our MISSION
Opening minds through the power of food.
two families.
two generations.
one delicious vision.
Our story starts back when we were just itty bitty little things. You see, we were born into the restaurant industry. Our fathers, hard-working immigrants, moved to this country back in 1985. Old friends from their days back in India, they started working together at a local spot in DC, and in 1991, embarked on the shared adventure of opening their first restaurant together. A year before that, we entered the picture, and have been best friends ever since.
Growing up with Bombay Bistro + Indique, we noticed that a lot of our friends either hadn't tried Indian food or had misperceptions about it. We'd hear stuff like "I don't like curry!" and "Isn't it all spicy?" on the reg, and it confused us because we knew curry just meant sauce and there's such diversity of flavor + heat profiles across India.
The food of our families had always been delicious, nutritious, and made with love. So, we'd bring our friends to the restaurant, order for them, and to their surprise, without fail, they would fall for Indian cuisine. Over the years, we'd see these converts coming back for birthday celebrations, graduation dinners, and anniversaries.
Sooner or later, we started to realize it wasn't that all these friends didn't like Indian food - they just hadn't been introduced to it in an accessible and fun way before. So in high school, we wrote a business plan for the idea, (we actually won a small business competition!) and started dreaming about how cool it could be.
From Dream to Dish: Our RASA Journey
We went to college, graduated, and did the whole corporate rat race thing for a few years in New York. But this vision kept coming back to us, and we knew we had to bring it to life. So we took the leap, quit our jobs, moved back home, and decided to do the damn thing.
Along the way, we traveled across India to reconnect with our roots and dove deeper into not only the intricacies of Indian cuisine, but our own friendship and families as well.
RASA is the realization of that vision, where we bring together our two worlds to share the authentic flavors of our youth with our friends + community right here in the DMV.
For more on our story, check out the video below, and if you haven't had a chance to stop by just yet, we hope to welcome you into our space sometime soon. Much love!
RAhul + SAhil
our food philosophy
Ancient roots, Modern flavors
MADE WITH LOVE
It's so much more than a meal. A gateway to an ancient culture and way of being. A slower time, in our fast-paced lives. Grandma approved, the flavors in our Indian restaurants are sure to transport you to a whole new world.
BOLD FLAVORS, BOLDER IDEAS
At RASA, we want to eat away at the old food system and build more connected communities. That starts with conscious sourcing, making our meals with love, and taking care of our people and planet. To learn more about our menu, take a peek here!
making indian food
accessible to all
Our Indian restaurants serve fresh, healthy bowls across D.C, Maryland + Virginia. Place your order for lunch or dinner today!
KEEP IT FRESH
No artificial flavors here! We source consciously + work with local partners.
NUTRITIOUS DELICIOUS
Food that's packed with flavor and feels good too? Yep, we got you covered.
SEASONAL MENUS
Our menu evolves in harmony with nature and it's natural rhythms so you can too.
OUR VALUES
CULTURAL CONNECTION
We introduce folks to new flavors, ideas, and worlds. We spice things up, celebrate diversity, and build more connected communities, one day at a time.
CONSCIOUS COOKING
Food tastes better when it's made with love. We cook with care, source ingredients consciously, and serve food that is both delicious and nutritious.
COMMUNITY CREATION
We take pride in fostering community connection. We regularly host events, festivals, and gatherings in our spaces to support our neighbors + friends.
order your fresh & healthy
lunch or dinner online
