Mast مست

Pakistani chai house · DMV

Stay a
while.

مست

Chai is the protagonist. Paratha rolls are our handshake. We don't make our food less spicy for you — we make it more delicious for everyone.

"Pull up a chair."

§ Why we exist

The world has had Pakistani food for fifty years. It just hasn't been invited in.

Mast is the cafe Pakistan has been waiting for. Cava did it for Greek. Chipotle did it for Mexican. Dishoom did it for Indian. Pakistan has been waiting.

Mast means blissful, intoxicated with joy, lost in something good. It's pronounced "must" — like I must have another.

§ The menu

Chai. Bites. Joy.

Hand-pulled chai, paratha rolls, Karachi bun kebab sliders, biryani bowls, halwa puri brunch.

See the full menu →

Menu in progress — final lineup launches with our doors

§ Be first

The kettle's
almost on.

Drop your email — we'll let you know when the doors open, and the first chai's on us.

We'll only email when something matters.

§ What we stand for

Six things we will not compromise on.

§ 01

The third place

Not a restaurant. Not a coffee shop. The place between work and home where you stay longer than you planned.

§ 02

No spice apology

Pakistani food is bold. We don't dumb it down — we educate.

§ 03

Halal as substrate

Everything is halal because of who we are, not as a sales line.

§ 04

Chai is sacred

Hand-pulled, never bagged. Treated like third-wave espresso.

§ 05

Diaspora-stamped

When Pakistani aunties say it tastes like home, everyone else follows.

§ 06

Joy is the metric

Mast literally means blissful. If you don't leave smiling, we failed.