Archive for the 'DC - American' Category
Ben’s Chili Bowl
by: Magda Nakassis
BEN’S CHILI BOWL
www.benschilibowl.com
1213 U Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
202-667-0909
Stepping foot into Ben’s Chili Bowl is like walking into a 1950s time capsule: vinyl stools at a Formica counter, staff in red hats and aprons, Jackie Wilson on the jukebox. It’s hard to imagine Washington, DC without Ben’s; it is a true cultural and culinary institution. Ben’s started off as Black Broadway’s late-night hang out spot, where jazz musicians would come for tasty eats after the clubs closed. It survived the 1968 riots, and it survived the construction of the Green Line Metro Station, bringing gentrification and skyrocketing property value with it. But over the decades, Ben’s Chili Bowl still serves the same delicious half-smokes and thick milkshakes. In addition to being one of the few spots where all walks of DC life rub shoulders, it has also attracted a number of out-of-town (even celebrity) fans—Bill Cosby being the most vocal among them. Come be part of local history with a delicious order of chili cheese fries.
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