Chef Craig Richards to Open Elise at Woodruff Arts Center August 19, 2025
Seafood-forward, French-meets-Italian restaurant brings culinary arts to Atlanta’s premier cultural campus
Elise, the highly anticipated second restaurant from Chef Craig Richards (Lyla Lila), is set to open Tuesday, August 19 at the Woodruff Arts Center in Midtown Atlanta. Occupying the former Table 1280 space, Elise will offer an elegant menu of French and Italian-inspired cooking, a seafood-forward focus, and a refined, artful atmosphere that complements the energy of the Arts Center campus.
Elise marks the first restaurant partnership for the Woodruff Arts Center, home to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Alliance Theatre, and High Museum of Art, and represents an intentional embrace of the culinary arts alongside its world-class visual and performing arts programming.
“We’re thrilled to officially welcome Elise this summer,” says Hala Moddelmog, president and CEO of the Woodruff Arts Center. “Craig is a thoughtful and visionary chef, and his team is creating a concept that enhances the guest experience across our campus, offering a new way for visitors to engage with the arts.”
Designed by Renzo Piano, the original space provided a clean, modernist foundation that Richards and Smith Hanes Studio have reinterpreted. Their renovation introduces lighter wood floors and a warm white palette, layered with bold applications of color: red hues in the bar and natural green tones in the dining room—each element playing off the courtyard views and surrounding campus energy.
Key artworks include a large abstract piece in the dining room by Tommy Taylor, inspired by 1960s and ’70s American modernism; a sculptural entrance work by Sonya Yong James, known for her use of coarse horsehair and texture; and an energetic piece from Athens-based Chrissy Reed’s Blobbiesseries in the bar, echoing the restaurant’s color-forward interior design.
Chef Richards’ culinary style at Elise emphasizes a balance of classical technique and personal expression. The menu will highlight raw and cooked seafood, house made pastas, and French dishes interpreted through an Italian lens. With a focus on seasonal vegetables and sustainable sourcing, Elise will also offer prime-grade Midwestern steaks, a subtle nod to Richards’ Nebraska roots.
“I’ve always been drawn to cooking seafood,” says Richards. “It’s an evolution that began at St. Cecilia and continues here. Elise is a chance to showcase that growth and explore new expressions of technique and flavor.”
The restaurant will open with an à la carte dinner menu, with plans to debut a five-course tasting menu ($95) and optional wine pairings ($45) in the coming weeks. The menu begins with small plates such as scallop crudo with melon and bronze fennel, chicken liver mousse with strawberry hibiscus jam, and charred Persian cucumbers with pistachio chili butter. Four pastas include Richards’ signature cacio e pepe risotto, linguine with clams and langoustines, tagliatelle with rabbit ragu, and gnocchetti with crab and fennel pollen butter. Entrées range from smoked lamb shank with polenta verde and poached apricots to duck breast with Tokyo turnips and blackberry dashi emulsion, halibut with ginger beurre blanc and caviar, and premium steaks with Madeira–porcini jus and pomme purée. Desserts will include a warm lemon tart, housemade gelati and sorbetti, and a classic chocolate mousse finished with olive oil, sea salt, and za’atar.
The wine list will feature 100 selections, largely focused on French producers, from celebrated appellations to lesser-known winemakers bringing fresh perspectives to traditional styles. Beverage Manager Eric Potrikus’ cocktail program will balance flavors familiar to guests with unique ingredients and house-made elements that showcase creativity and seasonality. A curated vermouth menu will offer five to six artisanal expressions, providing an elegant start to the meal and showcasing a spirit that aligns with Elise’s “less is more” philosophy. Together, the wine and spirits selections will blend classic favorites with limited-production labels, resulting in offerings that are comforting, engaging, and undeniably delicious.
Service at Elise will be led by Chris Blackburn, who moves from his current role as general manager at Lyla Lila into a new position as Director of Hospitality for both restaurants. Elise’s approach will reflect the elevated, artful nature of its surroundings.
Elise will open for dinner service Tuesday–Sunday at 5 PM, with weekday lunch service launching shortly thereafter. Lunch will offer lighter, elegant fare designed for Arts Center guests and nearby neighbors like tuna Niçoise, seasonal vegetable-forward dishes, and lunch-size portions of pasta.
“There’s something meaningful about returning to a space that first inspired you,” says Richards. “When I dined here back in 2005, I was drawn to the architecture and the atmosphere. Now, to have the opportunity to contribute my own vision—one that is shaped by food, music, and design—feels both personal and creatively full circle.”
Reservations are now available on www.elise-atl.com or by visiting Resy. Follow along on social media @EliseArtsCenter.
