Brandi Shelton — "the tea lady" to anyone who's spent time in her shop — has been blending tea in Atlanta since 2006, when Just Add Honey started as a stall at Sweet Auburn Curb Market. Two decades later, the flagship sits on John Wesley Dobbs Avenue right off the Eastside BeltLine, and the Sweet Auburn stall (209 Edgewood Ave) still operates too.
The loose-leaf selection runs deep and personal. House blends carry names that hint at the people they were made for — "ATLien," "Chai of the Tiger," "Honeysuckle Rose" — and the tasting experience is hands-on in the way you'd hope a Black-owned, women-led tea shop with serious roots would be. Brandi and her team will pour, explain, and ask what you're after. A coffee pairing from Portrait Coffee, another Black-owned Atlanta brand, is a typical order for anyone planning to linger on the patio.
Beyond the drinks, the space functions as a community hub. Monthly tea blending classes let you walk out with a custom tin of your own making. Private afternoon tea parties get booked here for birthdays and showers. The retail wall carries teawares, books, and gifts that feel curated rather than acquired.
Practical notes: The BeltLine patio fills up fast on weekends — arrive before noon on Saturday if you want an unhurried browse. Hours shift seasonally; check justaddhoney.net before making a special trip. The Sweet Auburn Curb Market stall is the earlier, smaller version if you're downtown.