Credit Union
– DC Credit Union
– Navy Federal Credit Union
– TD Bank

Best PR or Marketing Firm

– Manifest Greatness Media
– Spotted MP
– Maurisa Potts – Spotted MP (Marketing + Public Relations)
– DOT Communications
– INSPR Media LLC
– GO PROMOTE YOU, LLC

Best Photographer

– Bridgette Waters Turner
– Vicki McGill
– Abdullah Konte
– Robert R. Roberts
– Epic Media Photography
– The Olot Parking Lot
– Jeff Brooks Photography
– Dee Dwyer
– Derrel Todd
– Yulleta Pringle
– Marcus Relacion
– Photogenesys Real Estate Photography
– Joy Washington
– Tyrone Newburn
– Jada Imani M

Best Podcast Production Team / Studio

– Listen In With KNN
– The Al Galdi Podcast
– Citycast DC
– Bowie TV

Best Print Shop

– AlphaGraphics Old Town Alexandria
– Minuteman Press Crofton
– Petworth Printing
– Global Print Master
– BaseCamp
– Signarama Silver Spring, MD

Best Realtor

– Keith James, Keller Williams Capital Properties
– Cher Castillo, McEnearney Associates, Inc.
– Maria Lewis, Keller Williams Preferred Properties
– Nikalette Lee Realty, LLC -Pearson Smith
– DEBORAH D. BODDIE, SAMSON PROPERTIES
– Tysons Realty Inc.

Best Small Business Resource

– MoneyTalks Small Business CoHort
– Maryland Women’s Business Center
– Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking
– Foward Movement Enterprises

Best Woman- or Minority-Owned Construction and Trade Business

– A & Z Landscaping, LLC
– Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners
– Cunningham | Quill Architects
– Creative Interior Designs by Lynda LLC
– Kimo Bentley Aesthetic Clinic
– JDC
– TB&A
– Corenic Construction Group

Community, Culture & Heritage

Best Alumni Organization

– Fairmont Heights High high school alumni association
– Bowie State University
– Morgan State University Alumni Association Howard County Chapter
– Howard University
– Marion Barry Youth Leadership Institute Alumni Association
– McKinley Technology High School
– Eastern Senior High School Alumni Association

Best Black Art Gallery

– Serengeti Gallery
– Chela Mitchell Gallery
– Station 3510
– National Museum of African American History and Culture
– Art of Noize
– Anacostia Art Gallery & Boutique

Best Business Improvement District (BID)

– Anacostia BID
– Southwest Business Improvement District
– Downtown BID
– DC BID Council

Best Community Theater

– We Are Pearls
– Atlas Performing Arts Center
– Mosaic
– Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater
– DC Black Broadway

Best Cultural Festival

– Love My Largo
– H Street Festival
– Hookie Weekend
– Emancipation Day
– Chuck Brown Day Festival

Best Go-Go Band

– District Kings
– Body of Evidence
– TCB
– Black Alley
– New Impressionz
– Charles (Chuck) Brown
– Rare Essence
– Districts Kings

Best HBCU Homecoming

– Howard University
– Morgan State University
– Virginia State University
– Bowie State University
– University of the District of Columbia

Best Independent Art Gallery

– The Phillips Collection
– Honfleur Gallery
– Anacostia Community Museum
– Overdue Recognition Art Gallery
– IA&A at Hillyer
– Rubell Museum DC
– Gallery O on H
– Anacostia Arts Center

Best Local Author

– Amelia Tseng
– Maurice Jackson
– Henry Discombobulating Jones
– Marita Golden
– Jason Reynolds

Best Local Poetry Reading / Venue

– Busboys and Poets
– Lost City Books
– Dupont Underground

Best Main Street

– U Street Main Street
– H Street Main Street
– Eastern Market
– Congress Heights

Best Music or Arts Nonprofit

– Washington Performing Arts
– DC Music Summit
– Arts To Go-Go
– STEP AFRIKA!
– DC Black Broadway
– The ARC – Boys and Girls Club
– Words Beats & Life
– The Dance Institute of Washington

Best Performing Arts Venue

– Atlas Performing Arts Center
– The Anthem
– Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater
– 9:30 Club
– The Music Center at Strathmore
– Songbyrd Music House
– National Theatre DC
– MGM National Harbor Hotel & Casino

DMV Pride, Places & Faith

Best Black-Owned Business Overall

– The Washington Informer
– His Grooming
– Fourkd
– Southeast Restaurant Group
– Noble Integrative Health | Dr. Tierra Hardin
– Heart of the City Candles
– GO PROMOTE YOU, LLC
– Signarama Silver Spring, MD
– The Chosen Bistro
– Anacostia Art Gallery & Boutique

Best Community Organizer

– Derrell Simpson
– The Baptist Ministers’ Conference for Women, Inc. Upper Marlboro, Md. 20774
– Billy Sanders
– Morgan State University Alumni Association Howard County Chapter
– Ronald Moten
– Solid Foundation Inc
– Gardening and Beats
– Kemry Hughes
– Salim Adolfo

Best DMV-Based Nonprofit

– The Rock For Life Foundation, Inc. 501(c)3 non-profit
– The Baptist Ministers’ Conference for Women, Inc. Upper Marlboro, Md. 20774
– The Mel Johnson International Inc.
– Community Advocates For Family
– The William O Lockridge Community Foundation
– Morgan State University Alumni Association Howard County Chapter
– Atlas Performing Arts Center
– NAACP
– The Thelma D. Jones Breast Cancer Fund (TDJBCF)
– EE2
– Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)/ Prince George’s County
– Anacostia BID
– Operation Earnies Plate
– Living Classrooms Foundation

Best Farmers Market

– Eastern Market
– Mount Pleasant Farmers’ Market
– The People’s Market DMV
– Black + Forth
– Half Street Central Farm Market
– Ward 8 Farmers Market
– Gateway Farmers’ Market

Best Park or Nature Trail

– Anacostia Park
– Fort Dupont Park
– Kingman Island Trail
– Metropolitan Branch Trail
– Rock Creek Park
– Fairwood Community Park

Best Pastor or Spiritual Leader

– The Baptist Ministers’ Conference for Women, Inc. Upper Marlboro, Md. 20774
– Kingdom Fellowship A.M.E. Church
– Rev Bill Lamar – Metropolitan AME Church
– First Baptist Church of Glenarden – Worship Center
– Pastor Bucas Sterling, Kettering Baptist Church
– Alfred Street Baptist Church
– Reverend William Lamar, Metropolitan AME Church
– Bishop Margaret Howse
– Rev. Dr. Shirley Y. Cobb, Founder of The Baptist Ministers Conference for Women Inc.
– Stephen Chandler Union Church
– Rev. Nicole Johnson Douglas
– Rev. William Young
– Rev. Jessica Hayden
– First Baptist Church of District Heights
– Pastor Ron Triplett
– Anika Wilson Brown
– Pastor Keith Battle Zion Church
– Rev. Courtenay Lumumba Miller
– Rev.Terrance McKinley, Campbell AME Church 2562 MLK He. Avenue, S E DC

Best Sunday Service

– Zion Church Greenbelt
– First Baptist Church of Glenarden – Worship Center
– Kingdom Fellowship A.M.E. Church
– Alfred Street Baptist Church
– Union Church – Flowers
– Campbell AME Church
– St Augustine Church
– Community of Hope AME Church
– Kettering Baptist Church
– Union Temple Baptist Church
– Clinton Baptist Church

Events, Entertainment & Nightlife

Best Annual Gala

– Public Citizen
– Washington Performing Arts
– THEARC: Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus
– Baltimore MET Gala
– Greater Washington Black Chamber of Commerce (GWBCC)
– Richard Wright’s Annual Sundress, Sneakers, & Stogies
– STEP AFRIKA!
– Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc.

Best DJ

– DJ Heat
– DJ Nah Fr
– DJ Dirty Rico
– DJ Lance Reynolds
– DJ Poet Taylor
– Dj Quicksilva
– DJ Domo
– DJ Alizay
– DJ Face
– DJ Miss H.E.R.
– DJ Undadog

Best DMV Festival

– Hookie Weekend
– The Broccoli Fest
– National Cherry Blossom Festival
– National Cannabis Festival
– H Street Festival
– Capital Jazz Inc.
– DC Jazz Festival
– Wine & Slow Jamz

Best Event Space / Venue

– Trading Spaces DMV
– The Lincoln Theatre
– Songbyrd Music House
– M Lounge Studios
– The Birchmere

Best Happy Hour

– The Green Zone
– The Whiskey Bar Anacostia
– Merry Pin
– Daru

Best Live Jazz in the DMV

– Mr. Henry’s
– Blues Alley Club
– Jazzy Summer Nights
– The Birchmere
– CapitalBop

Best Live Music Venue

– Constitution Hall
– The Birchmere
– DC9 Nightclub
– The Anthem
– 9:30 Club
– Songbyrd Music House
– Merriweather Post Pavilion
– The Atlantis

Best Speakeasy

– The Free State Distillery
– The Whiskey Bar Anacostia
– Hill Prince

Family, Parenting & Education

Best Family Support Service

– 100 Fathers
– Solid Foundation Inc
– The iEP Team, LLC
– Operation Earnies Plate

Best PTA

– Friendship Public Charter School: Woodridge Elementary
– Eliot-Hine Middle School
– Eastern Senior High School
– Barack Obama Elementary School

Best Youth Arts Program

– We Are Pearls
– Duke Ellington School of the Arts
– ACT-SO (NAACP Youth Program)
– Neema Dance Collective
– Dance Institute of Washington

Food, Drink & Hospitality

Best BBQ

– DCity Smokehouse
– Federalist Pig
– Fourkd
– Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Company
– 2Fifty Texas BBQ

Best Bakery

– Baked & Wired
– Nino’s Bakery
– My Cake Theory
– The CakeRoom
– AppleCore’s Bake Shoppe
– Crown Bakery
– Safeway

Best Black-Owned Restaurant

– Fourkd
– Carolina Kitchen
– Oohh’s & Aahh’s
– Sapodillas Caribbean Restaurant and Catering DC
– Pure Green Dupont Circle
– AppleCore’s Bake Shoppe
– The Strand DC
– Mama Tee’s Kitchen
– Cane
– Jerk At Nite College Park
– Clyopatra Winery & Vineyard
– DCity Smokehouse
– Kennys Kale
– The Chosen Bistro
– Hill Prince
– Ruby’s Southern Comfort Kitchen

Best Brunch in the DMV

– Busboys and Poets
– The Strand DC
– The Society Restaurant & Lounge
– Sequoia DC
– Bakers Daughter
– The Breakfast Club
– The Park at 14th
– AMBAR Restaurant, Clarendon
– Merry Pin

Best Caribbean Restaurant

– Sapodillas Caribbean Restaurant and Catering DC
– Cane
– Spice
– Bammys Modern Caribbean
– Ruby’s Jamaican Kitchen
– St. James – Modern Caribbean
– Jerk At Nite College Park
– Vickey’s Trinidad and Tobago Kitchen

Best Carryout

– Fourkd
– Hedzole
– Green Almond Pantry
– MLK Deli
– DCity Smokehouse
– Cafe Curbside
– Safeway

Best Fried Chicken

– Oohh’s & Aahh’s
– Service Bar DC
– Honeymoon Chicken
– Busboys and Poets
– Fourkd
– Bonchon Arlington

Best Late-Night Bites

– Chicken + Whiskey
– The Whiskey Bar Anacostia
– Jerk At Nite College Park
– the DINER

Best Local Coffee Shop

– Lost Sock Roasters
– Merry Pin
– Busboys and Poets
– Grounded: Plant Shop, Cafe, & Wellness Studio
– The Coffee Bar
– Doubles
– Mix and Mingle Coffee Lounge
– Soleluna
– MR. RON DAVID CAFÉ

Best Place for Dessert

– Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
– Busboys and Poets
– AppleCore’s Bake Shoppe
– The Ugly Cake Factory
– Donut Run
– Lulabelle’s Sweet Shop
– Insomnia Cookies

Best Supermarket

– Safeway

Best Vegan / Vegetarian Spot

– Busboys and Poets
– ELife Restaurant (Everlasting Life Vegan Restaurant)
– AppleCore’s Bake Shoppe
– VEGZ
– DC Vegan
– The Land of Kush
– Carolina Kitchen

Health, Wellness & Selfcare

Best Acupuncturist

– Noble Integrative Health | Dr. Tierra Hardin
– Pure Green Dupont Circle
– Acupuncture by Stephanie Mwangaza Brown

Best Gym

– 9Round Kickboxing Fitness
– Her Flex Fitness
– Profusion Gym
– Mint
– DMV Iron Gym

Best Mental Health Advocate

– Dhyana Parker
– The Rock For Life Foundation, Inc. 501(c)3 non-profit
– Unity Health Benning Road
– Darby Integrative Counseling- EMDR, Trauma, Couples, LGBT+, Veterans, Addictions – Therapy for Executives & Professionals
– Tabitha Morris at the healing palace
– Noble Integrative Health | Dr. Tierra Hardin
– H.O.P.E. Behavioral Health

Best Physical Therapy Clinic

– Solace PT & Pelvic Wellness
– ATI Physical Therapy
– Elite Physical Therapy & Wellness Center
– Cams Physical Therapy
– The Stretch Loft Lanham
– Spine and Wellness Center Clinton, Md
– NDGAIT Consulting Physical Therapy & Rehabilitative Services

Best Smoothie / Juice Bar

– Pure Green Dupont Circle
– South Block
– Turning Natural
– The Waterhole
– Juice Extractions

Best Wellness Spa

– Wellspring Manor & Spa
– Unwind Wellness Adams Morgan
– Grounded: Plant Shop, Cafe, & Wellness Studio
– Salamander Washington DC
– The Red Bloom
– Holistic Image in Brandywine, MD

Holistic Wellness & Cannabis

Best DC-Based Dispensary

– Anacostia Organics
– Cookies DC

Best MD-Based Dispensary

– Mary & Main: A Cannabis Dispensary
– Bloom Germantown Dispensary
– Ascend Dispensary – Laurel
– Hemp Haven Wellness Center
– Green Point Wellness Linthicum

Media, Creators & Influence

Best Community Journalist

– Kelsey Nicole Nelson
– The Spotlgiht DMV
– Sam PK Collins
– The Media Prince
– Noel James Okoth
– Barrington Salmon
– The Spotlight DMV

– The Washington Informer
– The Spotlgiht DMV
– Citycast DC
– 730DC
– The Advoc8te

Best Cultural Curator

– Neverlanding
– The Black Curation | April Hobby
– The Spotlgiht DMV
– Unskrypted TV
– The Museum
– Cozy Black Girl Book Club
– Social Golf Association

Best Local Blogger

– The Spotlight DMV
– The Media Prince
– The dmv daily
– Kill Moe

Best Local News Organization

– NBC4 Washington
– The dmv daily
– The Spotlgiht DMV
– The Washington Informer
– Fox 5 Washington DC
– Listen In With KNN
– Howard University – WHUR-FM 96.3
– WUSA – Channel 9 – CBS

Best Local Podcast

– Citycast DC
– The Spotlgiht DMV
– Listen In With KNN
– Partymode Live
– Kelsey Nicole Nelson
– The Spotlight DMV

Best Morning Show

– Wake N Bake with BeMo
– The Good Morning Show WPGC
– Fox 5 Washington DC
– Crosssroads on WPFW
– NBC4 Washington
– “Get Up DC” WUSA – Channel 9
– Howard University – WHUR-FM 96.3

Best Radio Personality

– Dr. Kaye Wise Whitehead
– Kelsey Nicole Nelson
– Coco Louie
– POET TAYLOR
– Angela Stribling – WHUR-FM
– NINA AND JOE – WHUR
– DJ Lance Reynolds
– Angie Ange
– Joe Clair

– @bookersqaured
– The Spotlight DMV
– AjaBLU Salon & Studio
– Kelsey Nicole Nelson

Style, Beauty & Shopping

Best Black-Owned Boutique

– Rent The Dress DC
– Express Yourself DMV
– Idas Idea
– Nisey’s
– Fia’s Fabulous Finds
– Studio IV, Inc.
– Hush Boutique

Best Cosmetics / Beauty Brand

– Gabbys World Designs
– Hazel O. Salon
– AjaBLU Salon & Studio
– Kimo Bentley Aesthetic Clinic
– Skin Beauty Bar
– BellaRo
– Good Brows

Best Entrepreneur Marketplace

– Maryland Women’s Business Center Shop Local Bowie Town Center
– Black + Forth
– Market Seven
– Express Yourself DMV

Best Florist

– Lee’s Flower And Card Shop Inc
– Roots and Blooms Flower Shop
– C&W Florist
– Flor Del Soul
– Flowers By Alexes
– Safeway

Best Streetwear Brand

– Shaddai Global
– SOMEWHERE®
– Shooters Sports
– The Museum

Youth, High School & College Life

Best DMV HBCU

– Howard University
– Morgan State University
– Virginia State University
– Bowie State University
– University of the District of Columbia

Best Fraternity Graduate Chapter

– Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, INC
– Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc
– Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
– Mu Lambda Chapter-Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc

Best Sorority Graduate Chapter

– Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc, Alpha Beta Alpha Omega Chapter, Springfield VA
– Psi Epison Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. – Laurel/Bowie, MD
– Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
– The Baltimore Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta

Best Youth Coach or Mentor

– Shadeed Ali
– Roman Morris
– Dr. Richard Myles
– Selvon Malcolm Waldron
– Brandon Cooper
– Jay Gavin | Trust Your Grind
– Duane Ferguson, DuVal High School Soccer School
– Henry Discombobulating Jones

Best Youth Fitness or Sports Program

– 2 Fly Boxing Gym
– Excel Golf
– Thrive Gym – Arnold
– Eastern High School Marching Band

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