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.
Tip: Breakfast runs all day; the half-smoke plate with grits and eggs is the editorial morning order.
Address: 1100 Florida Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009, Washington DC
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.
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.
