Table 1280, the restaurant on the Woodruff Arts Center campus, will be replaced by new eatery Elise in 2025.
The venture comes from chef Craig Richards in partnership with the Woodruff Arts Center, which is home to the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and High Museum of Art. Elise will be the second restaurant for Richards, who has owned and operated acclaimed Midtown restaurant Lyla Lila since 2019. Richards is targeting an April or May opening with dinner service first, and lunch added later.
Elise will “offer an elevated menu of French and Italian cooking,” according to a news release, with both a la carte and tasting menus.
Offerings will include a frequently rotating selection of four to five housemade pastas, a nod to Richards’ more than 20 years of experience making pasta at restaurants including St. Cecilia and La Tavola. The menu will also emphasize Richards’ experience with raw and cooked seafood preparations in addition to highlighting Georgia’s seasonal vegetables.
Elise’s wine list will “lean toward old-world varietals with an emphasis on French and Italian varietals while also exploring lesser-known regions, featuring wines that are food friendly and pair seamlessly with the kitchen’s menu,” according to the news release. The bar program will “draw inspiration from classic European cocktails, mirroring the kitchen’s seasonal and organic approach,” according to the release.
“I remember dining at Table 1280 in 2005 and being drawn to the design of the space,” Richards said in a prepared statement. “I connected with Susan Ambo of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra earlier this year while exploring new restaurant opportunities, and it happened to be perfect timing for all of us. I’m excited to re-engage the spirit of the original design and incorporate that inspiration into our menu and beverage offerings.”
The eatery’s name is a nod to Beethoven’s piano composition, Für Elise. Atlanta-based Smith Hanes Studio will design the interior, using the works of artists Ellsworth Kelly and James Turrell as inspiration for applications of color and natural light.
The space will “combine modernist and Italian design with a blend of warm and cool tones like deep shades of red, warm lacquered wood, and mirrored finishes,” according to the news release. The design will showcase the open kitchen with tables along the floor to ceiling windows, and design elements will include a red color palette in the bar room, while the dining room will feature “a more serene ambiance with hints of green and organic accents,” according to the release.
Elise will be managed by Lyla Lila’s current general manager, Chris Blackburn, who will move into his new role of director of hospitality for both restaurants.
Table 1280
In December 2022, the Woodruff Arts Center updated its food and beverage model to provide the highest quality patron experience. As part of that change, the business components contained within food and beverage were divided into three categories:
- Premier Events manages concessions.
- A list of preferred caterers supplies all catering needs.
- When Table 1280 closed, Twelve Eighty Lounge began offering bar service and light bites.
We then began a search for a restaurant provider that could not only enhance the experience of the Arts Center’s many patrons, but also draw Atlantans to the campus as a destination restaurant. We believe we have found a perfect match in Craig Richards and Elise. Twelve Eighty Lounge is now closed, and renovations for Elise have commenced.
Sign up for the AJC Food and Dining Newsletter
Read more stories like this by liking Atlanta Restaurant Scene on Facebook, following @ATLDiningNews on X and @ajcdining on Instagram.
About the Author
