Dr. Bombay's Underwater Tea Party spent twenty years as a Candler Park fixture before relocating in April 2025 to Grant Park, where it now occupies a corner of Howdy ATL on Cherokee Avenue, across from Zoo Atlanta. The new space is more open; the soul is the same. Vintage chairs, mismatched teacups, a lived-in gift shop, and the same founder's mission — Dr. Bombay's funds The Learning Tea, a nonprofit that supports women's education in Darjeeling, India.
Weekends are afternoon tea days, with tiered trays of finger sandwiches, warm scones with clotted cream, and small sweets paired with a generous pot of loose leaf. The menu runs toward fragrant florals and classic British-style blends — comfort and ritual over cutting-edge single-origin hunts. Four tiers of service are offered, from the Cream Tea up to the full Caroline.
Weekday drop-ins can still order by the pot from the regular menu, browse the retail shelves (loose leaf, teawares, small unusual gifts), and pay respects to the bookshelves that anchor the room. Service feels homey rather than hotel-polished, which is exactly right for a place that calls itself an underwater tea party.
Practical notes: Weekend seatings book out weeks ahead for Mother's Day and holiday weekends — reserve at drbombays.com/reservations. Fridays are the easiest walk-in day. If you're visiting Zoo Atlanta with kids, this is a natural adjacency for the adults afterward.