Maine Avenue Fish Market is a street-food stop in Washington DC.
Maine Avenue Fish Market in Washington DC is the Southwest Waterfront open-air seafood market on Maine Avenue, the oldest continuously-operating open-air.
Editorially verified May 18, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Tip: Pre-cooked seafood is sold by the pound; carry the brown bag to a Wharf bench for a $30 lunch for two.
Address: 1100 Maine Ave SW, Washington, DC 20024, Washington DC
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Julia's Empanadas in Washington DC is the Adams Morgan 18th Street empanada counter since 1993, the late-night corner that established the format.
Try: Hand-pinched Latin American empanadas
Tip: Two empanadas plus a side stays under $12; Friday and Saturday counter is the bar-crawl late-night anchor on 18th Street.
Captain Cookie & the Milk Man in Washington DC is the Western Market flagship of the DC food-truck-turned-storefront on I Street near Farragut Square.
Try: Warm chocolate-chip cookie ice cream sandwich
Tip: The warm chocolate-chip cookie ice cream sandwich is the editorial signature; the food truck still circulates DC for lunch shifts on weekdays.
