Have lunch at Lillian’s in Forest Acres – and pick up dinner and dessert to go

So, what’s good here?

Chicken salad. Actress and activist Jane Fonda, visiting Columbia in the 1990s, raved about it. And the shrimp salad is chopped fine and lightly seasoned.

Sandwiches appeal to veggie lovers and meat lovers alike. The PLT has fried provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, sprouts and mustard and is served on whole-wheat bread; the TLPT is the same, but with turkey. A favorite sandwich is the turkey, Swiss, and avocado. The Swiss is melted, and the sandwich includes lettuce and mayonnaise.

A specialty is the spinach pie: two pieces of flaky phyllo dough wrapped around spinach, feta and herbs. Sandwiches and salads are served with fruit and pasta salad. Lillian’s is known for its light, family-recipe oil and vinegar dressing as well.

Desserts in the glass case vary. Popular items are the ribbon meringues and the cream cheese brownies. Often, customers will eat at Lillian’s for lunch, but then peruse the freezer case for dinner. Stocked items – also made on the premises – include chicken divan, chicken pie, beef stroganoff, tomato pie, and hashbrown casserole, plus much more.

How did Lillian’s get its start?

Lillian Lippard grew up cooking with her mother, Lilliana Zografov, a Bulgarian immigrant. It was a dream of mother and daughter to one day open a bakery and cafe.

Lippard studied and worked at various food establishments and bakeries in the United States and in Austria before the pair opened Lillian’s in 1989 in Columbia. The goal was to serve fresh, made-to-order food based on family recipes.

Zografov has since died, but her daughter says her spirit lives on at Lillian’s. Her mother’s photograph is situated on the glass bakery case.

Currently, Lippard is working with and passing on recipes to stepdaughter Rebecca Walker.

What does the place look like?

The Forest Acres establishment offers an open-floor plan with an upholstered bench seat along one wall decorated with accent pillows in yellow, gray and taupe hues.

The walls are painted a warm gray; tables are topped with a cream surface, and chairs are gray metal. Accentuating the walls are images of fruits and vegetables in string art.

Customers order at the counter from a menu on a wall chalkboard or from a printed menu. A glass bakery case displays desserts, while a glass freezer case stores take-home selections.

Who eats here?

Lillian’s offers catering services to offices in and around Columbia. Friends and business associates do lunch at her establishment.

“And we see many ladies who live in Forest Acres and lots and lots of regulars that have been coming here for over 20 years,” Lippard said.

Deena C. Bouknight, Special to Go Columbia

This story was originally published October 5, 2016 at 11:00 AM with the headline "Have lunch at Lillian’s in Forest Acres – and pick up dinner and dessert to go."