Usually, a digital drop-pin gets you close to a new restaurant. But call it a sign from the tech gods—or just plain luck—the little red icon for Howell Mill Road literally pinpoints the exact alleyway entrance to Atlanta’s newest culinary destination, the Chai Box Cafe. This bit of satellite-level precision feels fitting for a space where Monica Sunny balances hand-ground spices and ethically sourced tea leaves with the same meticulous care.
Sunny has been brewing chai with her sons for decades, but in 2016 she took the concept mainstream with a Marietta-based mail-order business for loose tea. She reimagined the humble Indian masala dabba—or spice box, a staple of Indian kitchens—to hold loose tea instead. The timing was right: the chai latte craze was picking up steam. Word spread, investor interest followed, landing her chai concentrate on Costco shelves, then a small brick-and-mortar spot on Howell Mill.
After more than a year juggling renovations, permitting, and the mail-order business all at once, the Chai Box soft-opened in early June to lines that stretched out into the parking lot.
Sunny always wanted to present Indian chai in the way it’s meant to be enjoyed, with a real sense of community built in. The cafe itself is compact, elegant, and casual. Large windows keep the bright interior feeling airy, with seating offered inside and out, and a mural in the style of a Rajasthani miniature painting sets the tone for the whole room.
“We intentionally chose a small space because we wanted it to capture the feeling of a tea stall in India—a quaint place where you stop for a great cup of chai, strike up a conversation, and feel part of the community,” says Sunny.
Grabbing a chai concentrate while running errands is one experience, but sitting down to enjoy the cafe is quite another. “Our concentrate tells one story: the classic masala chai that many people already know. The cafe lets us tell so many more,” she shares.
Regular chai drinkers typically know what they want before they walk in. Monica points newcomers toward the Hill Station Cloud, a hot rose and cardamom chai topped with housemade cardamom malai (cardamom cream similar to cold foam), or its coffee counterpart, the cardamom cloud espresso. The cardamom cream is lush and velvety, and lingers well after the cup is empty.
The caffeine-free drinks hold their own too. The lychee + coconut vellam, topped with an airy coconut cream, is a genuine summer cooler, and is a drink inspired by her husband’s Malayali heritage.
For the food menu, Monica teamed up with pastry chef Amber Latimore to perfect the pairings. “Together, we wanted to create pastries that Atlanta hasn’t really had the chance to experience—rooted in Indian flavors and traditions, reimagined for a neighborhood cafe,” says Sunny.
The samosa croissant has quickly become the cafe’s signature grab. Masala bun and rusk are on regular rotation; the saag paneer puff comes from Sunny’s mom’s recipe; and the rose and pistachio tarts lean into two ingredients that define Indian desserts.
Already, guests of the Chai Box include longtime locals, out-of-towners, young customers new to the chai experience, and many Indian aunties and uncles who’ve been drinking chai their entire lives. Demand has outpaced their business hours, with the cafe selling out often on weekends. At this rate, it’s hard to imagine Monica stopping at just one location.
The Chai Box is now open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday; and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.
The Chai Box, 1963 Howell Mill Rd. NW, Atlanta
