Ben’s Chili Bowl - long-running U Street landmark and cultural survivor

Ben’s Chili Bowl opened on U Street in 1958 and has remained family-owned since its founding by Ben and Virginia Ali. The restaurant became a community and cultural landmark, surviving the 1968 riots and serving generations of residents, artists, and politicians; it has been visited by multiple U.S. presidents and public figures. Its longevity and central role in U Street’s social and cultural history make it a singular institution in the city’s recent history.