Exclusive: James Beard Award-winning restaurant Chai Pani opens soon in D.C.
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Chai Pani opens near Union Market. Photo: Courtesy Tim Robison
The wait is nearly over — hotly anticipated Indian restaurant Chai Pani opens near Union Market on August 29.
Why it matters: Asheville's James Beard Award-winning street food spot is migrating north with star chef — and fellow Beard winner — Vishwesh "Vish" Bhatt at the helm.
Catch up quick: Chef Meherwan Irani and wife Molly opened the first of soon-to-be-three Chai Panis in Asheville in 2009, bringing unfiltered Indian street food and now-famous okra fries to the southern town.
- A Georgia location and daughter at American University later, they decided to open a Chai Pani that's unique to D.C.
Zoom in: Irani tapped longtime friend and "Brown in the South" dinner series collaborator Bhatt to lead the restaurant, encouraging the Gujarati native and longtime Mississippian to put his stamp on the menu.
- Bhatt made waves at Snackbar in Oxford, MS, where he started as a prep cook and worked up to executive chef. And also with his 2022 memoir, "I Am From Here: Stories and Recipes from a Southern Chef."
The intrigue: Chai Pani will be the first time Bhatt will professionally cook his home cuisine — though he's spiced up Southern bistro dishes at Snackbar.
- "There's a lot of emotion there," Bhatt tells Axios. "I've had to unwind myself from the menus I've been writing for 20 years."
Must eats: Chai Pani classics like okra fries, bhel puri, kale pakoras and tiffin boxes are here to play.
- Bhatt created new dishes that speak to his Indian and Southern heritage, like an Indian corn bread, grilled okra, and pork ribs.
The vibe: Disney-like. Chai Pani is nearly as famous for its over-the-top technicolor decor as its food — and they're going even bigger for their big-city debut.
- "I want folks to walk in and have their jaws hit the floor," Irani tells Axios.
Between the lines: No lines! The restaurant will take reservations for the first time. "It pained me," Irani says of the decision. "It's street food. It's meant to be egalitarian and democratic and accessible."
- His compromise: ample space for walk-ins.
What's next: Botiwalla, a casual, grill-centric street food spot, will open in Tenleytown soon.
If you go: Chai Pani. 1325 5th Street NE. It will be open daily for lunch and dinner.
Editor's note: The story has been corrected to say Chai Pani is located at 1325 (not 1309) 5th Street NE.