Lyla Lila

 Aaahhhhh Lyla Lila!

I waited to write a review of this restaurant because it was SO good, and I wanted to go back a 2nd time just to make sure I loved it as much the next visit.  And - I did!

The name is a tad of a tongue twister.  It's derived from the 2 owners' 2 daughters' names (and it's pronounced "LIE-la LIEla"). 
(Chef Craig Richards formerly with St Cecilia and Billy Streck)

I went here originally on the recommendation from my son who had been with business associates.  He raved about it, so the next time I was going to be downtown Atlanta, I snagged a reservation (which isn't easy these days) and went.

It's located across from the Fox Theatre in Atlanta.  We parked on a side street with no problem, but I would say if you are going and there's an event at the Fox, add some time to allow for parking.

It's on the corner, and it's a subtle exterior.

Both visits we were greeted quickly and seated (both times the tables were right next to each other):

Artwork at Lyla Lila:

The cocktail menu:

The cocktails are fabulous!

wagyu beef tartare, colatura aioli, togarashi, pickled mustard seeds, sunchokes            21

Grilled figs were ridiculously delicious!

Beef tartare - beyond good, with sun chokes on top:

These little pillows of goodness were to die for! Squash cappellacci with smoked ricotta

My husband's dinner was superb!


roast chicken, charred lemon, sicilian capers, castelvetrano olives, braised spinach 

But my red snapper was the star: snapper in squash, basil-pistachio pesto, meyer lemon-crab butter 

Beautiful presentation but even better taste!

It was a magical evening on our first visit.  Chef Craig Richards even came by our table to check on us, and he received glowing compliments. 

Second visit was 6 months later, and impossible as it may sound, I think Lyla Lila is even better.

Drinks were spot on:

And this time we tried the broccoli fennel salad to start.  This salad was so good, I attempted to recreate it myself and have been making it on repeat since (see here).  It was incredible!

We also had as a starter the smoked prosciutto with apples and radishes.  As you can see below, it was stunningly presented and yes, it tasted fabulous as well:

We decided to have pasta as our main courses.  Here's mine:

Papperdelle with beef cheek fig ragu

This dish was elegantly prepared - almost too pretty to eat!  But it was delicious and devoured!

An outstanding wine our sommelier suggested:

My husband's wagyu beef and black truffle ravioli was divine!  It was decadently rich but masterfully prepared and presented.  

So 2 for 2!  And I can't wait to return.  So happy to have a spot near the Fox and downtown that's nothing short of excellent.