Anyone asking “where’s the meat?” at Chaia hasn’t tried chef/owners Suzanne Simon and Bettina Stern’s tacos at local farmer’s markets. The duo launched their pop-up “farm-to-taco” stand in 2013, and have created delicious vegetarian combinations using homemade corn tortillas, griddled to-order, stuffed with local, seasonal produce and fresh salsas. Now you’ll find even more options with the opening of Chaia’s first brick-and-mortar space in Georgetown.
The airy, 27-seat space on Grace Street serves a similar menu to those once found at the market, though more extensive. Guests at the counter-order eatery can choose between single tacos ($3.75) or a trio ($11), filled with combinations like mushrooms, feta, and red salsa, or creamy kale-and-potato with pickled onions, salsa verde, and poblano crema. Add-ons include locally-made Gordy’s pickled jalapeños, or eggs on weekends (until December, when they’ll be offered anytime). Many of the options can be made vegan, as well as gluten-free.
New to the lineup are sides ($4) such as green rice and black beans, and an array of cold-pressed juices and homemade seasonal shrubs—tangy nonalcoholic drinks such as sour cherry or cranberry-apple. You’ll also find local draft beer, and three global wines on tap. Though Chaia’s bent is healthy, there’s not too virtuous about tacos and a glass of sparkling Italian Lambrusco.
Chaia. 3207 Grace St., NW; 202-333-5222. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 to 8; Sunday 11 to 6.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
