Shop Talk
in every issue Calico Photography
In the Thicket
with SARA KRISNOW, third generation restaurateur
if
you are the granddaughter of the founder of a
successful restaurant known for its southern cooking,
where they can get a good, satisfying meal at a fair price, and that’s why we’re happy to
folks would assume that you know your way around the
gather, or groups of men and women meet for coffee over breakfast.”
kitchen as well. For Sara Krisnow, granddaughter of the found-
Offering comforting food at a fair price, though, has been Lizard’s Thicket’s bread and
ers of Lizard’s Thicket, Bob and Anna Williams, it’s all about her willingness to roll
butter, so to speak, since Bob and Anna Williams opened their first Lizard’s Thicket in
up her sleeves and work. Sara recalls the force behind her family’s growing restau-
1977 in Columbia. Nearly 40 years later, Lizard’s Thicket is still owned and operated by
rant chain, “My grandfather ran the restaurant and really instilled a work ethic in my
the Williams family and even employs a few of Bob and Anna’s grandchildren.
family that has helped Lizard’s Thicket grow into what it is today.” She now works as
Lizard’s Thicket has certainly grown over the years, but taking a bite of the restau-
community relations manager for Lizard’s Thicket. The jury is out on Sara’s own
rant’s famous fried chicken or chicken fried steak or sitting down for a cooked-to-or-
cooking prowess, however, she is quick to turn the focus to the matriarch of the
der omelet and a hot cup of coffee at breakfast reminds diners that some things never
Williams family saying, “My grandmother was a wonderful cook, and she ran the
change. The restaurant does offer daily specials, and even healthier options like grilled
kitchen.” We still use many of her recipes at Lizard’s Thicket.”
boneless chicken breasts, but many diners come in knowing exactly what they’ll have
Many of the recipes still prepared at Lizard’s Thicket are in fact from Anna Williams’
90
be in Florence. People love our food, and we want to always be the place where families
because they’ve been ordering the same dishes for years.
own kitchen. Authentic southern cooking is at the heart of the restaurant’s appeal and
“Fresh is always best,” said Bobby Williams. “We make all of our soups from scratch,
has long since earned Lizard’s Thicket a reputation that means “comfort” in South Caro-
all of our food in small batches and breakfast is always cooked to order. One thing many
lina. On any given Sunday, generations of families gather around the table at one of the
people don’t realize is how many South Carolina growers we work with and always
restaurant’s 15 locations, and with a Lizard’s Thicket in Florence, folks in the Pee Dee
have. It’s on everyone’s mind to eat more locally produced food these days, but this is
now do the same for breakfast, lunch and supper.
something we’ve always done at Lizard’s Thicket.”
“People that love Lizard’s Thicket ask us all the time to come to their town,” said Bobby
From collards and other greens grown by South Carolina farm W.P. Rawls to Adluh
Williams, son of Bob and Anna Williams and Chairman of Lizard’s Thicket. “It’s amazing
Flour, which is based in Columbia, Lizard’s Thicket has worked with many of its local
to me that people have stopped at a Lizard’s Thicket in Columbia, or maybe they attend-
suppliers for years, guaranteeing that the food families find at Lizard’s Thicket is as
ed USC and now they live all over the country and remember Lizard’s Thicket as a place
fresh as possible. continued...
NOVEMBER 2015
SHEMAGAZINE.COM