65 Years and counting
Our Legacy
Virginia Ali is 90 years old, and she started the restaurant with her husband Ben when she was only 24. Every August 22nd, Ben’s Chili Bowl celebrates our founding. But it’s not just a birthday, it’s a celebration of DC’s African American history, culture, and character. It’s a celebration of our city and U Street’s resilience.
DC’s residents have a long history of bouncing back from hard times. Our Black community is front and center in this story, and Ben’s is a perfect case study – a study in our quest for freedom and its ongoing re-definition. Ben's Chili Bowl is proudly Black-owned and a historic landmark in Washington, DC's culture.
