Chef Craig Richards and restaurateur Billy Streck announce plans to open Lyla Lila in midtown Atlanta early this fall. Lyla Lila is located at 693 Peachtree Street Northeast on the ground level of the 24-story lilli Midtown boutique apartment residence on the corner of 3rd Street and Peachtree. The restaurant aims to be elegant while approachable with a menu highlighting southern European cuisine.
Richards and Streck met in 2011 and immediately bonded over a shared love of Atlanta’s vibrant hospitality industry. In 2018, the two industry veterans entered into a culinary partnership, having found an ideal location for a restaurant concept at lilli Midtown—where Jarel Portman reached out to Streck exclusively for the Peachtree-facing restaurant space after a positive experience at Inman Quarter. For more than a decade, Richards has overseen the kitchens of highly-regarded Atlanta restaurants La Tavola, Ecco, and St. Cecilia in addition to serving as vice president of culinary for Ford Fry Restaurants. Streck and his wife Jenn own the community bar and restaurant Hampton & Hudson in Inman Quarter for which Richards oversees the menu. Streck is also co-owner of the Atlanta classic Cypress Street Pint & Plate and the acclaimed Nina & Rafi, a New Jersey-style pizza joint in the heart of Old Fourth Ward.
During the process of finding the restaurant location, Richards and Streck discovered another personal connection: their daughters shared the same name.
“My daughter’s name is Lyla and Billy’s daughter’s middle name is Lila. It’s an interesting connection that we share, and by using both names it felt like a personal expression of ourselves and our families to the restaurant,” says Richards.
The menu will focus on the cuisine of southern Italy and Spain with an expanded global pantry. Richards will feature his signature style of pastas made in-house and main courses will include wood-fired meat and seafood as well as seasonally driven vegetables and salads. Cocktail offerings will follow the kitchen’s use of seasonal ingredients and wine selections will be old-world leaning with a strong emphasis on sparkling varietals.
Smith Hanes Studio will oversee the design of the 4,000 square-foot space. Early renderings include organic textures, wood, and a bohemian-style feel. Guests will have the opportunity to experience two styles of service within the space. The 40-seat patio and bar area will be lively and vibrant to reflect the energy of the neighborhood. The dining room will provide a dinner-party like atmosphere with polished service and relaxed ambiance. A 25-seat private dining room will also be adjacent to the dining room. Lyla Lila will initially open for dinner seven nights a week with plans to extend meal services to brunch and lunch after the initial opening.
