On Sundays, DCist publishes opinion pieces about life in D.C. Today’s column comes to us from reader John Heaton. If you have an opinion to share, please email us.

Almost every city has it; some local delicacy that represents the roots or fabric of the area. NYC has cheesecake and pizza, Philly has cheesesteaks, and, going out to the left coast, the Seattle area has coffee and smoked salmon. What does D.C. have?

Nothing.

Some people could say crab cakes, but that is more of a Chesapeake Bay/Baltimore delicacy. Ben’s Chili Bowl? Probably the closest we have, but that is more of a brand of chili and not a unifying dish that binds residents of the District across political and economic lines.

There are several possible explanations for this oversight in the development of D.C. Unlike most places in this country, which were founded by settlers or colonists, the District was created somewhat out of the blue along the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers. People who worked along these waterways had more loyalty to the states that gave up land to form this new city. In came people from all over the United States, bringing different cultural influences that never quite stuck.

At no point in the development of the region has a singular culture, other than politics, taken root. Government employees come and go with the ebb and flow of elections, making it difficult for traditions to take hold.

Contrast this with other cities: Eastern European immigrants brought perogies to Pittsburgh while Italians gave NY pizza. In these cases immigrant populations enriched the areas they settled into making their cuisine as much a part of the city as they were. Although DC does have its share of immigrants coming in from around the world, it feels like no specific culture has made a lasting mark. Ambassadors, Heads of State, and government employees flock in just as much as someone uprooting their lives to start over. They just don’t stick around for too long.