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Midtown Could Finally Have a Restaurant Serving Exceptional Pasta Next Fall

Hampton + Hudson’s Billy Streck and former St. Cecilia chef Craig Richards opening a restaurant a block from the Fox Theatre

St. Cecilia

The “culinary partnership” between restauranteur Billy Streck (Hampton + Hudson, Cypress Street Pint & Plate) and former St. Cecilia chef Craig Richards does indeed include a new restaurant opening next fall. The yet-named establishment will be located on the ground floor of the 24-story Lilli Midtown apartment building at the corner of Peachtree and 3rd Streets, one block north of the Fox Theatre, the Atlanta Business Chronicle reports. Richards says it’s still too early to talk menu, but it will likely include his pasta.

Chatter from within the Atlanta restaurant industry indicated that Streck was toying with the idea of opening a more fine dining-type restaurant when he partnered with Richards in September.

“We just signed the lease, so we don’t have a name and are still formulating what we want the restaurant to be,” Richards tells Eater Atlanta. “There will probably be some pasta on the menu, but we’re still a long way out from opening. Both of us are just excited to be in Midtown.”

The addition of Streck and Richards’ restaurant should breathe new life into the dining scene in this portion of Midtown. This particular stretch of Peachtree is a bit of a restaurant dead zone, with options skewing more pub and fast-casual. The few exceptions include fine dining restaurant the Livingston at the Georgian Terrace hotel across from the Fox and Negril Village Caribbean nearby on North Avenue.

Before moving to Atlanta in 2005, Richards worked in restaurants throughout Italy and with Lidia Bastianich (Italian celebrity chef, restaurateur.) Pasta is his specialty. It’s what Richards is known for as a chef in Atlanta.

Richards departed Ford Fry’s Italian and seafood restaurant St. Cecilia in Buckhead last month to enter into the partnership with Streck. The move includes leading the kitchen at Streck’s Inman Quarter sports pub Hampton + Hudson. Richards is currently retooling both the staff and menu at the restaurant. In addition to St. Cecilia, he’s worked at Fifth Group’s Italian restaurant La Tavola in Virginia-Highland and Ecco in Midtown.

Streck is also opening the Italian restaurant Nina & Rafi with O4W Pizza owner Anthony Spina at SPX Alley on the Eastside Beltline. It’s expected to open in November.

Hampton & Hudson

299 North Highland Ave. NE, Unit L, Atlanta, GA 30307 Visit Website

Hampton + Hudson

299 North Highland Avenue Northeast, , GA 30307 (404) 948-2123 Visit Website

La Tavola

992 Virginia Avenue Northeast, , GA 30306 (404) 873-5430 Visit Website

St. Cecilia

3455 Peachtree Road Northeast, , GA 30326 (404) 554-9995 Visit Website

Ecco

40 7th Street Northeast, , GA 30306 (404) 347-9555 Visit Website

Cypress Street Pint & Plate

817 West Peachtree Street Northwest, , GA 30308 (404) 815-9243 Visit Website

Livingston

659 Peachtree Street Northeast, , GA 30308 (404) 897-5000 Visit Website

O4W Pizza

3117 Main Street, , GA 30096 (678) 587-5420 Visit Website

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