Aramark’s Local Restaurant Row team is thrilled to announce the second annual “Best Of” Local Restaurant Row awards– honoring the best of the best restaurant and food truck partners across the country.
Aramark created a formal guest restaurant program called Local Restaurant Row to help connect restaurants—many of them minority-, women-, or veteran-owned—with Aramark clients and customers at workplaces, hospitals, and college campuses across the United States. The growth and popularity of the program has given rise to the Local Restaurant Row Awards, honoring those innovative restaurant and food truck partners that have performed exceptionally across several categories.
“Local Restaurant Row offers Food Hall-like variety and distinct culinary concepts to guests out of a single restaurant space at locations in Workplace Hospitality, Collegiate Hospitality, and Healthcare+. The incorporation of the culture, authenticity, and flavor of local community businesses fosters restaurant-industry growth by inviting partners to reach customers in new, non-traditional venues," said Matthew Weiss, Vice President of Marketing and Brand Partnerships for Aramark.
“Over the course of the past year, the Local Restaurant Row portfolio has grown, and we’ve had the pleasure of seeing several partners go on to grow their own business footprints – expanding service from one location to multiple locations, serving multiple lines of business and even expanding their own brick-and-mortar footprint. It’s a great feeling to be involved with a program that benefits our guests and partners in such a meaningful way!”
Click here to learn more about the program.
2023 Local Restaurant Row Awards
The following winners were chosen from more than 1200 Local Restaurant Row partners currently in the program.
Financial Performance
These partners have seen great financial success at client locations and are a revenue leader in the Local Restaurant Row partner portfolio.
King’s Pizza Palace, Newport News VA: King’s Pizza Palace’s three stationary and two mobile locations serve more than 80,000 shipbuilders at Newport News Shipbuilding. Their teamwork, dedication, consistency, and speed of service have led to their success.
Halal Kitchen, University of Virginia: Halal Kitchen is instrumental to a growing number of students requiring Halal meals, and they and Aramark Collegiate Hospitality are delighted to be able to do so. Halal Kitchen is now part of Meal Exchange Sunday, a new feature allowing students to use a meal exchange swipe instead of campus dollars at their favorite food truck.
Holy Mole, Raleigh/Durham: Holy Mole Food Truck brings the authentic and rich flavor of Oaxacan cuisine to their North Carolina customers. All menu items are crafted from scratch, from the hand-made tortillas to the roasted salsa roja. Their dedication to serving quality items has led to their financial success.
Growth
A restaurant that has grown their business as a result of the partnership with Aramark.
Desserts by Dana, University of Delaware: This campus partner started with a rotating station and now has a permanent location on campus. Desserts by Dana enhances the dining program with its concession participation and fosters community by offering cupcake decorating courses. In addition, 90% of its workforce is UD students.
Bibibop Asian Grill, Columbus, OH: Bibibop offers Korean cuisine across multiple lines of business, offering fresh, authentic, and flavorful dishes. Known for its excellent customer service, Bibibop has the national flexibility to continually meet client needs across the country.
Operational Excellence
From safety and sanitation to food quality and speed of service, this partner demonstrates operational excellence in all they do.
Alma Cuisine, Boston MA: Providing great Mexican food and salads, Alma Cantina is a powerhouse location. They are consistently the best-selling vendor, providing excellent service, consistent menus and presentation, on-time and well-trained team members, as well as wonderful merchandising and flawless integration in a shared kitchen space.
Phoenicia Specialty Foods, Houston TX: Offering diverse menus as well as grab and go items, Phoenicia is consistently in demand and customers rave about its one-stop-shop capability, using the location to service their families’ dining needs as well as their work meals.
Teamwork/Guest First
Truly a team player that drives customer service and satisfaction when onsite.
Chatime, Towson University: Chatime was an integral part of a successful first year at Towson University, consistently going above and beyond, including moving from a food truck service model to taking over a station within the dining hall.
Duck Duck Scoop, Northwestern Dallas/Fort Worth TX: Duck Duck Scoop offers specialty ice cream to high schools within the Northwest ISD school district. Students, faculty, and staff collect the ducks that are served on top of ice cream, creating a sense of fun, loyalty, and community.
Naga Tea, University of South Florida: Naga Tea is dedicated to offering unparalleled service and a delightful array of flavors. This USF alumni-owned business offers 26 different teas and 10 toppings daily, so that guests can craft their own perfect cup of Boba tea.
Most Unique
Whether it’s the cuisine, presentation, or customer service, this guest restaurant is truly unique.
Hopeful Harvest, California State University, Bakersfield: This food truck offers vegan dishes and healthy cuisine like Acai bowls that students greatly enjoy. Hopeful Harvest also organizes and coordinates farmer’s market events.
African Small Pot, Lankenau Medical Center: African Small Pot’s owner, Abdarahmane Diop, is a Mauritanian native who began his cooking career in Senegal nearly 40 years ago. African Small Pot offers West African Cuisine in hospital locations across multiple states.
Jerk Pit, Washington DC: Jerk Pit is a Jamaican restaurant serving their customers with great efficiency—its oxtail dishes are lauded and desired by the whole hospital community at Children’s National Hospital. This has made Jerk Pit the most in-demand and successful LRR location at the hospital.
President’s Choice
Among the best-of-the-best, these partners were nominated across multiple categories.
O’Desi Aroma, Texas: This Indian restaurant serves multiple lines of business across Texas and prioritizes excellent dishes and exceptional experiences. O’Desi is a proactive partner, with a team that is extremely responsive and eager to expand.
Jamaican Reggae Grill, Indianapolis IN: The team at Jamaican Reggae Grill serves four separate cafes and numerous catering events. Guests crave their menu variety and consistent excellence.
