Argentine parrilla$Mon-Thu 11:00-20:00, Fri-Sat 11:00-03:00, Sun 11:00-20:00
Julia's Empanadas in Washington DC is the Adams Morgan 18th Street empanada counter since 1993, the original Adams Morgan empanada cart that established.
Try: Two-empanada combo ($9-11)
Tip: Two empanadas plus a side of plantains stays under $12; Friday and Saturday counter runs until 03:00 for the late-night crowd.
Mexican$Mon-Fri 10:00-19:00, Sat-Sun 09:00-16:00
Tortilla Cafe Eastern Market in Washington DC is the Capitol Hill 7th Street Salvadoran-Mexican counter with three-pupusa plates under $12 and Salvadoran.
Try: Three pupusas plate ($11)
Tip: The combo platter of three pupusas with rice and beans is $11 and feeds one large appetite; share for $7.
Japanese ramen$Sun-Thu 17:00-22:00, Fri-Sat 17:00-23:00
Toki Underground in Washington DC is the H Street NE upstairs ramen and dumpling room from Erik Bruner-Yang, the city's anchor ramen shop with bowls.
Try: Ramen bowl ($14-17)
Tip: Lunch on weekdays is the quickest seat; the dumpling combo with a half-bowl of ramen is the value play.
Soul food$Mon Closed, Tue-Sun 08:00-16:00
Florida Avenue Grill in Washington DC is the LeDroit Park 1944 diner with breakfast all day, the city's cheapest soul food sit-down with eggs-grits-biscuit.
Try: Breakfast plate with eggs, grits, biscuit ($13)
Tip: Breakfast runs all day; the half-smoke breakfast plate at $13 is the editorial value meal of the menu.
New American$
Bindaas Bowls and Rolls in Washington DC is the Penn Quarter fast-casual Indian counter from the Rasika team of Ashok Bajaj and chef Vikram Sunderam.
Try: Chicken tikka masala kathi roll ($12-14)
Tip: The chicken tikka masala kathi roll is the bestseller; pair it with the chili-cheese curry puff for the editorial value plate.
Filipino$Daily 10:00-21:00
Purple Patch in Washington DC is Patrice Cleary's Mount Pleasant Street Filipino dining room since 2014, with lumpia, pancit and an adobo plate that all run.
Try: Filipino lumpia and pancit ($14)
Tip: The lunch combo of lumpia, half a pancit and an adobo is the editorial value at under $16; the brunch tocino at weekends is similar.