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.
Tip: Late nights see the longest lines; the counter on the right runs takeaway faster than the dining-room line.
Address: 1213 U St NW, Washington, DC 20009, Washington DC
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.
