Whimsical teahouse Dr. Bombay’s Underwater Tea Party’s move to Grant Park and Cafe Momentum’s forthcoming debut in downtown Atlanta are among this week’s highlights from the Atlanta restaurant scene.
Dr. Bombay’s Underwater Tea Party is moving to Grant Park
Katrell Christie opened eclectic teahouse Dr. Bombay’s in Candler Park at 1645 McLendon Ave. NE in 2007. Not long after opening its doors, Christie founded the Learning Tea, which offers housing, educational and empowerment opportunities for young women in Darjeeling, India.
Nearly two decades later, the tea shop is moving to Grant Park where it will share a space with Boyd Baker’s biscuit and coffee shop Howdy ATL at 753 Cherokee Ave. SE.
The eclectic decorations that Dr. Bombay’s is known for, like delicate parasols and shelves of knickknacks, will soon fill Howdy ATL’s dining room.
“Everything about that room and all the whimsy that is Dr. Bombay’s will get moved to Boyd’s space,” Christie told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
During Howdy’s normal morning business hours, biscuits, sandwiches, baked goods and coffee beverages will be available. In the afternoon, Dr. Bombay’s will take over with high tea service, which Christie said is its most popular offering.
Christie, who splits her time between New Orleans and Atlanta, has been co-hosting true crime podcast New Orleans Unsolved for the past five years, and a new upcoming opportunity with the podcast prompted her to shift her focus away from the teahouse, she said.
To continue the mission of Dr. Bombay’s and the Learning Tea, Christie’s longtime friend Tiffany Folson will be taking a larger roll in running Dr. Bombay’s high tea service and the parties, bridal and baby shower events that have become so popular. Most of the staff will transfer to the new location as well.
“(Baker) loves baking, he loves his space, he loves his community, and Dr. Bombay’s can fit right in with that,” Christie said.
The final days of high tea service at the Candler Park location will be March 29 and 30. Tea service will resume at the Grant Park space on April 5.
Dr. Bombay’s. 753 Cherokee Ave. SE, Atlanta. drbombays.com
Cafe Momentum debuts next week
Cafe Momentum, a nonprofit restaurant that employs justice-involved youth, will open its doors March 27.
Texas-based restaurateur Chad Houser opened Cafe Momentum’s flagship location in Dallas, Texas, in 2015. It was established to provide youth leaving the juvenile detention system with support and resources that allow them to move through “tiers of success,” like setting up a bank account, enrolling in school and developing future skills.
Josh Lee, a 2022 James Beard Award semifinalist and co-owner of Soul: Food & Culture in Krog Street Market alongside Todd Richards, was tapped to serve as executive chef, and he’s developed a menu that pulls from several regions of the world, all with an “elevated Southern twist,” he said.
Menu items include a deviled egg experience; lobster beignets; smoked fried chicken with braised greens, mashed potatoes and Cafe Momentum biscuits; shrimp and grits; and brown butter poached sea bass with spinach, turnips, pearl onions, dashi and miso.
The interns will cycle through front- and back-of-house roles over the course of a year as they learn the skills required for each position.
“It’s really amazing watching the progress of this first round of youth that we have in the building right now,” Lee said. “They enjoy coming in the kitchen. They enjoy working with us because they’re learning something new.”
Cafe Momentum will be open 5-10 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays.
200 Peachtree St. NW, Atlanta. 770-881-8790. cafemomentum.org/restaurant/atlanta
More restaurant openings
Credit: Ryan Fleisher
Credit: Ryan Fleisher
Woody’s Cheesesteaks, an Atlanta staple since 1975, has opened at 95 Church St., in the development off Marietta Square.
The menu includes offerings like cheesesteak sandwiches, subs, hot dogs and sausages, potato wedges and milkshakes.
The development comes from Bridger Properties and will feature 17,000 square feet of restaurants and businesses. Woody’s joins food and beverage concepts 7Tequilas Mexican Restaurant, Cøntrast Artisan Ales and Italian restaurant Gianni and Mac’s.
95 Church St., Marietta. 678-929-2549, woodyscheesesteaks.com
26 Thai Kitchen & Bar has opened in Alpharetta shopping center the Maxwell. Owner Niki Pattharakositkul debuted the Thai eatery in Lindbergh Center in 2016 and has since added eight locations including in Midtown, Buckhead, Brookhaven, Dunwoody, Norcross and the Battery near Truist Park.
The Alpharetta menu will feature such items as drunken noodle, chicken satay, crab fried rice, Bangkok street chicken, larb chicken and curries.
210 S Main St., Alpharetta. 470-359-7189, 26thai.com/n1
Q Korean BBQ Revolving Sushi has opened its second location in Decatur. The restaurant offers all-you-can-eat sushi from a conveyor belt. Fresh meat that guests can grill at their table is delivered by mini trucks.
1363 Clairmont Road, Decatur. 404-549-7428
Order coffee, milk tea and fruit tea drinks from an AI-driven robot at the Peachtree City One Kitchen inside the Peachtree City Walmart. The concept comes from a partnership between Nevada-based Richtech Robotics Inc. and Ghost Kitchens America.
“The robot utilizes NVIDIA AI technology to interact with customers, monitor and adapt to changes in its environment and craft beverages with a high level of precision and accuracy,” according to a news release.
2717 Highway 54, Peachtree City. walmart.com/store/3461-peachtree-city-ga
Georgia’s first location of Layne’s Chicken Fingers will open March 24 at 2000 Holcomb Bridge Road in Roswell. The fried chicken restaurant originally opened in Texas and offers a menu of original or spicy chicken tenders, french fries, chicken sandwiches, grilled cheese, wraps, Texas toast and milkshakes.
2000 Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell. layneschickenfingers.com
Other news of interest
Brasserie Margot inside Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta will now offer a weekday express lunch with such offerings as French onion soup and a baguette; burrata with fig and pecan gastrique served on pain de mie toast with aged balsamic and tarragon; a burger with bacon, charred red onions and Dijonnaise sauce; and a croque monsieur. Lunch is available 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays.
75 14th St. NE, Atlanta. brasseriemargot.com
More restaurant announcements
Bar Avize opens this week with playful Alpine-inspired bar bites and al fresco dining
Where to eat near the State Farm Arena during March Madness
Restaurant and bar Bar Haus is set to open in April at 2057 Main St. NW in Atlanta’s Westside, What Now Atlanta reported this week. Jamaican restaurant Kingston Spice Cuisine is planned at 1929 Piedmont Circle NE across the street from Midtown Bowl, according to What Now Atlanta.
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