If you've ever cheered on the Nats or gone for a beer or two on U Street, you're probably familiar with DC's signature street eat, the half-smoke. The name refers to a spicy pork and beef sausage, typically larger and courser than a hot dog, that is most commonly served on a soft bun and smothered in chili, mustard and onions.
No one is quite sure how the half-smoke originating, but some believe the sausage was first produced by Briggs & Co. meatpackers in the 1930s. In 1954, Weenie Beenie opened in Shirlington and began grilling half-smokes, followed by Ben's Chili Bowl in 1958.
10Best and Sandwich America wanted to find the best half-smoke in the District, so the editors joined forces with local DC food writers and The Food Channel to nominate 20 worthy restaurants across the city. For the past four weeks, our readers have been voting for their favorites, and the results are in.
The top 10 winners in the category Best Half-Smoke in Washington, DC are as follows:
- Meats & Foods
- Stachowski's Market
- Ben’s Chili Bowl
- The Big Stick
- Bold Bite
- Straw Stick & Brick Delicatessen
- DCity Smokehouse
- HalfSmoke
- The Passenger
- EatBar
Congratulations to all 10 of our winning half-smoke shops in DC!
License the 10Best Readers' Choice Award Logo
The Experts
Susan Able
Susan Able
Susan Able is Publisher and Editor in chief of Edible DC, DC's best award-winning food magazine dedicated to telling the story behind the Capital region's vibrant local food movement.
Jennifer Daskevich
After winning the World Sandwich Championships,... Read More
After winning the World Sandwich Championships, Jennifer took her love of America’s first and still favorite “hand held device” better known as the sandwich, and founded Sandwich America, America’s comprehensive sandwich driven meal occasion platform. Jennifer believes that “a sandwich is the only food genre that is good for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, or a snack.” Jennifer has won numerous cooking competitions and is a restaurateur, wine sommelier, award winning food photographer, TV food personality with NBC Affiliate WFLA in Tampa and appeared on FYI’s original series World Food Championships. She looks forward to embarking on The Great American Sandwich Trail this summer. Socialize with Sandwich America on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Jennifer Daskevich
After winning the World Sandwich Championships, Jennifer took her love of America’s first and still favorite “hand held device” better known as the sandwich, and founded Sandwich America, America’s comprehensive sandwich driven meal occasion platform. Jennifer believes that “a sandwich is the only food genre that is good for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, or a snack.” Jennifer has won numerous cooking competitions and is a restaurateur, wine sommelier, award winning food photographer, TV food personality with NBC Affiliate WFLA in Tampa and appeared on FYI’s original series World Food Championships. She looks forward to embarking on The Great American Sandwich Trail this summer. Socialize with Sandwich America on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Hungry Lobbyist
HungryLobbyist.com is a premier food and lifestyle... Read More
HungryLobbyist.com is a premier food and lifestyle website covering the Washington, DC area and beyond. With a team of over twenty contributors, their recommendations have been featured in The New York Times, on television, and more. Fox News said about HungryLobbyist.com, that it’s, “An atypical Washington D.C. inside-the-beltway blog that’s actually meaningful outside the beltway as well.” The site has become a must-read for District dwellers and visitors alike as it takes a satirical, often ironic, and more often humorously judgmental look at restaurants, politics, fashion, DC events, and more.
Hungry Lobbyist
HungryLobbyist.com is a premier food and lifestyle website covering the Washington, DC area and beyond. With a team of over twenty contributors, their recommendations have been featured in The New York Times, on television, and more. Fox News said about HungryLobbyist.com, that it’s, “An atypical Washington D.C. inside-the-beltway blog that’s actually meaningful outside the beltway as well.” The site has become a must-read for District dwellers and visitors alike as it takes a satirical, often ironic, and more often humorously judgmental look at restaurants, politics, fashion, DC events, and more.
Kay Logsdon
Kay serves as Editor in Chief of The Food Channel,... Read More
Kay serves as Editor in Chief of The Food Channel, developing food-related stories, videos, recipes and more for the website and its distribution network. She speaks and consults on food trends, working with some of the biggest food brands in America. Her favorite thing to do is work with chefs across the country as they do menu development, since she gets to taste and critique the dishes.
Kay Logsdon
Kay serves as Editor in Chief of The Food Channel, developing food-related stories, videos, recipes and more for the website and its distribution network. She speaks and consults on food trends, working with some of the biggest food brands in America. Her favorite thing to do is work with chefs across the country as they do menu development, since she gets to taste and critique the dishes.
Nevin Martell
Nevin Martell is a D.C.-based food, travel and... Read More
Nevin Martell is a D.C.-based food, travel and lifestyle writer who has been published by the Washington Post, New York Times, Saveur, Men’s Journal, Fortune, Travel + Leisure, Runner’s World and many other publications. He is the dining editor for DC Modern Luxury, and the author of seven books, including The Founding Farmers Cookbook: 100 Recipes for True Food & Drink and the small-press smash Looking for Calvin and Hobbes: The Unconventional Story of Bill Watterson and His Revolutionary Comic Strip. Currently, he is co-writing Red Truck Bakery‘s cookbook, which will be published by Clarkson Potter in the fall of 2018.
Nevin Martell
Nevin Martell is a D.C.-based food, travel and lifestyle writer who has been published by the Washington Post, New York Times, Saveur, Men’s Journal, Fortune, Travel + Leisure, Runner’s World and many other publications. He is the dining editor for DC Modern Luxury, and the author of seven books, including The Founding Farmers Cookbook: 100 Recipes for True Food & Drink and the small-press smash Looking for Calvin and Hobbes: The Unconventional Story of Bill Watterson and His Revolutionary Comic Strip. Currently, he is co-writing Red Truck Bakery‘s cookbook, which will be published by Clarkson Potter in the fall of 2018.
Iris Sherman
Co-founder of Kitchology, Iris is an entrepreneur... Read More
Co-founder of Kitchology, Iris is an entrepreneur and mom dealing with food allergies in the family. Her passion is to make a difference, especially for those who are dealing with special dietary needs, by providing the tools to deliver the right food experience along with the community to embrace it. Follower her on Twitter.
Iris Sherman
Co-founder of Kitchology, Iris is an entrepreneur and mom dealing with food allergies in the family. Her passion is to make a difference, especially for those who are dealing with special dietary needs, by providing the tools to deliver the right food experience along with the community to embrace it. Follower her on Twitter.
