I pride myself in taking in the best of a city's food culture. All the times that I have traveled to Washington DC, I am disappointed to say that I have continually missed eating at Ben's Chili Bowl. The history of Ben's Chili Bowl speaks to the history of Washington DC back when it was truly "Chocolate City".
The U Street corridor (where Ben's Chili Bowl is located) was known as "Black Broadway". Top performers were found playing sets in clubs along the corridor & just hanging out at Ben's enjoying a half-smoke. The greats that frequented Ben's include Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Bessie Smith, Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, Redd Foxx, Nat King Cole, Bill Cosby, & Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Ben's stayed open through riots in DC after the assassination of Dr. King. Ben's remained open in the 70's when the open-air drug market ravaged DC. When the DC Metro Green Line was being built other businesses closed in the area but Ben's fed the Metro workers & regulars through the almost 5yrs of construction.
POTUS Obama ate at Ben's before his swearing in. Ben's has expanded to an online store, upstairs to a gift shop, & into the National's baseball stadium. Most recently Ben's expanded to the area next door & opened a restaurant/bar called "Ben's Next Door."
Whether you enjoy Chili dogs, half-smokes, chili fries or not...visit Ben's for a taste DC history. You won't regret it.
The U Street corridor (where Ben's Chili Bowl is located) was known as "Black Broadway". Top performers were found playing sets in clubs along the corridor & just hanging out at Ben's enjoying a half-smoke. The greats that frequented Ben's include Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Bessie Smith, Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, Redd Foxx, Nat King Cole, Bill Cosby, & Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Ben's stayed open through riots in DC after the assassination of Dr. King. Ben's remained open in the 70's when the open-air drug market ravaged DC. When the DC Metro Green Line was being built other businesses closed in the area but Ben's fed the Metro workers & regulars through the almost 5yrs of construction.
POTUS Obama ate at Ben's before his swearing in. Ben's has expanded to an online store, upstairs to a gift shop, & into the National's baseball stadium. Most recently Ben's expanded to the area next door & opened a restaurant/bar called "Ben's Next Door."
Whether you enjoy Chili dogs, half-smokes, chili fries or not...visit Ben's for a taste DC history. You won't regret it.
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| Half-smoke with chips |
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