Elise

Highly Anticipated Elise Opens in Midtown Atlanta | Eater Atlanta

"At the Woodruff Arts Center in Midtown, this French- and Italian-focused restaurant from Chef Craig Richards (of Lyla Lila) debuts August 19, replacing Table 1280, with a light-filled interior designed by Renzo Piano, vivid red and green velvet seating, and walls adorned with art including a large abstract by Tommy Taylor, a textured fabric sculpture by Sonya Yong James at the entrance, and a piece from Chrissy Reed’s bold “Blobbies” series. The menu centers on fresh seafood and seasonal produce alongside Richards’ famed house-made pastas—his signature cacio e pepe risotto; linguine with clams and langoustines; tagliatelle with rabbit ragu; and gnocchetti with crab and fennel pollen butter—plus seafood like scallop crudo and halibut with ginger beurre blanc and caviar. A 100-wine list leans French, and the bar led by beverage manager Eric Potrikus adds a vermouth menu with five to six varieties and six staple cocktails. A five-course dinner tasting menu will soon be available for $95 with a $45 wine pairing, with smaller lunch offerings to follow. Named after Beethoven’s Für Elise and conceived as a showcase of the culinary arts alongside the Symphony, Alliance Theatre, and High Museum, it opens for dinner Tuesday to Sunday from 5 p.m., with reservations now available; as Richards says, returning to the space that first inspired him feels “personal and creatively full circle.”" - Henna Bakshi