Chaia Vegetarian Tacos Closes Bethesda Pop-Up Shop After Almost Two Years

Chaia, a vegetarian taco shop, has closed its pop-up shop on Bethesda after almost two years. The restaurant was located at 7237 Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda, the former site of Häagen-Dazs. Though the pop-up shop in Bethesda has closed, Chaia owners have “plans to soon bring its insanely delicious tacos further into the DMV area and beyond.”

On social media, Chaia wrote, “When we opened our pop up shop in Bethesda, we thought we’d have a great time – and boy did you prove us right! Thank you so much for welcoming us with open arms, big hearts, and hungry bellies. Come stop by during our pop up’s LAST FEW DAYS to get your fill of our fresh, seasonal veggie tacos. We’re open through Wednesday! After that, come visit us in one of our two shops in Georgetown and Chinatown.”

Per Chaia: “Bettina Stern and Suzanne Simon are long-time friends who met when they were in a cookbook club together almost 20 years ago. The two immediately connected over their shared love of exploring the world through cooking and travel, as well as their passion for health and wellness.

Their complementary personalities – Bettina is an adventurous rule-breaker whose inner child loves to play outside, while Suzanne is nurturing, loyal, and finds equal joy combing a beach or an antique shop – further solidified their friendship.

Their first business venture was a blog called “Loulies”, named after Bettina’s grandmother, featuring recipes and cooking tips. At a time when there weren’t many existing food blogs, Loulies earned Bettina and Suzanne a place in DC’s food scene. They began making connections to people in the industry, and started holding cooking demos and classes. They also discovered a void in the market: as awareness of our food system’s impact on personal and environmental health was growing, an increasing number of people were looking to eat more whole, sustainably sourced foods, but convenient options were virtually non-existent.

In the fall of 2012, Bettina and Suzanne were asked to participate in a startup kitchen competition. Inspired by a trip to Tulum, Mexico, they prepared handmade, freshly griddled corn tortillas filled with outrageously flavorful seasonal vegetables. The unconventional take on tacos was such a success, they were asked then and there to test run their concept in a farmers market. In the spring of 2013 they opened “Chaya” (original spelling) in a 10’x10’ tent at the White House Farmer’s Market. Within two months, the business required a regular staff of eight to keep up with demand.

In 2015, Chaia transformed to a brick-and-mortar shop in historic Georgetown. Bettina and Suzanne brought with them the invaluable experience of cooking year-round in the farmers market, including both a devoted customer following and the entrepreneurial flexibility that comes with adjusting to fluctuating seasonal ingredients. This experience still forms the foundation of Chaia’s menu – standing favorites inspired by farmers market recipes, complemented by seasonal specials.

Chaia has since opened a second downtown shop in Chinatown (2019) and a pop-up shop in Bethesda (2021), and has plans to soon bring its insanely delicious tacos further into the DMV area and beyond.”

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