The fastest, cheapest, frequently best food on Washington DC's streets.
Vendors, food trucks and stalls: the cheapest, fastest, frequently best food in Washington DC.
Ben's Chili Bowl in Washington DC is the 1958 U Street counter from Ben and Virginia Ali, the city's defining chili half-smoke counter serving past 04:00 on weekends.
Try: Chili half-smoke and chili cheese fries
Tip: Late nights see the longest lines; the counter on the right runs takeaway faster than the dining-room line.
Amsterdam Falafelshop in Washington DC is the Adams Morgan 18th Street falafel counter from Arianne Bennett, with self-serve toppings and a 04:00 weekend close that anchors the late-night strip.
Try: Falafel sandwich with self-serve toppings
Tip: Sandwich plus 21 self-serve toppings is $9; the patatas-bravas fries are the second-most-ordered side.
Halal Guys Farragut Square in Washington DC is the K Street halal-cart-format dining room from the New York halal cart franchise, with chicken-and-rice platters and the white sauce.
Try: Chicken and rice platter with white sauce
Tip: Skip the white-sauce overload by asking for it on the side; the hot sauce is the same recipe as Manhattan's original cart.
Pho 14 Columbia Heights in Washington DC is the Park Road Vietnamese counter near the Columbia Heights Metro, with pho served from a 14-hour broth and a five-item menu lean focus.
Try: Vietnamese pho tai chin
Tip: The pho dac biet (special) with rare beef and brisket is the editorial bowl; bowl size large feeds two for $14.
Tortilla Cafe in Washington DC is the Capitol Hill 7th Street Salvadoran-Mexican counter across from Eastern Market, with pupusas, tacos and Salvadoran tamales served from a tight kitchen.
Try: Pupusas and tacos al pastor
Tip: Outdoor sidewalk seats are the move at lunch; the pupusas come three to a plate with curtido for $11.
Pizza Mart Adams Morgan in Washington DC is the 18th Street late-night pizza counter, one of two rooms claiming to have invented the jumbo slice in the late 1990s for the bar crowd.
Try: 18-inch jumbo slice
Tip: Cash is fastest after midnight; one folded jumbo slice walks two people home from the Adams Morgan strip.
Duccini's Pizza Adams Morgan in Washington DC is the 18th Street jumbo-slice counter facing Pizza Mart, the other Adams Morgan claim to the jumbo-slice late-night format invention.
Try: Jumbo slice and stromboli
Tip: The mushroom-and-pepperoni jumbo slice is the favourite; the stromboli is the under-ordered second pick.
Jumbo Slice Pizza in Washington DC is the third 18th Street late-night pizza counter on the Adams Morgan strip, holding the same 04:00 weekend close as the Pizza Mart and Duccini's neighbours.
Try: 18-inch jumbo slice
Tip: The cheese-slice with hot honey is the closing-time editorial pick; sit on the sidewalk bench facing the strip.
Weenie Beenie is the Arlington half-smoke counter at 2680 South Shirlington Road, a 1950s walk-up window that claims a Northern Virginia hold on the half-smoke that predates Ben's Chili Bowl.
Try: Half-smoke chili dog (Arlington)
Tip: The Weenie Beenie half-smoke is leaner than Ben's; the chili-and-cheese order is the editorial point of comparison.
Maine Avenue Fish Market in Washington DC is the Southwest Waterfront open-air seafood market on Maine Avenue, the oldest continuously-operating open-air fish market in the United States.
Try: Boiled blue crabs and shrimp by the pound
Tip: Pre-cooked seafood is sold by the pound; carry the brown bag to a Wharf bench for a $30 lunch for two.
Florida Avenue Grill in Washington DC is the LeDroit Park diner at the corner of Florida and 11th since 1944, the city's oldest soul food counter with the half-smoke breakfast plate.
Try: Half-smoke breakfast plate
Tip: Breakfast runs all day; the half-smoke plate with grits and eggs is the editorial morning order.
Oohh's & Aahh's in Washington DC is the U Street soul-food counter from Oji Abbott since 2005, with mumbo sauce wings, fried catfish and the carryout three-piece plate as the editorial format.
Try: Soul food with mumbo sauce wings
Tip: The fried catfish and shrimp with mumbo sauce is the menu standout; takeaway runs faster than the dining-room queue.
Henry's Soul Cafe in Washington DC is the U Street soul-food counter from Henry Smith since 1968, with sweet potato pie sold by the slice and the carryout fried chicken and mumbo wings.
Try: Sweet potato pie, fried chicken, mumbo wings
Tip: The sweet potato pie ships nationally; buy the whole pie at the U Street counter to take home.
Peak food season in Washington DC is year-round.
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Washington DC rewards trust.