Eat Charga’s Legendary Rotisserie Chicken

Charga Grill has become the first halal restaurant to top the Washington Post’s casual dining rankings for the DC area — a remarkable achievement for a no-frills, locally-owned spot in a strip mall on Langston Boulevard. The concept is simple and brilliant: take the world’s best rotisserie traditions — Peruvian, Pakistani Charga and Sajji, Jerk, American — and bring them under one roof, all prepared with halal-certified meats and served at prices that make it easy to come back often. The signature Charga chicken is flash-fried whole and comes out extraordinarily crispy on the outside and impossibly juicy within. The sides — Peruvian rice, naan, chickpeas, lentils, pickled beets, pickled onions, roasted potatoes, and yuca — are genuinely excellent in their own right.

There are two Arlington locations: the original Charga Grill at 5151 Langston Blvd and Charga on the Pike at 3203 Columbia Pike — meaning the whole county has easy access to one of its best-kept food secrets. The owner is famously personable, the regulars are fiercely loyal, and the daily curry and Chinese specials keep things interesting for repeat visitors. This is the kind of community restaurant that Arlington should be celebrating loudly. Order online or visit in person at chargagrill.com.