It’s cold out again and all you want to do is stay cozied up in a blanket by a fireplace, or perhaps the below 40 temperatures don’t agree with you and you’ve come down with a cold. Either way a steaming bowl of soup, chili, or stew sounds divine.  

The soup can gathering dust at the back of your kitchen cabinet only to be reheated in the microwave sounds… sad. Find the motivation to put the Campbell’s down, put your coat on, and go pick up some soup-erb liquid comfort food at any one of the following local takeaways. #FrayLife knows how to live the cozy life, too! Dining-in optional.

Wagshal’s Delicatessen

This deli in northwest D.C.’s Spring Valley neighborhood has been a community staple since 1925. Aside from their killer sandwiches, drool-worthy hot bar, and premium slabs of meat from Pam the Butcher, Wagshal’s has offered the same delicious soups and chili for decades. Favorite basics include matzo ball soup, chicken and rice soup, beef chili, and chicken noodle soup. Soup schedule subject to change.  

Soup Up

Donna Henry, the owner of Soup Up, brought the underrated meal to life at her brick-and-mortar storefront on Kennedy street following its success at Union Market. Influenced by her Jamaican upbringing and frustrated with all of the high-sodium soups out there, Henry creates comforting, flavorful, and filling soups without additives or preservatives. Check out the full menu of offerings (not limited to soup!) here.

The Dubliner

The Dubliner is across the street from Union Station and is your Irish beef stew destination. This Irish pub’s stew pairs great with a Guinness or a whiskey (of which there is plenty). Every night the pub features live Irish music.

Hard Times Cafe

Hard Times Cafe in Alexandria is a chili aficionado’s heaven. Their traditional recipe stems from a relative who learned how to prepare it from a chuckwagon cook in the 1800s–so you know it’s legit. Hard Times serves every variety of chili from Texas and Cincinnati style to Frito pies to vegetarian chili with soy flakes. You can order chili mac three ways or put your chili on sliders. All chili dishes come with homemade cornbread.

Soupergirl

If you watch Shark Tank, you might recognize this local soup brand (their episode aired in October). You can get Soupergirl soups at their Takoma or M street locations, order delivery, or pick it up at your local Whole Foods. The options are limitless and homemade with fresh seasonal ingredients.

Prescription Chicken

While they work on opening their first shop in D.C., you can order soup online for delivery. Sick? There’s a soup for that. Vegan? There’s a chickenless soup for that. Hungover? Yes, there is even a soup for that! Prescription Chicken soups come “grandma style,” a chicken or matzo ball soup reminiscent of that comforting bowl from your childhood, or “bipartisan,” their grandma-style soup with both egg noodles and matzo balls. If you’re a health nut, they’ve got plain bone broth too.

Ben’s Chili Bowl

Then there’s the obvious… Ben’s Chili Bowl. The landmark restaurant has sold its famous chili by the bowl and by the half-smoke since 1958.

#FrayLife Tip: You don’t have to go to an actual Ben’s Chili Bowl to get the area’s favorite chili anymore. Believe-it-or-not, you can skip the tourist trap in Shaw and pick up Ben’s at your nearest Costco.

Don’t stew over our list for too long, be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments or  by tagging us with #DCFray!

Have you heard about Starbucks’ new US Signing Store? The #FrayLife team highly recommends you go check out this awesome new location located at H and 6th Streets.

View More Articles By Anna Jacoby