We describe Chaia as a seasonal vegetable taco shop and often shy away from using the descriptor “vegetarian”. Why? Because people often hear the word and immediately think that our restaurant is for people who don't eat meat or animal products. Our goal is to help people to eat more vegetables because they are both delicious (particularly when prepared just right) and they are so good for you. “Going back” to plant-based diets may be the best way forward for a sustainable future.

Our mission is about eating more plants to benefit not only your health, but the health of our environment - and there is extensive amounts of evidence that supports this. We are just beginning to scratch the surface on the impact we can make. Vegetables are the new meat: the more we can center our diets around whole, healthy plant foods, the healthier we will be longterm. 

As always, our menu changes based on what’s in-season and what's growing locally and regionally around us.  If you have not yet tried it, stop by the shop (or place an order online) for our winter Cabbage Taco - sauteed with toasted cumin seeds and served with queso fresco, our grilled tomato salsa + radish.

FARM-TO-TACO TO-GO

#farmtotaco #ieatplants

Thanks to you, we had a very positive and welcoming first year at Chaia. When people tell us how much they love our food, the space, and our happy, bright team - we feel so proud. Thinking back to our goals for that first year (serving great food, creating a unique experience for our customers and establishing our concept in a new neighborhood), we are confident and very excited with how the shop keeps improving. Chaia’s values of quality, seasonality, sustainability and hospitality continue to be our focus. 

In 2017, we will continue to promote healthy living, sustainable agriculture methods, and reducing waste. Our focus is on developing a business model that protects the health of individuals, communities, and the planet.

A message we often repeat is: “Changing the world one taco at a time”. How? Because we feel that the impact of daily meal choices matters and that small adjustments can have a big effect.

Chaia’s philosophy supports opting out of many of the concerns of our current food system by eliminating processed, industrial foods from our diet, eating more plants, and supporting our local food economy. In our shop (and also in our own homes), we make every effort feasible to eat more plant-based foods and support our local and regional farmers, producers  and businesses - as much as possible and even in the winter months. We are paying it forward. For us it has become habit.  For you, it can too.

"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow." - Albert Einstein

Here's to a bright and hopeful 2017!

--love from the Chaia Team

For Bettina Stern and Suzanne Simon their focus on local, seasonal vegetables not only strengthened their friendship, but also heightened their passion for building a business around food. With Bettina’s past experience in editorial publishing, coupled with Suzanne’s expertise in environmental sciences and consulting, they saw an opportunity and decided to target it. In 2009 they began their journey in their own kitchens where they posted seasonal recipes on their home cooking blog (loulies.com). Determined to share with a larger community, they decided to bring their delicious food to the people - what better way than at a farmer’s market?  Suzanne and Bettina set up a 10x10-foot tent at the Freshfarm Market by the White House and provided the community with tasty tacos all made with local and seasonal vegetables.    

Almost one year ago (November 2015), Chaia transformed from a tent set-up at the market to a brick-and-mortar shop in historic Georgetown. They both agree: growing Chaia has been the best experience, resulting in extending good food, local farm relationships, seasonality, sustainability and warmth to you. 

Chaia Chatter with Bettina & Suzanne as told to Amanda Bertholf, a Chaia team member:

our summer salad is brand NEW -- tender greens with edible flowers from little wild things farm, quinoa, shredded carrot, snap peas + mint. plus a homemade lime brine vinaigrette -- made from the brine from our gordy's pickle jar cilantro-lime jalapeños

Cinco de Mayo celebrations like you've never seen...or tasted

Our restaurant will be transformed into a festive atmosphere with Mexican-inspired decorations created by The Lemon Bowl

Offering special drinks all day and night
'Michaialadas'--our take on micheladas
'Mexican Sangria' made with local strawberries + citrus

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WHERE
Chaia Georgetown, 3207 Grace St NW

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WHEN
11am-10pm *extended hours*
Thursday, May 5th

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SPREAD THE WORD + INVITE YOUR FRIENDS TO THE FIESTA

this earth day, take a moment to connect the food on your plate to the earth that grows it. at chaia, we believe eating vegetables is healthiest for us as people and our planet

we eat real food in season, not just because it tastes better, but because fresh, locally available food supports farmers, sustainable land use, and our collective food community

this earth day, we also celebrate food's life cycle and thank our community for joining us in composting over 5 tons of food 'waste' and customer packaging from our restaurant

with our partners at fat worm compost, we are able to divert 100% of this 'waste' from a landfill to an industrial composting facility in prince george's county, maryland where 'trash' is turned into nutrient-rich soil that farmers and gardeners can use to plant the next season of crops + plants

to take part in the 'seed to soil' movement and explore composting options for your home and office, read more here

Create a Better Food System with Chaia

We are hiring!! Seeking dedicated, organized and reliable individuals for positions in both front and back of house for seasonal and long-term positions.
We believe that true hospitality is the meeting point between generous, open service and food that is nourishing for people and the environment. We are seeking like-minded teammates to help us grow.

A willingness to wear many hats is a must; you may be cashiering, preparing our natural drinks, filling tacos on the line, or helping prep and cook our farm fresh vegetables in the kitchen. In all positions, you will be our brand ambassadors, with an eagerness to talk about all things Chaia and create a superior guest experience. All of our teammates are capable of working independently and we encourage creative collaboration.

If interested, we would love to hear from you. Please send us your resume and a note with a few sentences about why you are interested in Chaia to jobs@chaiadc.com.
Photo by Albert Ting

never give a bad gift again with our online + physical gift cards!

You can now order 'Farm To Taco' on UberEATS 7 days a week! Download the app today.

Farm-to-table tacos and succulents - what could be better?

Join terrarium instructor Holley Simmons at Chaia for a terrarium class with succulents in our upstairs loft area.

We'll be filling glass bubble bowls with rocks, foraged moss, hearty succulents and a few other surprises!

Purchase your tickets here

Tuesday, April 19
7-8 p.m.
Chaia 3207 Grace St. NW
Seating is limited to 20 guests.
Email Holley@SillLife.com with any questions.

CHAIA from Maya Ojalvo on Vimeo.

We 'hyper-locally' source all of our microgreens from Little Wild Things City Farm, a woman-owned sub-acre urban farm right here in Northwest Washington DC and only 2 miles from our Georgetown shop. Microgreens are not to be confused with sprouts. Sprouts are seeds germinated in water just long enough to grow roots and underdeveloped leaves. Microgreens are tiny, baby, leaf seedlings that are less than 14 days old that are grown in soil and sunlight from a variety of vegetable seeds such as radish, kale, spinach, beet etc. Beyond being delicate and beautiful, scientists have found that that they are packed with even more nutrients compared to their adult version of the vegetable.

In preparation for the opening of our first shop in Georgetown, it is with great excitement and bittersweetness that we write you announcing our last White House FRESHFARM Market is TODAY Thursday, October 29th and our last Dupont Circle FRESHFARM Market is this Sunday, November 1st.

FRESHFARM Markets allowed Chaia to launch our business by testing out our local, seasonal tacos in an incredibly supportive community. Chaia's first brick-and-mortar store, soon to open at 3207 Grace St NW in Georgetown, is the direct result of efforts by FRESHFARM to develop and support local businesses like ours and of course, all of our enthusiastic, dedicated customers who visit our market stand each and every week.

Back in May 2013, Chaia's founders Bettina Stern and Suzanne Simon showed up at their first White House market with enough food to feed 50 people and sold out as fast as they could serve them. Since that first market day two and a half years ago, we have been so fortunate to serve hundreds of you every Thursday and Sunday. To be part of a community that values and celebrates fresh seasonal vegetables grown by local farmers means everything to us at Chaia.

So here's the biggest THANKS to all of you for supporting us at every step of the way. Our time at farmers markets is only the beginning for Chaia, and we can't wait to continue this Farm To Taco journey with you. Please stop by one of our last two markets this week because we have a small token of appreciation for you!

Help us spread the word that we are moving from the farmers market to our first shop in Georgetown! Exact opening date TBA.

3207 Grace St NW
Washington, DC 20007

Do you love our tortillas? Once you try handmade tortillas, you'll never go back to the grocery store packs again. They are simple and take no time at all. Follow the recipe on Maseca Brand Corn Flour found at most grocery stores and these tips:

1. You will need a tortilla press. Place dough between wax paper before pressing so that you can easily peel it off.
2. When mixing the masa, work it with your hands. If it seems to dry, add a little more water a tablespoon at a time. Too much water, and you will not be able to peel the tortilla from the paper in the press. Too little water and your tortilla will crumble when pressed. Unlike pastry dough, masa does not suffer from being over-handled.
3. The masa will dry out quickly. Keep it covered with a damp cloth.
4. Use a heavy-bottom skillet to cook as a lighter weight pan could warp.
5. Brown spots on your tortillas or irregular edges are good — an indication that they are handmade, rather than punched out of a big machine.
6. The number of tortillas with the basic recipe is about 12.
7. Put your hot tortillas in a basket wrapped in a kitchen towel to keep them warm and tender. Corn tortillas can be made 2 hours in advance, wrapped and reheated in a 350 degree oven for about 12 minutes or in the microwave for 2 minutes.