Find a great Southern lunch in Columbia at Spotted Salamander

The upscale and creative Southern menu at Spotted Salamander Cafe & Catering uses as its base tried and true recipes passed down through generations.

The shrimp salad is touted as “old-fashioned” but is paired with seared avocado halves over greens.

Many local sources for produce and meats are sought. The crispy pork belly salad includes warmed Heritage Farms pork belly. The brisket and brie sandwich, a chef favorite, is served warm with sliced fatty brisket, brie, caramelized onion mayonnaise and roasted tomatoes – hearty and flavorful.

The menu gets an overhaul at least twice each year, but specials are added to convey available seasonal items.

Chef and co-owner Jessica Shillato said the more creative she can be in the kitchen, the better.

How did Spotted Salamander get its start?

The Spotted Salamander started as a catering company. And catering remains its focus.

In fact, many of the catering clients loved the food so much that they are now regular cafe customers.

Shillato, trained as a chef at Johnson & Wales in Charleston, and her husband, Jake Wendling, opened Spotted Salamander eight years ago and decided to open a cafe a year and a half ago so they could serve some of the same catered cuisine items Monday through Friday during lunchtime.

Wendling is the “face” of Spotted Salamander; he handles the business side of the company and often interacts with customers.

What does the place look like?

For many years, the historic building housing the main cafe was a neighborhood grocery store; the flow-over seating area is the covered-porch cottage, heavy with fragrant jasmine. The owners of the store lived in the adjacent cottage.

The interior and porch dining settings are quaint and airy. Floors are hardwood. Tables are topped with fresh flowers.

Total, the cafe can serve 70.

Who eats here?

“Everyone from hipsters to business people,” said Shillato. “We like everyone!”

And many appear to enjoy Spotted Salamander’s food. Often, if someone has eaten the food at a catered event for business, she said, they may hire Spotted Salamander to cater a personal event like a wedding, baby shower or anniversary – and they may also become a regular at the cafe.

Much of Spotted Salamander’s business is repeat, she added.