The award-winning Chit Chaat Chai restaurant in Wandsworth Town is to close its doors due to the challenges posed by Covid-19
The vibrant restaurant on Old York Road, which was born out of a love for chaat, the traditional Indian street food, battled through lockdown with a delivery service and has since reopened its doors, making the most of the pedestrianisation of Old York Road to provide an alfresco dining experience.
But the independent business has made the call based on ‘a challenging couple of years for hospitality’, with the short and long term effects of the Covid-19 pandemic having made it ‘increasingly impossible to keep our independently run business going in the way I would like’, said founder Tania Rahman in an Instagram post.
Rahman started sharing her love for chaat by opening a food stall at markets in the Hampshire area, before graduating to food festivals, supper clubs in London and a two-week pop-up in Covent Garden.
In April 2016, Rahman finally opened her own restaurant, launching the colourful venue, full of eclectic Indian-inspired décor, lively music and art, in Wandsworth Town.
Chit Chaat Chai’s final day of trading is Monday 21 September 2020, but the owner is determined to bring the much-loved, award-winning restaurant back in the future: ‘This won’t be the last you’ll see of Chit Chaat Chai, more of a pause while we figure out our return.’
The full closure announcement reads as follows:
‘It is with a heavy heart to announce we will be closing our doors in Wandsworth Town.
‘It’s been a challenging couple of years for hospitality, coupled with the short and further long term effects of Covid it’s become increasingly impossible to keep our independently run business going in the way I would like.
‘I cannot thank each and everyone one of you enough for your support and unforgettable memories over the past six years, from our market stall and supperclub days to our beautiful restaurant in Wandsworth, you really have allowed me to live out my dreams.
‘Our last service will be this Monday and we’d absolutely love to see you for one last Chaat and Chai (or order a delivery or takeaway).
‘This won’t be the last you’ll see of Chit Chaat Chai, more of a pause while we figure out our return. Please do keep following us and keep in touch for future updates.
‘Lots of love Tania and the incredibly brilliant Chit Chaat Chai team past and present.’
