Ahh, tea… Nearly an after-thought given the coffee craze in the US over the past decade or so. I’m more of a green tea drinker but I had seen pictures for a new tea house out in Chapel Hill that looked really interesting, the Honeysuckle Tea House! As luck would have it, I’m heading back from Charlotte and figured I could stop in at Honeysuckle Tea House because it was on the way back home. Sort of, as you’ll see…
While Honeysuckle Tea House is officially in Chapel Hill, it’s in the outskirts near the White Cross area. I head in off of Rte. 54 trusting my GPS but I had my doubts. Especially when Apple maps tells me to take a right onto Lake Village Trailer Park?!? What did it just say? But I trust my technology and head on further in. Soon I see a wooden arch overhead to the right, proclaiming “Honeysuckle Tea House” on a rustic, weathered plank. This must be the place! I turn in, go through another gateway and park in front of a low, squat square building. It’s a mix of Appalachia-Japanese architecture with an interesting sloped green roof that looks like a hat. Gardening beds sit to the right and left of the building, full of greenery, butterflies and bees, a very relaxing scene!
Inside the Honeysuckle Tea House there are a bunch of folks chatting and getting some work done on their laptops. A counter up front shows off some vegan pastries, the small menu of beer and wine along with a display of herbal and black teas on shelves. Apparently all the herbal teas are made of ingredients from their farm which is really cool. I order up a fire and ice kombucha up front and head on to a table to savor mah drink!
All I can say is that Honeysuckle is all Chapel Hill in that it has a very natural, commune like feel to the establishment. Down below I spy a play-structure for kids and a stage where I’d imagine the local drum circle from Carrboro may perform from time to time. I’m making this all up in my imagination but that’s just the type of feel you get from Honeysuckle Tea House! My kombucha is excellent for my first one ever. It’s got some vinegary sour and spice along with the slight effervescence to the drink. It perks me up just like a coffee but without the jitters.
I finish up my kombucha, dispose of the cup and hop in the car for the ride back to Raleigh. And all I can think to myself is “that was REALLY interesting!” And cool, it reminds me of something I might have run into when I lived in SF and the Bay area. But of course we’re in NC so your mileage may vary. But if you love tea, love the outdoors and are willing to try something different, check out Honeysuckle Tea House. And if your GPS tells you to turn into a trailer park, just keep on going! I promise you’ll find something way cooler than some rusting double-wides down that country road…
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