Dawa’s Cafe

In January of 2021, BOC Counselor Megha Tuladhar stopped at Dawa’s as an outreach effort by BOC to local businesses.

Screen Shot 2021-12-27 at 8.19.34 AM

Dawa Bhuti

Dawa’s is a Tibetan and American cafe in Woodside, Queens run by owner Dawa Bhuti along with her father, Ngodup Gyaltsen, and an uncle, Lobsang Tenzin. Her family roots are in Dzonga, Tibet, a village in the Himalayas at an altitude of some 13,500 feet. Ms. Bhuti was born across the border of Tibet, in Kathmandu, Nepal, and she spent much of her youth in India at boarding schools for Tibetan refugees, before coming to New York in 2004 at the age of 20.

Screen Shot 2022-05-12 at 2.04.31 PM Screen Shot 2022-05-12 at 2.04.14 PM

Dawa’s father Ngodup arrived in the United States as a Tibetan refugee in 2013 and started his business by delivering homemade lunch boxes to Tibetans working at farmers’ markets while Dawa attended culinary school. Ms. Dawa appeared on several cooking shows such as Mercer Kitchen and Rouge Tomate.

The restaurant’s menu of ethnic Himalayan plates pays homage to the hometown Dawa’s father had to leave behind. In 2016, Dawa became the operator of their Woodside storefront, renovating and introducing a new menu.

Like most restaurant businesses in Queens, Dawa’s had to temporarily close for several months due to the pandemic. This setback impacted business revenue, and resulted in their having to lay off part-time employees, and having difficulty making rent payments.

In January of 2021, BOC Counselor Megha Tuladhar stopped at Dawa’s as an outreach effort by BOC to local businesses. From there, she began working with Dawa Bhuti to provide pandemic relief information and support. Ms. Tuladhar was able to help Dawa understand and apply for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Queens Small Business Grant.

Dawa’s received $20,000 from the Queens Small Business Grant Program in March of 2021 and was able to use the funds to pay commercial rent, provide safety equipment for staff, and fulfill other business-related expenses as well. In addition, BOC provided Dawa with extensive technical assistance with other grant opportunity applications.

Now, Dawa’s remains open in Woodside, Queens, with additional employees, offering full menu service and online ordering!

Business Name

Dawa’s Cafe

51-18 Skillman Avenue Forest Avenue, 2nd Fl. Rear
Queens, NY 11377
718-899-8629

"BOC helped us navigate the confusing process of PPP. We are grateful."

Dawa Bhuti, Owner, Dawa's

Contact Us

Find out how BOC can support
your business.

Connect with BOC

Sign up for our newsletter