Chai Pani - Washington, DC

Chai Pani’s latest location brings it’s craveworthy Indian Street food to the vibrant culinary scene in DC’s union market.

In 2009, Chef Meherwan Irani opened Chai Pani with his wife and business partner, Molly. It was the bottom of the great recession, but they had a crystal clear vision of what a great restaurant could be. Chai Pani has since garnered recognition for sparking a revolution in Indian cuisine in America. In 2021, The New York Times included Chai Pani in their list of America’s Favorite Restaurants. And in 2022, Chai Pani Asheville was named Outstanding Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation.

Chai Pani literally means “tea and water.” It's slang in for going out for a cup of tea, a tasty bite, a snack, or “a little something.” In our restaurants it means groundbreaking, fun, affordable, and “mindblasting” Indian street food that’s changing the perception of Indian cuisine in America.