Exclusive: Take the first look inside Georgetown's Spicewalla

• It's the latest local venture from James Beard Award-winning chefs Meherwan and Molly Irani, behind Union Market's Chai Pani and just-opened Botiwalla in Tenleytown.

The vibe: "A magic spice fairy cave wonderland experience," Irani tells Axios.

• The colorful marketplace is stocked with freshly roasted and ground spices, dish-ready blends and new kits — two years in the making — for recreating Chai Pani's famous butter chicken and saag.
• About half the shop is devoted to goodies from small Southeast producers, including hot sauces, chocolates, condiments and more.

The intrigue: Irani launched Spicewalla after opening Chai Pani in Asheville, building a wholesale business that now supplies around 3,000 restaurants and markets.

• Its retail side took off during the pandemic, when restaurant shutdowns sent home cooks scrambling for inspiration.
• The appetite hasn't cooled. Irani says shoppers increasingly crave experiences and connection — which Spicewalla delivers through demos, cooking classes and events.

What they're saying: "We don't think of it as a spice store, no more than an art supply store thinks of itself as just selling paint. We're an aspirational store where people come in inspired to cook."

What's next: Expect spice-blending classes and collaborations with D.C. chefs, alongside everything you'd need for a three-hour biryani project.

The bottom line: "A tin of spices is the furthest from a meal anybody will ever get," Irani jokes. Spicewalla wants to make that journey a little easier — and a lot more delicious.

If you go: Spicewalla. 1317 Wisconsin Avenue, NW