Lazy Betty will reopen in Midtown later this month

Lazy Betty, a Michelin-starred restaurant known for its creative tasting menus, will reopen in the former Empire State South space in Midtown on March 16.

Chefs Ron Hsu and Aaron Phillips first opened Lazy Betty in Candler Park in 2019. The eatery announced in June it would be relocating from its space at 1530 DeKalb Ave. NE to Midtown, which closed on Feb. 15.

Located at 999 Peachtree St., the new 4,300-square-foot space includes a 70-seat main dining room with a bar lounge, a semi-private dining room and a private dining room, according to a news release. The eatery will continue its tasting menu concept, and after opening it will add an a la carte food and drink menu for the bar lounge area. Diners can bring their own beverages until the restaurant receives its liquor license.

The new space was designed by Kat Blue from Blue Lantern Studios and features greenery and plants, natural textures, terracotta plaster paint on the walls and large windows with natural light. The bar lounge is the focus of the room with a stone bar top, brass and wood accents and a hand-crafted bird sculpture installation by Jennifer Thoem. An outdoor dining patio is set to debut in the coming weeks.

Before opening Lazy Betty, Hsu both worked at acclaimed restaurants in New York and Atlanta. The met while working at Le Bernardin in New York.

Lazy Betty earned critical acclaim for its tasting menus, which change regularly with the season and are meant to showcase “modern culinary techniques, intentionality, finesse and a variety of cuisines,” according to a news release.

In 2020, Lazy Betty was a semifinalist in the James Beard Award Best New Restaurant category, and in 2023 Hsu and Phillips were named semifinalists in the James Beard Award Best Chef: Southeast category. Most recently, the restaurant earned one Michelin star in Atlanta’s inaugural guide.

The eatery’s new location was previously home to Hugh Acheson’s Empire State South, which closed in 2023 after 13 years in Midtown.

The original Flying Biscuit Cafe in Candler Park will take over the former Lazy Betty space in June.