Before even stepping into Ben’s Chili Bowl, there is the sense of walking into history. U Street, also known as Black Broadway, is some distance away from the scholarly bubble of Georgetown and the tourists at the National Mall.

A safe haven and oasis in a 20^th century society marred by Jim Crow laws, the street was frequented by iconic figures like Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington.

Among the theatres and jazz clubs, lies the street now called Ben Ali Way in remembrance of the founder of the hallowed establishment of Ben’s Chili Bowl, famous for its chili half-smoke, which is Washington DC’s signature meal.

Founded in 1958, Ben’s is a living monument. In the 50s and 60s, jazz legends like Nat King Cole and Miles Davis would stop for a moment of relaxation.

During the civil rights movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would often eat at the Chili Bowl, making plans for the March on Washington, which Ben and Virginia Ali also took part in. In 1968, after Dr. King’s assassination, Ben’s was the only store on U Street to stay open, escaping untouched from the riots that devastated the block.

Later, in the 70s and 80s, as drugs moved into the area, U Street became a ghetto. Still, Ben’s remained open, reducing their staff to just one employee. Even as the extensive construction of the Metro forced even more business to close, Ben’s Chili Bowl persevered.

Most recently, as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Ben’s scaled back operations once again, moving to e-commerce and closing a number of their other locations. Nonetheless, the original stayed open, doing curbside pickups.

“This [Ben’s] will never close,” said Vida Ali, the branding expert of Ben’s Chili Bowl. “It didn’t close during the riots… so we’re like okay, we’re the next generation, we can make this work.”

Over the years, the nearly 66 year-old restaurant has transcended social boundaries, becoming a gathering place for the community. It’s no wonder that it remains a staple for locals, tourists, and celebrities alike. Then president-elect Barack Obama famously made it his first pit-stop in 2009.

You can listen to this interview on our podcast here:

The great Virginia Ali

90 year-old founder Virginia Ali, often called the ‘matriarch of DC’ credits their stability for the impact they’ve had on the local community. “Day in and day out, year after year after year, it didn’t matter if it rained or snowed, what the weather was like, we were here”.

“We pulled up at the incredible mural just outside the restaurant, dubbed the ‘Wall of Excellence,’ that serves as a reminder of people who have made an irreversible impact on the landscape of the United States, and a reminder that we should all come together and treat each other the way we want to be treated, and be fascinated by somebody else’s culture,” as Mrs. Ali said. “And that’s what we are in America,” she remarked.

The restaurant itself looks straight from the past. Glittery red stools against a white counter, booths against the walls, a jukebox in the back. The menu is filled with the classic half smoke, along with a smattering of other offerings like chili burgers (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s go-to order), fries, nachos, subs, and chili bowls.

As soon as we stepped inside the restaurant we were treated like family and embraced like long-lost friends. Of course, the food was sublime. The half smoke was juicy, served with mustard, onions and Ben’s signature chili that adds a deep smokiness, along with a bit of spice and a bit of sweetness. The burger was just as good, hot from the griddle and dripping with more of that amazing chili, a recipe that remains tightly guarded even after all of our pleading.

Perhaps more delicious, however, were the little nuggets of wisdom that Mrs. Ali left me with. Bombarded with pessimistic news about the upcoming election, I was almost taken aback by her positivity. “They’ve got the education, they’ve got the energy, they’ve got the youth. They’re going to make this a better city and then a better world,” she said.

“And when you treat people the way you want to be treated,” she continued. “You don’t have a problem. I’m a living example of that”.

Watch the full interviews here: