Ben Ali of Ben's Chili Bowl Dies

Ben Ali, the founder of Ben's Chili Bowl, a landmark D.C. eatery that has fed presidents, celebrities and the common folks of the city, died last night of congestive heart failure at his home in Washington. He was 82. (Our full obituary is here; be sure to read it all the way to the end because you'll be amazed.)

A fixture of U Street since 1958, the cramped restaurant has outlasted the changing fortunes of its neighborhood and supplied hungry Washingtonians with heaping bowls of chili, hot dogs and its trademark chili-topped half-smokes. Photos of visiting celebrities -- including Denzel Washington, Danny Glover and Bill Cosby -- lined the walls, and in January the restaurant received its best publicity boost ever when president-elect Obama dropped by for a half-smoke (a smoked sausage).

Near a sign that warned, "Who eats free at Ben's: Bill Cosby. No one else," Obama paid for his $12 tab with a $20 bill, leaving the change as a tip.







Mr. Ali, a Trinidadian immigrant who had studied at Howard University, opened the eatery with his wife, Virginia, and ran the popular but eccentric carryout restaurant with two of his three sons. The place was known as a gathering spot for Washingtonians of all classes and races, who were united by their love of chili and the restaurant's excellent jukebox and quirky customs. It was open as long as 22 hours a day and survived several urban renewal efforts on a street once known as Washington's "Black Broadway" but later hit by severe blight before a recent renaissance.

Through the decades, the sights, sounds and smells of Ben's Chili Bowl endured as a place of comfort and warmth amid a world of change. It was featured in documentaries and in the 2008 Russell Crowe political thriller, "State of Play."

Please share your memories of the man, not just the restaurant, in our comments section below or in our discussion area. We also have a huge photo gallery online of Mr. Ali and his restaurant.

Here's a piece that we ran on the 50th anniversary of the founding of the restaurant and the 45th anniversary. It was one of the few businesses to remain open on U Street during the 1968 riots.

Ben Ali, left, poses with big Chili Bowl fan, Joe Johnson of D.C. Ben holds his wedding photo featuring he and wife Virginia from 1958, the same year that Ben's Chili Bowl opened on U St. (photo by Michael Williamson, Washington Post).

Here's Bill Cosby in 2003 with Virginia and Ben Ali at the restaurant's 45th anniversary party (AP photo).

By Patricia Sullivan | October 8, 2009; 11:41 AM ET

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